I’ve written about this before but it keeps on happening… DO NOT hand out pens, caramels, sweets, soap, balloons, “MAWNEE” or plastic water bottles to the children. In the Mursi village, an English couple handed out balloons to the children. Two days later, we’re in a Karo village and the children are already asking for [...]
“Travel Tips & Advice on Ethiopia”
Please Don’t Give Handouts While Traveling!
August 16th, 2008 
Sheila Simkin 
Posted in Ethiopia, Sheila's Travel Soapbox 
Tags: adventure, destination, ethiopia, event, events, food, information, landmark, log, nature, sightseeing, South Ethiopia, travel, tribes 
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Into the Karo People Region in South Ethiopia
August 15th, 2008 Sheila Simkin It was a 2-1/2 hour ride to Turmi for a stay at Evangadi Lodge. Next stop, a visit to the Karo People. The Karo also have an interesting culture and, with a population of around 1,500 people, are thought to be the Omo Valley’s most endangered group. They’ve turned to agriculture since disease wiped out [...]
Posted in Ethiopia Tags: adventure, destination, ethiopia, Evangadi Lodge in Turmi, event, events, food, information, Karo People, landmark, log, nature, sightseeing, South Ethiopia, travel, tribes No Comments »
The Hamer Man Jumps The Bulls in South Ethiopia
August 14th, 2008 Sheila Simkin It’s considered good luck to hold the ceremony across the river. Another 10-15 minute walk through the hot sands to a fairly open area. Some Hamer men concocted a small arbor and the prospective groom took off his goatskin and entered it naked. Blessings said over him for the next half hour while the bulls [...]
Posted in Ethiopia Tags: adventure, destination, Dimeka, ethiopia, event, events, food, Hamer people, information, Jumping of the Bulls ritual, landmark, log, nature, sightseeing, South Ethiopia, travel, tribes No Comments »
The Hamer Bull Jumping Ceremony Began in South Ethiopia
August 13th, 2008 Sheila Simkin The six or seven tourist 4WD’s that were fortunate enough to be at Dimeka that Saturday morning peeled out of there around 2:00 pm. It was going to be a long Jumping of The Bulls Ceremony. Henok drove to the edge of a dried up river bed, parked the car under a lonesome tree and [...]
Posted in Ethiopia Tags: adventure, destination, Dimeka, ethiopia, event, events, food, Hamer people, information, Jumping of the Bulls ritual, landmark, log, nature, sightseeing, South Ethiopia, travel, tribes No Comments »
Dimeka, The Hamers and Jumping of the Bulls Ritual in South Ethiopia
August 12th, 2008 Sheila Simkin A short rest at a lodge built for wealthy hunters and back to Orit. there was another tribe to see, the Dassanech but we had had it. Henock said they were very similar to the other tribes and we were wiped out… Back on the road the next day to the Dimeka Saturday market, another [...]
Posted in Ethiopia Tags: adventure, destination, Dimeka, ethiopia, event, events, food, Hamer people, information, Jumping of the Bulls ritual, landmark, log, nature, sightseeing, South Ethiopia, travel, tribes 1 Comment »
Mago National Park and the Mursi People in The Omo Valley of Ethiopia
August 11th, 2008 Sheila Simkin Henock is a fantastic guide. He is one of 22 guides for Green Land but only a few of them actually studied for several years in tourism school. From Jinka today, we’ll drive through Mago National Park and visit a Mursi village with a population of 100-150 people. It’s not easy to visit, or get [...]
Posted in Ethiopia Tags: adventure, destination, ethiopia, event, events, food, information, landmark, log, Mago Natonal Park, Mursi People, nature, sightseeing, South Ethiopia, travel, tribes No Comments »
The “Completely Beyond Belief” Key Afar Market in South Ethiopia
August 10th, 2008 Sheila Simkin As Henock approached Key Afar, brilliantly dressed people were approaching from all directions. The Banna in brown, Tsemay/Tsermay dressed in red and yellow, the Ari. More Banna people wearing goat skin skirts consisting of six different pieces (and colors) of goat. Warriors with feathers in their heads. Some Hamer with a little clay cap on [...]
Posted in Ethiopia Tags: adventure, destination, ethiopia, event, events, food, information, Key Afar Market, landmark, log, nature, sightseeing, South Ethiopia, travel, tribes No Comments »
The Different Tribes in Ethiopia’s Omo Valley
August 9th, 2008 Sheila Simkin The Lower Omo Valley is home to some of Africa’s most colorful ethnic groups and originally was the focus of our trip to Ethiopia until we were convinced to add the North (glad we did). Ancient customs and traditions have remained largely intact here with Animism still the religion, and wars occasionally breaking out between [...]
Posted in Ethiopia Tags: adventure, Derase people, destination, ethiopia, event, events, food, information, Jinka people, Konso people, Konso terraces, landmark, log, nature, Omo Valley, sightseeing, South Ethiopia, travel, tribes, UNESCO World Heritage Site 2 Comments »
Nechisar National Park and Crocodiles in Lake Chamo, South Ethiopia
August 8th, 2008 Sheila Simkin The morning excursion into Nechisar National Park was on an excruciatingly bad road. Nechisar has endemic Swayne’s hartebeest, Burchell’s zebra, klipspringers, Olive baboons, black and white Abyssinian Colobus monkeys and more. You didn’t have to move from Swayne’s to see the baboons running past our room (and looking in the windows) early in the morning [...]
Posted in Ethiopia Tags: adventure, crocodiles, destination, ethiopia, event, events, food, information, landmark, log, nature, Nechisar National Park, sightseeing, South Ethiopia, Swaynes Eco-Lodge, travel, tribes No Comments »
The Unique Huts Belonging to The Dorze People of Ethiopia
August 7th, 2008 Sheila Simkin One last stop before Swaynes Hotel, a visit to the Dorze with their unique culture, houses and traditions (pop: 35,000-40,000). The Dorze live up in the Guge Mountains and are famous for their huge huts built with intersecting bamboo. The roof is covered with enset (the false banana tree) and is shaped like an elephant’s [...]
Posted in Ethiopia Tags: adventure, destination, Dorze People, ethiopia, event, events, food, information, landmark, log, nature, Nechisar National Park, sightseeing, South Ethiopia, Swaynes Eco-Lodge, travel, tribes No Comments »
