Guardians of culture

Centuries of isolation have enabled the Mursi tribe to reach the present day with almost completely unchanged traditions and rituals, in which I had the privilege of being immersed.

We live within an era that is galvanized by fast-paced pressure and the homogenisation of cultures. Naturally, this poses a threat to customs and traditions that have been inherited by successive generations, with many already having dissolved in a similar manner to those of the past. My time spent in Africa has definitely affirmed that this world has limited space to accommodate the traditions of centuries ago, slowly diffusing them with the fast-paced nature of our current society. However, to me, this only highlights the urgency to preserve these cultures as much as possible.

Within the parameters of a photograph, I have been able to capture the raw intensity of people, tribes, and cultures that have managed to maintain their connection with their ancestry. A digital time capsule, if you will.

The Mursi people are understood to be one of the most feared tribes that still exist today, but I felt nothing but welcomed. Enveloped in their culture, I formed an attachment to this tribe. Centuries of isolation have enabled the Mursi tribe to reach the present day with almost completely unchanged traditions and rituals, in which I had the privilege of being immersed. Some enduring rituals has been the adornment of numerous jewels and accessories , body painting and scarification’s.

It didn’t take long for me to deduce that another aesthetic practice that holds great importance in the Mursi culture is the ritual of body painting.

For this tribe, body painting is performed for aesthetic appeal, and symbolic representation, as well as a tool to protect and heal themselves. Much like many other acts performed by the tribe, it was multi-purpose and rooted in tradition.

Whilst the body modification practices of scarification, shaving of hair, and women donning a lip plate may seem extreme, they are derived from centuries of tradition and are thus habitual to the community.