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Inhabitants of one of the hottest and most arid regions of the globe in the eastern tip of east Africa, the Afar can be found in three countries, Ethiopia, the Republic of Djibouti and Eritrea. A semi-nomadic people, the Afar or Danakils spark both interest and fear. The mystery that shrouds them and their physical beauty draws interest, while their reputation for cruelty is frightening. All sorts of legends about them abound describing them as pitiless killers. The uncertain origin of the Afar shrouds them in further mystery. Lucy, the oldest human skeleton found on earth, was discovered in the middle of the Afar region. The Afar: horizon seekers... Photographs and text by ©Sylvain Savolainen/LightMediation Contact - Thierry Tinacci - LightMediation Photo Agency - +33 (0)6 61 80 57 21 [email protected]

The Afar: horizon seekers

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Inhabitants of one of the hottest and most arid regions of the globe in the eastern tip of east Africa, the Afar can be found in three countries, Ethiopia, the Republic of Djibouti and Eritrea. A semi-nomadic people, the Afar or Danakils spark both interest and fear.The mystery that shrouds them and their physical beauty draws interest,while their reputation for cruelty is frightening. All sorts of legends about them abound describing them as pitiless killers. The uncertain origin of the Afar shrouds them in further mystery. Lucy, the oldest human skeleton found on earth, was discovered in the middle of the Afar region.

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Page 1: The Afar: horizon seekers

Inhabitants of one of the hottest andmost arid regions of the globe in theeastern tip of east Africa, the Afar canbe found in three countries, Ethiopia,the Republic of Djibouti and Eritrea.A semi-nomadic people, the Afar orDanakils spark both interest and fear.The mystery that shrouds them andtheir physical beauty draws interest,while their reputation for cruelty isfrightening. All sorts of legends aboutthem abound describing them aspitiless killers. The uncertain origin ofthe Afar shrouds them in furthermystery. Lucy, the oldest humanskeleton found on earth, wasdiscovered in the middle of the Afarregion.

The Afar: horizon seekers...Photographs and text by ©Sylvain Savolainen/LightMediation

Contact - Thierry Tinacci - LightMediation Photo Agency - +33 (0)6 61 80 57 21 [email protected]

Page 2: The Afar: horizon seekers

2352-05: Impending storm drives this caravaneer from the salt "glacier" of Lake Assal. He has lost several days walking to the lake. The wet salt cannot be collected and would be too heavy for the dromedaries tired asthey are after the journey they have made without water or food under tempratures reaching 50°C. It is useless to wait, if they were to carry a load, the animals would probably collapse from exhaustion on the way back.

Page 3: The Afar: horizon seekers

2352-01: The Afar triangle is among the most inhospitable regions in the world. The sun-scorched desertis also the theater of frequent storms caused by the Khamsin wind. In this stormy area where the elements

2352-02: Through the desert and the volcanic chimneys of Lake Abbe, in the Republic of Djibouti, thisAfar spends hours on end under temperatures of up to 50°C to lead his herd to a watering point. This

2352-03: Face covered in a "herd" mask (a mixture of garlic, cumin, curry and lemon) acting assunscreen. Afar women not only use the mixture as sunscreen, it is also considered a beauty lotion that

2352-04: Bronze skin. Afar women often wear leather and pearls necklaces. The ornaments are strangelysimilar to the necklaces of ancient Egypt. Some theories have it that the Egyptians would be the ancestors

Page 4: The Afar: horizon seekers

2352-05: Impending storm drives this caravaneer from the salt "glacier" of Lake Assal. He has lost severaldays walking to the lake. The wet salt cannot be collected and would be too heavy for the dromedaries

2352-06: A typical Afar: proud breading, a "gile" (long dagger with curved blade) in the belt, Kalashnikovassault rifle on the shoulder.

2352-07: Throughout the Horn of Africa Afar women are famous for their beauty and the force theyradiate. Some have it that they inspired the gorgons of Greek Antiquity.

2352-08: Some time before the wedding of a woman, the female members of her family start setting up the"daboita", the traditional Afar tent. It consists of a frame of rot-proof wood covered in mats. If wood is too

Page 5: The Afar: horizon seekers

2352-41: In Tajura, Republic of Djibouti, Afar weddings are generally celebrated in summer. On this occasion, the young women of the two families - wearing magnificent gold and silver jewelry - perform various dancesand songs. Their outfit include the gile, the traditional Afar sword.

Page 6: The Afar: horizon seekers

2352-09: Afar camp. After studied and lived on such camps, Chedeville wrote that "the sociopoliticalstructure of the Afars combines a territorial organization and a tribal organization. A harmonious

2352-10: The Afars have been almost continuously at war since the XVIth century. In turn, their enemieshave been the Christians of the Abyssine Empire, the Oromos, the French, Italian and British colonizers in

2352-11: The Afars are nomads and they roam the desert in search of grazing grouns for their herds.Once they settle somewhere they will jealously defend this territory, shepherds then turn into warriors

2352-12: Typical landscape of the Afar territory: depressions located below sea level with salt lakes at thebottom. Breathtaking lunar sceneries. The average temperature ranges between 45 and 65°C depending

Page 7: The Afar: horizon seekers

2352-13: Afar caravan and its load on Lake Asal, a salt lake in the Republic of Djibouti. Lake Asal lies 153meters below sea level. It is the lowest pint in Africa. It is also one of the hottest places on Earth with

2352-14: Lake Asal, in the Republic of Djibouti, Lake Asal lies 153 meters below sea level. It is the lowestpint in Africa. It is also one of the hottest places on Earth with temperatures reaching 65°c. The Afars

2352-15: Lake Asal, in the Republic of Djibouti, Lake Asal lies 153 meters below sea level. It is the lowestpint in Africa. It is also one of the hottest places on Earth with temperatures reaching 65°c. The Afars

2352-16: On Lake Asal, Republic of Djibouti. A caravan waits for the wind to weaken.

Page 8: The Afar: horizon seekers

2352-31: The beauty of Afar women is legendary in the entire Horn of Africa. Fatima is in mourning and asprescribed by tradition, she is not allowed to wear bright colors for an entire year. But does she really need

2352-40: In Tajura, Republic of Djibouti, Afar weddings are generally celebrated in summer. On thisoccasion, the young women of the two families - wearing magnificent gold and silver jewelry - perform

Page 9: The Afar: horizon seekers

2352-17: The salt have been gathered, a caravaneer is loading a dromedary. If the Afars are often calledthe "navigators of the desert" it is not only because of their lifestyle and the fact that they plot their route by

2352-18: A sand Simbad on a sea of salt. On Lake Asal, 153 meters below sea level, the capital of the"land of thirst".

2352-19: Caravan arriving in Assaita, a small locality which is the epicentre of the Afar territory. 2352-20: The central square of Assaita, main town of the Afar territory. A big name for a tiny locality lost indesert which has even lost its sands.

