Modeling for Gun Money – Mursi Tribe of Ethiopia

Omo Valley Tribes

If you can imagine Africa – as it was centuries ago – well, imagine no longer, as it exists in Ethiopia today.

Human safari – stupid tourism, voyeuristic or not, I wanted to witness this aspect of humanity before it’s gone.

In western eyes, the Mursi tribe is famous / unusual for their tradition of women wearing lip-plates.

mursi tribe woman with lip plate in ethiopia
One theory about Mursi lip plates is that deliberate disfigurement was intended to render females less attractive to slave traders.

(Yet, this region didn’t have a history of slavery; maybe rather, countering women being taken abducted by other Omo Valley tribes could make more sense).

Other researchers, however, claim the size of the lip plate is a sign of social importance. Yet my Mursi guide said it was simply a tradition for enhancing beauty and marriage prospects.

And today, this practice continues.

Teenage Mursi girls – not all but most – still get their lower lip sliced. And then a clay or wooden lip plate is inserted, that progressively gets bigger to stretch the lip.

As a result, prestige comes from having the biggest lip plate.


The size of enlarged lips can substantially increase the value of a Mursi bride


Mursi tribe traditions in Omo Vally of Ethiopia.
Mursi tribe posing.

According to our Mursi guide, the current bride price is 38 cattle and a Kalashnikov AK-47 machine gun (bought from neighboring South Sudan).

Why guns? Well, before it was more traditional – but in recent decades, guns have a distinct advantage in tribal conflicts.

lip-plate-gun-woman-mursi-tribe-ethiopia

Mursi Tribe Traditions


The Mursi fight rival tribes.

As all the Omo Valley tribes are pastoralists, rising massive herds of cattle – not for hamburgers or sale or such, but – as measures of wealth. Much like westerners collecting classic cars, fine art or Rolex watches.

Along with cattle-stealing clashes, conflict also erupts over grazing land, water access, and perceived insults.

This is an untamed land

Guns are used regularly.

They’ve killed people in tribal clashes.

The Ethiopian Government does not interfere (unless it threatens wider regional interests) and they leave killers to be.

Actually, it is totally normal, accepted, and of course heroic to kill your enemies (as it was centuries ago). Fighting to defend your cattle, your tribe, your honor.

Warriors use body scarification and other symbolism to show how many enemies (or dangerous animals) they have killed.

[ I didn’t see this, but the Mursi are also famous for donga – severe, stick-fights to prove manhood and eligibility for marriage. Although these days, it’s not a fight to the death. ]

A rare and interesting fact (from our Mursi guide) is that unlike other tribes in the Omo Valley, who value virgin brides, the Mursi disdain such an idea. In fact, the only reason for divorce in Mursi culture is infertility on the wife’s part or being “an inexperienced virgin”.

They expect young people to play around and get experienced before they find the right one, and settle. If a man cannot conceive, then his brother will help. Apparently, infidelity within marriage is non-existent.



What is the future for Mursi tribe traditions?

Not sure.

But certainly, safari tourism is moving in (the only way to travel this region) and the concept of money has been introduced to this cashless society (foreigners pay for individual photos + village entrance fees). And while they like money to buy modern items, it hasn’t changed their way of life.

But, for how much longer?

A bigger influence is Christian NGOs trying to stop the lip-plate tradition.

What next? Will they will be housed, clothed in shirts and slacks and reading bibles?

These nomadic Mursi stayed in simple stick shelters, but they’d obviously been exposed to foreigners before. Yet, it was still a raw experience.

Sure, they knew how to “dress-up” and pose for pics. But also there were a few laughs, shyness, and sincere cross-cultural playfulness. Nothing felt worn out, yet.

So, what I can say after one week traveling around the Omo Valley amid the various tribes is that the Mursi visit is among the top highlights (along with an overnight stay in a Hamer village and watching their classic Jumping of the Bulls ceremony).

These Mursi remain nomadic warriors. Bold but still curious of outsiders. And sure as a brief visit – of course, it was shallow and voyeuristic.

Yet, it was also mesmerizing, even surreal to observe people so distant from the cyber-century.

Travels in Ethiopia- 2013

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