I realized that I made a reference to the Mursi village, but that I never initially discussed that tribe (or any other tribe in the south of Ethiopia). More to follow when I upload photos, but for now, just a little background.
The Mursi women are the ones you've seen pictures of, even if you didn't know their name. They have plates in their lips and ears, and when you remove the plate, you're left with a lower lip that hangs several inches and does not catch drool. Not a great look. The Mursi women also like to go topless.
During the trip to the south, we paid them a visit. Problem one: the second they see tourists, they start grabbing them and yelling "Photo! 2 birr (20 cents)." It's the only English they know, and they're persistent.
Problem two: the Mursi women are obsessed with breasts. When they're not demanding photos, they're grabbing the breasts of female tourists and pulling down their shirts and bras to get a better look. And contrary to what the local guide said, grabbing their breasts back does NOT make them stop. They think it's hysterical.
Problem three: some of the women demanding that their photos be taken have AK47's. It makes rejecting them pretty exciting.
Another wacky group: the Hammer people. Also topless, but not grabby. My biggest problems with Hammer culture: (1) they have ceremonies where the men whip their female relatives until they bleed and have permanent scars. Apparently a sign of the women's devotion/loyalty; and (2) in order to marry a girl, regardless of her wishes, all a guy has to do is find her out in public (say, at the market) and put either cow dung or butter in her hand. And presto: they're married. As if getting cow dung on your hand wasn't bad enough...
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