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2352-21: The market in Assaita, men load dromedaries with palm leaves which will be used to make mats. 2352-22: The largest markets are held on the borders of the various territories. here in Bati, Afars,Oromos, Argobas and Amharas rub elbows and trade salt, butter, sorgho, fabrics, cattle, jewelry, tobacco

2352-23: "A headful of snakes and deadly for the mortals. Their sight will kill the breath of men". Thissentence about Afar women was not written by a contemporary poet but by ancient Greece's Apollodorus

2352-24: The Afars will walk for days to reach the market where they will find supplies that cannot befound in the brush. Thus, they go to the market only once or twce a month. Here an Afar woman buys

Page 11: The Afar: horizon seekers

2352-01: The Afar triangle is among the most inhospitable regions in the world. The sun-scorched desert is also the theater of frequent storms caused by the Khamsin wind. In this stormy area where the elementsconstantly seem to try and prevail, there is always a man or a woman to proudly confront them.

Page 12: The Afar: horizon seekers

2352-25: The Afars will walk for days to reach the market where they will find supplies that cannot befound in the brush. Thus, they go to the market only once or twce a month. Here an Afar woman buys

2352-26: Afar camp, a few "islets" lost in one of the world's hottest deserts. After living on these campsand studying them, Chedeville wrote: "the social and political structure of the Afars combines territorial

2352-27: The banks of the Awash river are the only green and fertile places of the Afar territory. Herenear Assaita, the capital of the Afar region, some Danakils have responded to the encouragement of the

2352-28: The Afar triangle is among the most inhospitable regions in the world. The sun-scorched desertis also the theater of frequent storms caused by the Khamsin wind. Here a huge cloud of dust is about to

Page 13: The Afar: horizon seekers

2352-29: This Afar woman and her herd will reach the watering point after several hours under atemperature that can reach and exceed 50°C. At the end of the day, they will set out to return to camp.

2352-30: This Afar woman and her herd will reach the watering point after several hours under atemperature that can reach and exceed 50°C. At the end of the day, they will set out to return to camp.

2352-31: The beauty of Afar women is legendary in the entire Horn of Africa. Fatima is in mourning andas prescribed by tradition, she is not allowed to wear bright colors for an entire year. But does she really

2352-32: Afars are predominantly Muslim, and generally belong to the Shafeite sect, a subgroup ofSunnite branch of Islam. They do abide by the Koran and the principle of the five daily prayers but still

Page 14: The Afar: horizon seekers

2352-03: Face covered in a "herd" mask (a mixture of garlic, cumin, curry and lemon) acting as sunscreen. Afar women not only use the mixture as sunscreen, it is also considered a beauty lotion that will lighten andsoften the skin.

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2352-33: Cattle is sacred in the arid zones of Ethiopia. Herds are the true riches of the Afars. They holdtheir cattle so dear that one of their sayings goes: "I will not not kill a cow for a goid I have never seen".

2352-34: The Afar society as other tribes of Africa, is divided into age groups. This segmentation, and therights and duties associated with each age group, is know as Fiima. The purpose of the Fiima is to

2352-35: Chain work is always performed to the sound of the same song when the men water the cattle. Itwill be the main task of the day near the well as an Afar can own dozens even hundreds of cows.

2352-36: Men pay the same attention to their hair as the women. When their hair is not braided theycarefully see to the maintain of a neat haircut for which the traditional gile will be used as scissors.

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2352-37: Afar shepherd 2352-38: Throughout the Horn of Africa, the Afars have a reputation for being fierce warriors. Occasionsto establish this reputation have been many in the course of history even recently when they fought the

2352-39: The jewelry the women of Tajura (Djibouti) wear for weddings are unique in the Afar society.They mainly come from Indian and Yemen and were traded for the ivory, the musk or the slaves the

2352-40: In Tajura, Republic of Djibouti, Afar weddings are generally celebrated in summer. On thisoccasion, the young women of the two families - wearing magnificent gold and silver jewelry - perform

Page 17: The Afar: horizon seekers

2352-64: Perched on a volcanic peak, two Afar shepherds overlooking Lake Abbe in the Republic of Djibouti.

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2352-41: In Tajura, Republic of Djibouti, Afar weddings are generally celebrated in summer. On thisoccasion, the young women of the two families - wearing magnificent gold and silver jewelry - perform

2352-42: Song and music are an important part of Afar life which heavily relies on oral tradition. The Afarlanguage has been resorting to the use of writing and a vernacular alphabet for about twenty years. here,

2352-43: Once a year, on the occasion of the celebration of the Muslim festival of sacrifice, a major gameof Kwosso is held in Ethiopia. The game is a sort of rugby. That day, hundreds of men are celebrated.

2352-44: Once a year, on the occasion of the celebration of the Muslim festival of sacrifice, a major gameof Kwosso is held in Ethiopia. The game is a sort of rugby. That day, hundreds of men are celebrated. Yet,

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2352-45: Scarification is supposed to enhance natural beauty by turning the body into a jewel. 2352-46: The Afar society may be relatively keeping to itself, but the Afars will readily adopt outsideelements. For them it is an essential quality desert dwellers should have. Here in Arhiba, the section of

2352-47: For the Afars, the camel is a monetary, the animal has a thousand names, it is the vector of lifeand the seat of taboos. It lends its strength as a pack animal, it gives its milk - the essential ingredient of

2352-48: Hair is probably the part of the body the Afars care most about. Various hairstyles can be seendepending on places. Men often coat their hair in butter to make it shiny, women will braid it as girls will

Page 20: The Afar: horizon seekers

2352-13: Afar caravan and its load on Lake Asal, a salt lake in the Republic of Djibouti. Lake Asal lies 153 meters below sea level. It is the lowest pint in Africa. It is also one of the hottest places on Earth withtemperatures reaching 65°c. The Afars collect salt with their bare hands and pickaxes. Their feet are often displaying wounds caused by the thorny bushes of the brush, salt and sun combine to burn the bodies of the

caravaneers. They are not chained but still work as if they were chaingang convicts.

Page 21: The Afar: horizon seekers

2352-49: Once a year, on the occasion of the Muslim festival of sacrifice, a game of Kwosso is played inEthiopia. This Afar "rugby" involves hundreds of players in a vast desert plain. Before the beginning of the

2352-50: Once a year, on the occasion of the Muslim festival of sacrifice, a game of Kwosso is played inEthiopia. This Afar "rugby" involves hundreds of players in a vast desert plain. Before the beginning of the

2352-51: Once a year, on the occasion of the Muslim festival of sacrifice, a game of Kwosso is played inEthiopia. This Afar "rugby" involves hundreds of players in a vast desert plain. Before the beginning of the

2352-52: Once a year, on the occasion of the Muslim festival of sacrifice, a game of Kwosso is played inEthiopia. This Afar "rugby" involves hundreds of players in a vast desert plain. Before the beginning of the

Page 22: The Afar: horizon seekers

2352-53: Once a year, on the occasion of the Muslim festival of sacrifice, a game of Kwosso is played inEthiopia. This Afar "rugby" involves hundreds of players in a vast desert plain. Before the beginning of the

2352-54: Once a year, on the occasion of the Muslim festival of sacrifice, a game of Kwosso is played inEthiopia. This Afar "rugby" involves hundreds of players in a vast desert plain. Before the beginning of the

2352-55: Afar man on Lake Abbe in the Republic of Djibouti. 2352-56: Once the tent dismantled and loaded on dromedaries, these women get going...

