Biwa, an esteemed Kara (Karo) elder and charismatic leader, offered this near-surreal pose during preparations for an evening communal dance in Korcho, a small pastoral settlement set high on the east bank of Ethiopia's lower Omo River.
Adorned with finger-painted white-chalk body markings and brass earrings. The ivory lip-button and clay hair bun with ostrich feather reflect a "culture of heroism" shared with other tribes in the region, one that glorifies and rewards individual acts of bravery for the killing of an enemy or a dangerous wild animal.
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Street Portraiture | Social Documentary | BodyArt
