Afar women with scars as a sign of beauty, village of Hamed Ale, Danakil Depression
Another celebrity of Hamed Ale is Halima’s grandmother, Fatouma. She is one of the few Afar women who publicly have spoken out against female mutilation. She travelled all the way to Mekele to plea to the authorities. Continue Reading →
Young Afar girl playing, Afar village of Hamed Ale, Danakil Depression, Ethiopia
We loved staying in Hamed Ale. Liza knew lots of people and our little camp attracted children and village VIPs alike. Halima, an amazing and charming nine year old girl, had bewitched all of us. She was around from dawn to dusk, bringing along various friends. Also the village chief hung out there, showing off a small gun fastened to his hips. A souvenir from his pilgrimage to Jeddah / Saudi Arabia he bragged, only to add that at the age of 63 he will soon marry his fifth wife, somewhere in her early twenties. So within minutes we learned that he was the father of no less than 23 children, with more to come. Continue Reading →