Page 23: The Afar: horizon seekers

2352-43: Once a year, on the occasion of the celebration of the Muslim festival of sacrifice, a major game of Kwosso is held in Ethiopia. The game is a sort of rugby. That day, hundreds of men are celebrated. Yet, it isalso a day for honoring women) also numbering in the hundreds - who will mark the event and the champions with songs and dances. The young women are very impressed by the valiance of the champions but the

attraction is reciprocal.

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2352-57: Hair is probably the part of the body the Afars care most about. Various hairstyles can be seendepending on places. Men often coat their hair in butter or grease to make it shiny, women will braid it as

2352-58: Khat. The chewable leaf which has euphorizing effects on the Horn of Africa. The Afars just lovekhat. Its sap has become the blood of men. They live for and by khat. For the Afars of the remote parts of

2352-59: On Afar territory landscapes are arid and desolate apart from rare havens. The banks of theAwash river and their volcanic soil are extremely fertile. Such places are just a stop on the way of the

2352-60: Hair is probably the part of the body the Afars care most about. Various hairstyles can be seendepending on places. Men often coat their hair in butter or grease to make it shiny, women will braid it as

Page 25: The Afar: horizon seekers

2352-61: "It was as if they were following invisible traces leading them to the other end of solitude, to thenight". Le Clezio, Desert.

2352-62: Perched on a volcanic peak, two Afar shepherds overlooking Lake Abbe in the Republic ofDjibouti.

2352-63: Perched on a volcanic peak, two Afar shepherds overlooking Lake Abbe in the Republic ofDjibouti.

2352-64: Perched on a volcanic peak, two Afar shepherds overlooking Lake Abbe in the Republic ofDjibouti.

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2352-11: The Afars are nomads and they roam the desert in search of grazing grouns for their herds. Once they settle somewhere they will jealously defend this territory, shepherds then turn into warriors carrying a gunand a knife.

Page 27: The Afar: horizon seekers

The Afar:horizonseekers...-Text-

"We have neither running water, hospitalsnor schools. Our homes are deprived ofelectricity; we know neither how to readnor write, and we are aware that mostconsider us a tribe of bloodthirstysavages. Are you ready to visit our campsites, bear witness to our way of life andculture, our problems and handicaps andtransmit your observations to those livingin abroad?

These words have been translated fromAfar to Oromo and from Oromo to English.These were among the first wordsexchanged from my first encounter with AliBelaâtu, Afar chief living in the area ofSenbete. It was brief but long enough tounderstand a what an afar life can be. Thediscussion took place not far from amarket place at the border separating theprovinces of Shoa and Wollo in Ethiopia.

I had travelled to Ethiopia to carry out aproject commissioned by the InternationalLabor Organization. I was photographingwomen at a market and I made a chanceencounter with a man escorted by fourother men, who politely saluted me with anod of the head. Intrigued by his physiquesimilar to that of a marathon runner, Iremarked his thin muscular limbs, hiswaist encircled ammunition belt and aKalachnikov automatic rifle on hisshoulder.

Later on, while eating and chatting in theonly hotel to exist in that village, our pathscrossed once again. Having noticed mybag containing photographic gear, he firstspoke with my guide before attempting tospeak with me. This was my firstencounter with an Afar, a legendarypeople which live in the horn of Africa.Having read documentary materials beforeleaving for Ethiopia, I came across aphysical description of the Afar written byBaumann and Westerman, two scientists:"The Afar are a race characterized by adark reddish brown complexion, woollyhair, either curly or wavy, are generallytall. Their facial features typically include astraight, narrow nose, non protrusive jawsand non eversive lips. The cephalic indexindicates a dolichocephalic type...." Ibegan to look for a dictionary until I cameacross another description by aresearcher by the name of Vallois, whoexplained that these characteristicsindicate "a noble race of good lineage,designed to inhabit the steppes and highlyadapted to the migratory way of life."

Yet others added their own grain of salt. Iread a few of them and have read yetothers since. Explorers, settlers,colonizers, ethnologists, vulcanologists,journalists and many others haveexpressed their views on the Afar duringthe course of the twentieth century. Manyof the declarations made concerning thispeople are for all purposes identical.

Although Ali may not be able to read suchmaterial, he has certainly heard more thanonce such comments which circulatefreely. The most frequently plagiarized is atext by Thesiger, the famous British"nomad" of the turn of the last century."One must not underestimate thesignificance given by the Danakil - the

name by which the Afar were formerlyknown - to a custom by which strangers orenemies captured were emasculated. It iswell known that they evaluate the braveryin combat of a man to the number ofvictims to his credit." Another comment ofthe same order: " To kill is the only act ofimportance for those people."

From Nesbitt, the instigator, to HarounTazzief, the voyagers-adventurers sent bycable television commonplace remarks ofthis type were repeated to satiety. Ajournalist wrote in the mid 1990's: "Murderis an act considered honorable by the Afarwho proudly don the emblems of theirexploits". He continues "(...) the men arerequired to have multiple lovers, and thewomen do the same". The caricature isextreme, a mixture of exoticism,adventure, sex and violence complete thefantasy, rehashed again and again.

Anyway, the encampments awaited us,let's go and see. On the map, the zonecalled the Afar triangle covers an areameasuring 150,000 square kilometers,traced between three points, the first ofwhich is represented by a city calledAwash in Ethiopia, the two others beingthe Bori peninsula in Eritrea and Obock inDjibouti. It seems as if this part of theEarth's geography has not terminated itsformation, and depressions as deep as150 meters below sea level are notunusual. Temperatures rising above 65°Care typical, burning desert sands and saltlakes. The terrestrial crust is torn,tornadoes and storms are swollen by theKhasim wind, an active volcano : theextreme geophysical nature of this part ofthe world would not have daunted theimagination of Dante.

