Ethiopia > Visiting the Dorze tribe

Although I would have preferred to take the full excursion through the nature park, there is no choice but to join only the boat trip. No alternative is offered for the walk through the park. A pity, but on the other hand it would also mean that I’d miss another part of the program due to all the schedule changes. That’s not an option either. I step aboard the small boat.

Ethiopia - A group of pelicans on Lake Chamo near Arba Minch

It holds exactly ten passengers. A small roof provides shade from the bright sun. The water of Lake Chamo is calm. Debbe, our guide for today, pushes the boat away. Using a pole, he pushes it into deeper water. Nagetu, the helmsman, starts the engine and steers the boat onto the lake. The first animal I spot is a hippo, lifting its head above the water. A little further, pelicans and storks sit by the entrance of the river, reflected in the water. Due to the strong current, many fish pass by here. Debbe and Nategu push the boat against the current into the river. This stretch is also known as Crocodile Market because of the large number of crocodiles. At the river mouth lies an enormous crocodile on the shore. I estimate it to be at least seven meters long. I didn’t know crocodiles could get so big. Further along, more animals bask in the mud. Back on the lake, we head to another part of the shore. Several hippos swim in the water here, surfacing one after another. In the afternoon, I drive into the mountains north of Arba Minch. The road climbs quickly. Jonas maneuvers the bus through one hairpin turn after another. Behind me, I see the lake growing smaller and smaller. Children along the road react enthusiastically. In front of the bus they perform somersaults and even a split. As soon as we pass, they run up through the bushes to await us again at the next bend. Almost at the top of the mountain we enter the Dorze village. Makonnen, a young man of about thirty with large rasta dreadlocks, boards the bus—a striking figure.

Ethiopia - The spice seller at the market in Chencha

He is the leader of the Dorze village. He rides with us to Chencha for the weekly market, seven kilometers further. When I arrive, I see it is bustling with activity. Against a mountainside, everyone is trying to sell something, usually displayed on a plastic sheet on the ground. Makonnen explains that general photos are fine, but if I want to take a specific photo of someone, they expect one Birr as payment. I walk among the people. At a ping-pong table, a girl asks if I want to play. I pick up the paddle. Just like in Debark, I lose badly. Around me, many children push forward, eager to be photographed in hopes of earning one Birr. I try to photograph the market over their heads. At a spice seller’s stall, I make an exception: I take her picture and pay her one Birr—barely four euro cents. The market is fun and interesting to see, but the begging atmosphere is strong. Everyone asks for that one Birr. At times I am literally besieged. After half an hour, I’ve had enough of the market. Makonnen takes me to his village, showing the traditional houses of the Dorze tribe.

Ethiopia - A traditional dance of the Dorze tribe

Tall homes are woven from bamboo, reaching up to twelve meters. Since termites gnaw away at the lower sections, the houses become shorter each year. It’s hard to imagine that the tiny hut of barely two meters was once twelve meters tall. I enter one of the tall houses. Inside, there is space for living, storage, sleeping, and livestock. Makonnen shows how the enset plant (“false banana”) is processed. The dough is buried underground for several months to ferment. Afterwards, it can be baked over a fire into a kind of pancake. I get to taste it, together with the strong Arak liquor. The village visit ends with a traditional dance. Around sixty children and villagers gather to sing, dance, and play music. I say goodbye to Makonnen. As we drive the bus downhill, darkness begins to fall. The children are still there, performing somersaults, dances, and tricks beside the bus, then dashing down forest paths to repeat their stunts. Meanwhile, I see a rainbow over the lake—meaning it must be raining below. By the time I reach Arba Minch, it is already dusk. I don’t really feel like going into the city. I order food through room service in my lodge and stay inside. I crawl early under my mosquito net to sleep.