Check out best affordable Omo Valley Tours and adventure packages provided by local tour operator in South Omo (Jinka). Check out our affordable authentic cultural tours to Omo Valley tribes together with other South Ethiopia tours and adventures. Omo Valley Travel has been providing unique cultural tours from South Omo (Jinka) since 2005. We celebrated our our 15 years of experience of providing tours to Omo Valley tribes in 2020.
Our organization is committed to the principles of Sustainable Tourism as well as Responsible and Eco-tourism protocols in all of our trips. We create the opportunity for our clients to directly involve and participate in several activities such as: community development local projects, environmental and cultural conservation activities in addition of visiting villages and markets of the South Omo tribes.
Rituals/Ceremonial Events to Witness on Omo Valley Tours
Most of our clients who book our south Ethiopia tours had the chance to experience several rituals and ceremonial events in South Omo. Below are the most common rituals to witness during our Southern Ethiopia tours.
Stick Fighting ( Donga) Ceremony: Both Mursi and Suri tribes practice ritual stick fights or Donga. A long wooden pole is used in combat by the two men. Holding the stick at one end, opponents strike blows at each other. It is a dangerous, fierce and artistic confrontation. The fights are held so that young men can prove themselves to the girls and find a wife. But they’re more than just a place to meet. Dongas can be used to settle disputes between individuals, clans or even whole villages. Dongas can take place at any time of the year but they are most common during and after the rains when food is plentiful. Referees monitor the fight and keep the spectators at a safe distance. The fighters are adorned with protective clothing, usually woven shields over the fingers of one hand, as well as on the knees, shins and elbows. A helmet is often fashioned from the same woven material.