Yet the Afar have adopted this territory astheir homeland. They cross it on foot. We

have begun our own walk, accompaniedby my personal guide, Mohamed BallaHussein, through the region of Senbete.Could there be another mode ofdiscovering a nomadic culture than onfoot? We arrive at last in theencampments, and my first encounter withthe Afar is visual. Ethiopia does not exploitits natural resources through mining, but Iwas struck by the beauty of the women,which are so many black diamonds. TheAfar women are magnificent, the lines oftheir faces the pure facets of jewels, theirbodies an alloy of bronze and silk, theirskins brilliant and supple. The buildings,called daboitas form islands in a sea ofsavanna and desert sands. Woodenstructures covered with woven mats areused as tents, and wood becomes tooscarce, then dried grass or lava are usedas building materials to provide shelter.

After the initial visual impact, thesecondary encounter was made throughthe use of language. Mohamed BallHussein, an Afar from the region, hadspent several years in an area a few dayswalk away, in Djibouti, where he workedtranslating the language of the Afar intoFrench. Ali Belaâtu sent for him, without aguide in the area, it is difficult tocommunicate. The Afar tend to keep theirdistance from foreigners. They prefer toavoid an attitude of servility and have nouse for nostalgic voyeurs in search ofexotic trophies. Those safari seekersdisappointed by their non indulgent hostshave made the Afar pay the price of theirrefusal to be subservient to the imageimposed upon them, and have beenpunished by descriptions of their culturequalifying them as bellicose savages. Forthe last hundred years, to avoidexpressing the disappointment resultingfrom a refusal to be colonized, theinsincere adventurers of the West have

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preferred to call to further isolate the Afarthrough inaccurate, racist epithets.

The language of the Afar does notpossess its own alphabet and has beenwritten for only the last twenty years. Littleis known about this tribe of semi-nomadsand the origin of their culture. Only a fewhypotheses have been emitted concerningthe nature and roots of this people.Among the most frequently quoted is atheory in which the Afar are a mixture ofArabic and Caucasian blood, havingemigrated from the Arabic peninsula andwhat is now Yemen towards Africa. Yetothers explain (some of them Afarthemselves) that this people always livedwhere they do right now. The latter theorywould make the Afar one of the ancestorsof all mankind. At Hadar, in Afar country,paleontologists unearthed Lucy, one of theoldest "human" skeletons ever to havebeen found.

The most popular hypothesis of all claimsthat the Afar are actually Egyptians.Thefoundations of Afar society seem topartially confirm this theory. The variousclans among the Afar are divided into twoclans, the Asaimaras or "Red Men" andAdoimaras or "White Men". According tosome, the difference in geographiclocation of the two groups justifies theseparation. The Adoimaras are said to benamed for the sandy dune areas wherethey tend to live, while the Asaimaras liveinland, in an area in which the soil is tintedbrick red by the volcanic lava. Yet a morewidely accepted explanation also makesan allusion to the two crowns of AncientEgypt which at one time was divided intotwo realms: the kingdoms of Lower Egypt

and Higher Egypt. These two monarchieswere symbolically represented by a whitecrown and a red crown which thepharaohs of the two kingdoms worebefore the reunification of the twokingdoms by the Pharaoh Narmer,symbolically representing the union of thetwo by a single crown containing bothcolors. Even today, the Afar sultan ofTadjoura in the Republic of Djibouti isconsecrated in a ceremony in which hereceives two drums symbolic of theacquisition of power. One of the drums iswhite, the other red.

Another cultural similarity is that both theAfar and the Ancient Egyptiansconsidered the Logos as their Creator. It iswidely known that before the Jews and theChristians, the Egyptians considered theWord to be behind the origin of Creation.The Afar share that belief, expressed inthe words: "YAB Y AABEH Y ABBA ABE",meaning "The word created me andcreated my father". Beyond suchsymbolic, cultural and linguistic analogies,I was struck by the physical resemblanceof the Afar to the ancient Egyptians, theirimages engraved in stone or painted onpapyrus, which I examined at the Egyptianhistory museum in Cairo. The Afar ofEthiopia seem to have remained free fromforeign influence and have remained intouch with their traditional roots. Thewomen wear an article of clothing calledthe saro, a loin cloth covering half of thetorso, the bust remaining unclothed,covered by a semi circular neck ornamentcalled the oundudu, decorated withturquoise, sapphire blue, ivory and saffronyellow beads. The long finely braided hairof the women of Tadjoura also recalledthe hairstyles of Ancient Egyptian women.The representations of Ancient Egyptianmen remarkably resembled thecontemporary Afar, sharing the same

rounded helmet hairstyle, the same whiteloincloth covering the waist to the knee,with a knife worn over the lower belly.

I did not encounter warlike men andwomen in the Afar villages I visited. I didfind them thirsty for communication,education, development, exchange andeager to find respite from their relentlessisolation. The myth promoted by a visionof the nomad free from social constraints,lord of the desert needs to be qualified.They explained: "We don't enjoy livinghere. We spend hours simply searchingfor water. Our lives depend on the survivalof our cattle; everything is based on this.In the cities, there is water everywhere.Look at how we live. There are noschools, no hospitals, no roads. When oneof our people is hurt, we have to carry thatperson to the nearest village, which, atbest, is six or seven hours walk from here.All of this needs to change." Their wordsare heavy with meaning, and are difficultfor an urban dweller to hear. Our fantasiesand dreams of adventure which webelieve to be lived out by such men andwomen lose ground; but that is the leastmeasure of the tragedy. These nomadsare practically no longer able to continueto survive within their traditionalenvironment. The nomadic life of the Afaris an obligation; their survival as a peopledepends upon the survival of their herdsand the salt harvest.

When adequate pasture lands have beenfound and the camp set up, the daily life ofa clan is relatively calm. "A few hours" ofwalking each day are required to collectdrinking water and to water the herds. Thewomen guard the herds and make craftsobjects to pass the time...But when theperiod of transhumance comes along, thelifestyle of the Afar changes radically.Each day becomes a marathon for both

men and beasts. They will cross deserts,dried up oases, mountains. Their travelsare shared by a few tall skinny camelsloaded down with food, supplies, skinsand bedding as well as ammunition fortheir Kalachnikovs. These men andwomen follow the trail upon which theirancestors first tread centuries ago.

The nomads claim to see mirages alongthe way. The mirage most frequently ofwhich they speak is the city: "Ourgrandfathers did not know of the city andthe advantages of city life. Now ourgeneration is aware of the differences,and we believe that life in the city wouldbe easier for us." I spoke to them of theMasais, who have become curiosities andare unable to integrate themselves intocity life, or of the Tuareg populations wholive in poverty in the shanty towns of theSahel. Are they not afraid of losing theiridentities and traditions in the cities? "No,we won't lose anything, we will improveupon what we have. In the cities, there willbe enough water for everyone. It is truethat we will no longer be allowed to dressas we do, half naked, nor will our women.We are aware of such restrictions and weknow that is the price to pay if we chose tolive in the cities, but we need to developourselves and our culture in order tosurvive." The instability of the Afar's watersupply is the major problem. During thelong walks from one camp to another,Mohamed explained to me that thiscontroversy has been a source of muchconflict between the Oromo and the Afar,the sedentary and the nomads. In the90's, from early 1992 to February 1996, anarmed conflict broke out between theOromo and the Issa, blood enemies.When I asked how many people werekilled, Mohamed vaguely replied: "Oh, ...!Many!" How many, I pursued. He replied,"I don't know, I didn't count them, Mr.

