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Tribes
TurnTrash
IntoJewelry
EricLafforgue
ThesouthernEthiopiantownofOmoratehasbecomeastompinggroundfortheworkersbuildingthebridgeacrosstheOmoRiver.Barshavebeguntopopupallover.Wheretherearebars, therearebottles.Wheretherearebottles, therearebottle caps.TheneighboringDassanech tribe,who inhabit theenvironsof theriverbank,haverepurposedthisfreshsupplyofusedbottlecapsbyfashioningthemintoheaddresses.
The more caps they have, the moreconfident they feel. Along with thetraditional beaded necklaces theywear, this headdress is a fashionableaccessory.
Themostfashionableoutfitconsistsofcomplementingthebottlecaphatwithfurfromananimalsuchasacheetah(left)oracolobusmonkey(right).
Usually,membersofthetribeareeagertosellanythingtheyfashion.However,whenitcomestothebottlecaphats,theyrefuse.Theyconsiderthempartoftheiridentitynow.
Old women like to add feathers andbroken watches to their headdresses.They almost always have some heavynecklaces on as well. The moreadornments, the more confident theconsequentlyfeel.
Southern Ethiopian tribes recycle everything. Old watch bands can make great necklacependantsforHamergirls.
Mursichildrenbeganattendingschoolduetogovernmentpressure.Simultaneously,therewasabigvaccination campaign for the tribe. These teens canbe seenwearing a collectionof syringe capsaroundtheirnecks.
TheadultMursion theotherhanduse thesyringesasbracelets.Everything thatcomes fromthe“modern”worldhaspotentialasanaccessory.Theseitemsalsoshowthatthebearerhastraveledaround,visitingnearbytowns.
Ever sincemobilephoneshavemadetheirway intotheSurmatribe,thewealthierresidentsofthe Tulgit purchase disposableprepaid phone cards thateventuallyturnintoearrings.
BothmenandwomenofboththeBanaandHamertribesalsowearthesephonecardearrings. Thecardsaremadeofrigidplastic,aregeometric inshape,andarequitedurable;inessence,theypossessmanyqualitiesthatthetribesvalue.
The Hamer tribeswomen saythey like these cards since theyrepresent the modern world.Eveniftheydon’thaveaphone,theseearringsareawaytokeepupwiththeprogressbyturningthetechnologyintofashion.
IntheremoteareasofAngola,membersofthe Himba tribe drink cans of Fanta andSprite.
TheMucawanawomen collectthese cans to make the“Kapapo”headdress.
Ethiopia’sDassanechalsoincorporatethesecansintheirheadwear.