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Sylvain. Perhaps 200." Two hundred deadafter four years of war. Silently, Icompared what in Europe we call the"Great War" or the conflict in formerYougoslavia with the hundreds ofthousands of war dead, and I reflect uponwhat we often pejoratively call tribalwarfare.

Today, relations between the two ethnicgroups have improved. Life in the areahas always been difficult. Yet roughgeographic conditions do not preventoccasions for rejoicing to exist: weddingsare the primary events for which festivitiesare celebrated.

Later on the same day I was informed thata 48-hour walk from here, a wedding wasabout to be celebrated. I departed withMohamed, another guide and our twopacksaddled camels. We journeyed oneday and one night : I never suspected thatthe shadows of locust trees could look sobeautiful under the moonlight. We arrivedin the hugeness of the bush, in the middleof nowhere. There, in the twinkling of aneye, we had accessed the center of theuniverse. The shining stars were vibratingas the voices of women, and the groundand air were shaking as men and womenwere dancing. Wedding is a serious matter for the Afar,for it directly concerns linkage betweenclans, cattle, camels, and pasture areasamong other things. The Afar have thusdecided that too much was at stake forweddings to be arranged according tomere chance. So the eldest son has totake his cousin (the daughter of hisfather's sister) as his first wife. The samegoes for younger sons and daughters. But

the Afar's life goes beyond cattle issuesand when it is time to chose a secondwife, Inch Allah, whatever will be, will be.

The reference to Allah clearly indicates it :the Afar are Muslims. But even thoughthey do practise the five daily prayers andthe traditional Ramadan starvation diet,they consider themselves Afar first andMuslims second. One of their sayingsgoes : "I will not kill my cow for a God Inever saw". Something quiteunderstandable given their situation.

Wise men say that different religions andbeliefs are all cups filled with water fromthe same river. The Afar tend to agreewith that assessment. I had theopportunity to verify it when, up north, Iwas invited to witness a consultation atthe ginili (oracle)'s. With his trances,dances and chants, the ginili is a survivalfrom ancient animistic traditions, kept aliveby the Afar who use it to punctuate theirlives. When asked, the ginili gives precisedates of a future transhumance, of aceremony or reveals the outcome of amajor event.

At last, later on, I finally arrived at Assaïta.The eye of the cyclone. The epicenter ofthe area, the heart of what the uninitiatedcalled "antichamber of Hell". A desertinside a desert, abandoned by sand itself.There is only dust here. And yet, this isthe place where the Afar, thosesignposters of the desert with the sharpeyes of horizon watchers, imagine theirfuture years. I tried it. Like them, I watchedin the horizon. I believe I saw an oasis, butwas it a mirage ? I can't tell. With suchheat, the air tends to vibrate and thirst canmake you see many things that actuallyaren't necessarily there ... But they areconvinced this is the place where they willfind their salvation and future. Assaïta, the

bearer of dreams, a city reflecting itspeople and their need to build themselves.

Some of the Afar do have an experienceof what life in the city is. They know thetown of their rivals, Djibouti, the place oftensions and lost hopes, a magnet asmuch as a Leviathan. They know whatdangers lurk there, and want to warn theothers, who might be a bit too optimistic :"We must not let the ways of the bush beerased by the ways of the city. We cannotwrite, we have not recorded our traditionon cassettes, and without a strong oralpassing on of our customs and culture,they will disappear. What will become ofthe basis of our society then ?". We talkedabout this : there is a risk that they mightlose their identity, that it would drift intonothingness. The only support that mightremain for them is the khat, the local drugthat brings euphoria or lethargy. A good orevil custom ? It depends of your point ofview, of your degree of addiction. Anyway,from 1:00 PM on, when users havereceived their daily fix, silence reigns ...Except for the sound of chewing khat. When I asked Mohamed how he believedhis people were about to deal withentering the "modern age" as inhabitantsof a city, he answered : "Times change.Back where you live, people thoughtdifferently 50 years ago; now everybody isan intellectual. We also want to have anaccess to schools and knowledge.Previous governments forced us to remain"savages", now we want to evolve with therest of the world." Calmy, totally awarethat the cities' call could be a sirens' callfor those sailors of the desert, he added :"We have a saying that goes like this : youcannot know a thing if you do not see it,you cannot swallow it if you do not chewit" ...

Page 30: The Afar: horizon seekers

The Afar:horizonseekers...-Synopsis-

Inhabitants of one of the hottest and mostarid regions of the globe in the eastern tipof east Africa, the Afar can be found inthree countries, Ethiopia, the Republic ofDjibouti and Eritrea.A semi-nomadic people, the Afar orDanakils spark both interest and fear. Themystery that shrouds them and theirphysical beauty draws interest, while theirreputation for cruelty is frightening. Allsorts of legends about them abounddescribing them as pitiless killers. Theuncertain origin of the Afar shrouds themin further mystery. Lucy, the oldest humanskeleton found on earth, was discoveredin the middle of the Afar region.

The desert or semi-desert territory thatthey occupy forms a triangle that spreadsout over 150,000 square meters betweenAwash, in Ethiopia, the Bori peninsula, inEritrea and Obock, in Djibouti, with apopulation estimated between to 2 to 3million. In all three countries the Afarspeak the same language which has beengiven its own script only in the last somefourty years, the same traditions and thesame social set up.

Their way of life and the politicalcircumstances have marginalized the Afar.The 1991 war in Djibouti (former "territoryof the Afar and the Issa") between the twoethnic groups led to the expatriation of

about 30,000 Afar from Djibouti to Ethiopiaand about 5000 to Eritrea. They fled thepersecution of the Djibouti army whichwas controlled by the Issa. 80,000 otherAfar were evacuated to Djibouti. In Eritreaand Ethiopia, they live in dangerously badsocial and hygienic conditions as therefugee status is generally not evenrecognized.

A lot of theories would make the Afarwomen the inspirers of the Gorgonas, theGreek mythology characters. They arealso often compared to Ancient Egyptiansfor several reasons. An instance of thecultural resemblance between the twopeoples is the symbolical meaning of thecolors, red and white.For the Egyptians, they symbolized thetwo kingdoms of Higher and Lower Egypt.For the Afar, they relate to a hierarchicalclassification between "red men"(Asahyammara), the nobles, and "whitemen" (Adoyammara), the vassals. But thephysical aspect of some of the Afar aloneis enough to give substance to this theory:a short loincloth, necklaces shaped like ahalf-moon, long plaited hair, all this can befound with certain Ethiopian Afar.

Whether or not this is true, themodern-day Afar have a definitelyancestral way of life. Some of them havehowever taken to the cities, and can befound in Tadjura, Obock, Awash, andAssaïta. Livestock remains their principalwealth. The arid climate forces the Afarand their livestock (dromedaries, sheep,cows) to practice transhumance acrossthe desert.

The Afar have also made salt collectingtheir specialty and an exclusivity, again inthe middle of the desert, mainly on thebanks of the Assal lake in the Republic ofDjibouti. The painstaking task consists in

gathering the salt with pickaxes and barehands. In order not to add the heat of thesun to the already-burning salt, thecollection is completed early in themorning or late in the day. The salt is thentaken by caravans across the eastern tipof Africa.

Many Afar now hope for a more sedentarylife, and wish to improve their materialliving conditions and their level ofeducation. Some even dream of nationalunity.

Page 31: The Afar: horizon seekers

Captions

2352-01: The Afar triangle is among themost inhospitable regions in the world.The sun-scorched desert is also thetheater of frequent storms caused by theKhamsin wind. In this stormy area wherethe elements constantly seem to try andprevail, there is always a man or a womanto proudly confront them.

2352-02: Through the desert and thevolcanic chimneys of Lake Abbe, in theRepublic of Djibouti, this Afar spendshours on end under temperatures of up to50°C to lead his herd to a watering point.This "extrarrestrial" landscape was chosenfor the shooting of both adaptations ofPierre Boulle's novel "Planet of the Apes",the 1968 version starring Charlton Hestonand Tim Burton's 2001 version.

2352-03: Face covered in a "herd" mask(a mixture of garlic, cumin, curry andlemon) acting as sunscreen. Afar womennot only use the mixture as sunscreen, it isalso considered a beauty lotion that willlighten and soften the skin.

2352-04: Bronze skin. Afar women oftenwear leather and pearls necklaces. Theornaments are strangely similar to thenecklaces of ancient Egypt. Sometheories have it that the Egyptians wouldbe the ancestors of the Afars. Thenecklaces share the same general shape,includes to pearls and display the samecolors and designs.

2352-05: Impending storm drives thiscaravaneer from the salt "glacier" of LakeAssal. He has lost several days walking tothe lake. The wet salt cannot be collectedand would be too heavy for the

dromedaries tired as they are after thejourney they have made without water orfood under tempratures reaching 50°C. Itis useless to wait, if they were to carry aload, the animals would probably collapsefrom exhaustion on the way back.

2352-06: A typical Afar: proud breading, a"gile" (long dagger with curved blade) inthe belt, Kalashnikov assault rifle on theshoulder.

2352-07: Throughout the Horn of AfricaAfar women are famous for their beautyand the force they radiate. Some have itthat they inspired the gorgons of GreekAntiquity.

2352-08: Some time before the weddingof a woman, the female members of herfamily start setting up the "daboita", thetraditional Afar tent. It consists of a frameof rot-proof wood covered in mats. Ifwood is too scarce, the tent can also bebuilt from dried grass, stones or evenblocks of lava.

2352-09: Afar camp. After studied andlived on such camps, Chedeville wrotethat "the sociopolitical structure of theAfars combines a territorial organizationand a tribal organization. A harmoniouscompromise between the tribal systemwhich allows to maintain a grip on theindividual and a territorial system whichallows leadership to be exerted within awell defined area".

2352-10: The Afars have been almostcontinuously at war since the XVIthcentury. In turn, their enemies have beenthe Christians of the Abyssine Empire, theOromos, the French, Italian and Britishcolonizers in the XIXth and XXth centuriesand the Communist troops of ColonelMengistu. And also the Issa clan which

has been reigning over Djibouti for 30years. Over centuries, they have acquireda reputation for being fearsome warriors.Today, in addition to their traditional "gile" the traditional Afar dagger, theKalashnikov assault rifle is part of theirstandard equipment.

2352-11: The Afars are nomads and theyroam the desert in search of grazinggrouns for their herds. Once they settlesomewhere they will jealously defend thisterritory, shepherds then turn into warriorscarrying a gun and a knife.

2352-12: Typical landscape of the Afarterritory: depressions located below sealevel with salt lakes at the bottom.Breathtaking lunar sceneries. The averagetemperature ranges between 45 and 65°Cdepending on the place and season. HereLake Dobi in Ethiopia.

2352-13: Afar caravan and its load onLake Asal, a salt lake in the Republic ofDjibouti. Lake Asal lies 153 meters belowsea level. It is the lowest pint in Africa. Itis also one of the hottest places on Earthwith temperatures reaching 65°c. TheAfars collect salt with their bare hands andpickaxes. Their feet are often displayingwounds caused by the thorny bushes ofthe brush, salt and sun combine to burnthe bodies of the caravaneers. They arenot chained but still work as if they werechaingang convicts.

2352-14: Lake Asal, in the Republic ofDjibouti, Lake Asal lies 153 meters belowsea level. It is the lowest pint in Africa. Itis also one of the hottest places on Earthwith temperatures reaching 65°c. TheAfars collect salt with their bare hands andpickaxes. Their feet are often displayingwounds caused by the thorny bushes ofthe brush, salt and sun combine to burn

the bodies of the caravaneers. They arenot chained but still work as if they werechaingang convicts.

2352-15: Lake Asal, in the Republic ofDjibouti, Lake Asal lies 153 meters belowsea level. It is the lowest pint in Africa. Itis also one of the hottest places on Earthwith temperatures reaching 65°c. TheAfars collect salt with their bare hands andpickaxes. Their feet are often displayingwounds caused by the thorny bushes ofthe brush, salt and sun combine to burnthe bodies of the caravaneers. They arenot chained but still work as if they werechaingang convicts.

2352-16: On Lake Asal, Republic ofDjibouti. A caravan waits for the wind toweaken.

2352-17: The salt have been gathered, acaravaneer is loading a dromedary. If theAfars are often called the "navigators ofthe desert" it is not only because of theirlifestyle and the fact that they plot theirroute by observing the stars but alsobecause they share some gestures withsailors.

2352-18: A sand Simbad on a sea of salt.On Lake Asal, 153 meters below sealevel, the capital of the "land of thirst".

2352-19: Caravan arriving in Assaita, asmall locality which is the epicentre of theAfar territory.

2352-20: The central square of Assaita,main town of the Afar territory. A big namefor a tiny locality lost in desert which haseven lost its sands.

2352-21: The market in Assaita, men loaddromedaries with palm leaves which willbe used to make mats.

Page 32: The Afar: horizon seekers

2352-22: The largest markets are held onthe borders of the various territories. herein Bati, Afars, Oromos, Argobas andAmharas rub elbows and trade salt, butter,sorgho, fabrics, cattle, jewelry, tobacco orweapons.

2352-23: "A headful of snakes and deadlyfor the mortals. Their sight will kill thebreath of men". This sentence about Afarwomen was not written by a contemporarypoet but by ancient Greece's Apollodorusin the early years of Christianity about thegorgons. Would it be the same? Maybe assome theories, Medusa and her sisters,the mythological monsters Perseus is saidto have fought would have been inspiredby the Afar women. Their finely braidedhair, their powerful look and their skin asshiny as fish scales appearing as keyelements. A theory supported by the factthat Andromeda, the woman saved byPerseus, was the queen of Ethiopia.

2352-24: The Afars will walk for days toreach the market where they will findsupplies that cannot be found in the brush.Thus, they go to the market only once ortwce a month. Here an Afar woman buyssorghum from and Oromo woman. Shewill later grind it to flour used to maketortillas.

2352-25: The Afars will walk for days toreach the market where they will findsupplies that cannot be found in the brush.Thus, they go to the market only once ortwce a month. Here an Afar woman buyssorghum from and Oromo woman. Shewill later grind it to flour used to maketortillas.

2352-26: Afar camp, a few "islets" lost inone of the world's hottest deserts. Afterliving on these camps and studying them,Chedeville wrote: "the social and politicalstructure of the Afars combines territorialand tribal organization. An harmoniouscompromise between the tribal systemwhich allows to maintain a grip on theindividual and a territorial system whichallows leadership to be exerted within awell defined area"

2352-27: The banks of the Awash riverare the only green and fertile places of theAfar territory. Here near Assaita, thecapital of the Afar region, some Danakilshave responded to the encouragement ofthe authorities which invited them to settle.They now have to adjust to an totally newlife style. They learn and developagriculture and now find themselves closeenough to the city to send their children toschool or get health care from a doctor.

2352-28: The Afar triangle is among themost inhospitable regions in the world.The sun-scorched desert is also thetheater of frequent storms caused by theKhamsin wind. Here a huge cloud of dustis about to swallow everything.

2352-29: This Afar woman and her herdwill reach the watering point after severalhours under a temperature that can reachand exceed 50°C. At the end of the day,they will set out to return to camp. Camelscan do without drinking for several daysbut smaller animals require a daily roundtrip to the watering point.

2352-30: This Afar woman and her herdwill reach the watering point after severalhours under a temperature that can reachand exceed 50°C. At the end of the day,they will set out to return to camp. Camelscan do without drinking for several days

2352-31: The beauty of Afar women islegendary in the entire Horn of Africa.Fatima is in mourning and as prescribedby tradition, she is not allowed to wearbright colors for an entire year. But doesshe really need bright colors to furtherunderline her beauty? "A headful ofsnakes and deadly for the mortals. Theirsight will kill the breath of men". Thissentence about Afar women was notwritten by a contemporary poet but byancient Greece's Apollodorus in the earlyyears of Christianity about the gorgons.Would it be the same? Maybe as sometheories, Medusa and her sisters, themythological monsters Perseus is said tohave fought would have been inspired bythe Afar women. Their finely braided hair,their powerful look and their skin as shinyas fish scales appearing as key elements.A theory supported by the fact thatAndromeda, the woman saved byPerseus, was the queen of Ethiopia.

2352-32: Afars are predominantly Muslim,and generally belong to the Shafeite sect,a subgroup of Sunnite branch of Islam.They do abide by the Koran and theprinciple of the five daily prayers but stillretain some independence from Islam.They are Afars before being Muslims. Oneof their sayings is "There are assertionsthat we reject even if they are out of theKoran". Besides, some of their beliefs andalmost animistic rituals predate theestablishment of Islam and are stillperformed and still have significantinfluence on the life of these nomads.

2352-33: Cattle is sacred in the aridzones of Ethiopia. Herds are the trueriches of the Afars. They hold their cattleso dear that one of their sayings goes: "Iwill not not kill a cow for a goid I havenever seen". Like the Pheul (Fulani) of

western Africa, the Afars go as far ashaving a realtion of friendship with theircows and dromedaries. each female has aname. Besides, their cattle probablybelong - in spite of the distance - to thesame family as the Ankole, the cows thatlived in the Sahara 4000 years ago, beforethey were crossbred with Asian cattle.

2352-34: The Afar society as other tribesof Africa, is divided into age groups. Thissegmentation, and the rights and dutiesassociated with each age group, is knowas Fiima. The purpose of the Fiima is toestablish a system of rules for each agegroup that will allow for the clan to developand live harmoniously. The elders are theguarantors and pillars of this code.

2352-35: Chain work is always performedto the sound of the same song when themen water the cattle. It will be the maintask of the day near the well as an Afarcan own dozens even hundreds of cows.

2352-36: Men pay the same attention totheir hair as the women. When their hair isnot braided they carefully see to themaintain of a neat haircut for which thetraditional gile will be used as scissors.

2352-37: Afar shepherd

2352-38: Throughout the Horn of Africa,the Afars have a reputation for beingfierce warriors. Occasions to establish thisreputation have been many in the courseof history even recently when they foughtthe Oromos of Ethiopia and the Issas ofDjibouti. Today, the spears have beenreplaced by AK-47's.

2352-39: The jewelry the women ofTajura (Djibouti) wear for weddings areunique in the Afar society. They mainlycome from Indian and Yemen and were

Page 33: The Afar: horizon seekers

traded for the ivory, the musk or the slavesthe caravaneers transported to the sea byway the vast desert plains. For centuries,the port city of Tajura was a trading centerfor merchandise sold in the Arab countriesand India. Many Afar traders used to buildtheir wealth in Tajura. Today on occasionsrequiring such ornaments to be worn, iffamilies do not own such parures to coverthe dancers, the entire village will mobilizeto put the jewelry at the disposal of thosewho need it thus perpetuating the mutualhelp traditions observed in the bush.

2352-40: In Tajura, Republic of Djibouti,Afar weddings are generally celebrated insummer. On this occasion, the youngwomen of the two families - wearingmagnificent gold and silver jewelry -perform various dances and songs. Theiroutfit include the gile, the traditional Afarsword.

2352-41: In Tajura, Republic of Djibouti,Afar weddings are generally celebrated insummer. On this occasion, the youngwomen of the two families - wearingmagnificent gold and silver jewelry -perform various dances and songs. Theiroutfit include the gile, the traditional Afarsword.

2352-42: Song and music are animportant part of Afar life which heavilyrelies on oral tradition. The Afar languagehas been resorting to the use of writingand a vernacular alphabet for abouttwenty years. here, gathered arounddrums, women release voices resemblingthat of violins.

2352-43: Once a year, on the occasion of

the celebration of the Muslim festival ofsacrifice, a major game of Kwosso is heldin Ethiopia. The game is a sort of rugby.That day, hundreds of men arecelebrated. Yet, it is also a day forhonoring women) also numbering in thehundreds - who will mark the event andthe champions with songs and dances.The young women are very impressed bythe valiance of the champions but theattraction is reciprocal.

2352-44: Once a year, on the occasion ofthe celebration of the Muslim festival ofsacrifice, a major game of Kwosso is heldin Ethiopia. The game is a sort of rugby.That day, hundreds of men arecelebrated. Yet, it is also a day forhonoring women - also numbering in thehundreds - who will mark the event andthe champions with songs and dances.The young women are very impressed bythe valiance of the champions but theattraction is reciprocal.

2352-45: Scarification is supposed toenhance natural beauty by turning thebody into a jewel.

2352-46: The Afar society may berelatively keeping to itself, but the Afarswill readily adopt outside elements. Forthem it is an essential quality desertdwellers should have. Here in Arhiba, thesection of Djibouti where Afars havesettled, a woman is wearing a boubou, agarments more readily associated withArabs or Somalis.

2352-47: For the Afars, the camel is amonetary, the animal has a thousandnames, it is the vector of life and the seatof taboos. It lends its strength as a packanimal, it gives its milk - the essentialingredient of the Afar diet - and is asymbol of prestige. Here, a wedding

provides an occasion for a rare event, thesacrifice of a dromedary for the finest ofmeals.

2352-48: Hair is probably the part of thebody the Afars care most about. Varioushairstyles can be seen depending onplaces. Men often coat their hair in butterto make it shiny, women will braid it asgirls will decorate it with colored pearls,shirt buttons or other small objects boughton the market.

2352-49: Once a year, on the occasion ofthe Muslim festival of sacrifice, a game ofKwosso is played in Ethiopia. This Afar"rugby" involves hundreds of players in avast desert plain. Before the beginning ofthe game, the champions parade by agegroup armed like warriors beautiful andgleaming like gods under the cheers of thecrowd. Everyone knows this game is anoccasion to demonstrate courage andvirility through violent confrontation. A wayof winning the respect of men and theheart of women. The game start aboutnoon - as the temperature reaches 45 to50°C - and the near-naked players willplay until dusk.

2352-50: Once a year, on the occasion ofthe Muslim festival of sacrifice, a game ofKwosso is played in Ethiopia. This Afar"rugby" involves hundreds of players in avast desert plain. Before the beginning ofthe game, the champions parade by agegroup armed like warriors beautiful andgleaming like gods under the cheers of thecrowd. Everyone knows this game is anoccasion to demonstrate courage andvirility through violent confrontation. A wayof winning the respect of men and theheart of women. The game start aboutnoon - as the temperature reaches 45 to50°C - and the near-naked players willplay until dusk.

2352-51: Once a year, on the occasion ofthe Muslim festival of sacrifice, a game ofKwosso is played in Ethiopia. This Afar"rugby" involves hundreds of players in avast desert plain. Before the beginning ofthe game, the champions parade by agegroup armed like warriors beautiful andgleaming like gods under the cheers of thecrowd. Everyone knows this game is anoccasion to demonstrate courage andvirility through violent confrontation. A wayof winning the respect of men and theheart of women. The game start aboutnoon - as the temperature reaches 45 to50°C - and the near-naked players willplay until dusk.

2352-52: Once a year, on the occasion ofthe Muslim festival of sacrifice, a game ofKwosso is played in Ethiopia. This Afar"rugby" involves hundreds of players in avast desert plain. Before the beginning ofthe game, the champions parade by agegroup armed like warriors beautiful andgleaming like gods under the cheers of thecrowd. Everyone knows this game is anoccasion to demonstrate courage andvirility through violent confrontation. A wayof winning the respect of men and theheart of women. The game start aboutnoon - as the temperature reaches 45 to50°C - and the near-naked players willplay until dusk.

2352-53: Once a year, on the occasion ofthe Muslim festival of sacrifice, a game ofKwosso is played in Ethiopia. This Afar"rugby" involves hundreds of players in avast desert plain. Before the beginning ofthe game, the champions parade by agegroup armed like warriors beautiful andgleaming like gods under the cheers of thecrowd. Everyone knows this game is anoccasion to demonstrate courage andvirility through violent confrontation. A way

Page 34: The Afar: horizon seekers

of winning the respect of men and theheart of women. The game start aboutnoon - as the temperature reaches 45 to50°C - and the near-naked players willplay until dusk.

2352-54: Once a year, on the occasion ofthe Muslim festival of sacrifice, a game ofKwosso is played in Ethiopia. This Afar"rugby" involves hundreds of players in avast desert plain. Before the beginning ofthe game, the champions parade by agegroup armed like warriors beautiful andgleaming like gods under the cheers of thecrowd. Everyone knows this game is anoccasion to demonstrate courage andvirility through violent confrontation. A wayof winning the respect of men and theheart of women. The game start aboutnoon - as the temperature reaches 45 to50°C - and the near-naked players willplay until dusk.

2352-55: Afar man on Lake Abbe in theRepublic of Djibouti.

2352-56: Once the tent dismantled andloaded on dromedaries, these women getgoing...

2352-57: Hair is probably the part of thebody the Afars care most about. Varioushairstyles can be seen depending onplaces. Men often coat their hair in butteror grease to make it shiny, women willbraid it as girls will decorate it with coloredpearls, shirt buttons or other small objectsbought on the market.

2352-58: Khat. The chewable leaf whichhas euphorizing effects on the Horn ofAfrica. The Afars just love khat. Its sap

has become the blood of men. They livefor and by khat. For the Afars of theremote parts of the deserts, the problem isnot as serious as near the cities "the menhold on tight to the most fragile thing thereis: the twigs of an Ethiopian shrub. Thisplant toughens them in return. It is boththe poison and the antidote, that is,perpetual incarceration". In Djibouti atnight, nobody fears empty streets orhaunted houses for ghost time comes inthe afternoon at khat time.

2352-59: On Afar territory landscapes arearid and desolate apart from rare havens.The banks of the Awash river and theirvolcanic soil are extremely fertile. Suchplaces are just a stop on the way of thenomads, as they will have to pack and gowhen the level of the river starts to riseand flood the banks.

2352-60: Hair is probably the part of thebody the Afars care most about. Varioushairstyles can be seen depending onplaces. Men often coat their hair in butteror grease to make it shiny, women willbraid it as girls will decorate it with coloredpearls, shirt buttons or other small objectsbought on the market.

2352-61: "It was as if they were followinginvisible traces leading them to the otherend of solitude, to the night". Le Clezio,Desert.

2352-62: Perched on a volcanic peak,two Afar shepherds overlooking LakeAbbe in the Republic of Djibouti.

2352-63: Perched on a volcanic peak,two Afar shepherds overlooking LakeAbbe in the Republic of Djibouti.

2352-64: Perched on a volcanic peak, twoAfar shepherds overlooking Lake Abbe in

the Republic of Djibouti.