Why do Mursi tribe wear lip plates?

Why do Mursi tribe wear lip plates?

The custom of wearing a lip plate is linked to the female’s fertility and eligibility for marriage. When a Mursi girl reaches puberty (around age 15 to 16) she will have her lip cut by a female member of the tribe and a small wooden stick is inserted.

How do Mursi people live?

During the dry season they live mainly along the banks of the Omo. When the rains come they return to the grasslands, east of the river, to live close to their cattle and enjoy the fresh milk. Life for the Mursi is often arduous and sometimes dangerous.

What language do the Mursi people speak?

Southeast Surmic language
Mursi (also Dama, Merdu, Meritu, Murzi, Murzu) is a Southeast Surmic language spoken by the Mursi people who live in the South Omo Zone on the eastern side of the lower Omo valley in southwest Ethiopia. The language is similar to Suri, another Southeast Surmic language spoken to the west of the Mursi language area.

Which tribe is beautiful in Ethiopia?

The Mursi is one of the most attractive Ethiopian tribes. Known for their warrior and aggressive spirit.

What is the meaning of lip plates?

The lip plate, also known as a lip plug or lip disc, is a form of body modification. Increasingly large discs (usually circular, and made from clay or wood) are inserted into a pierced hole in either the upper or lower lip, or both, thereby stretching it.

How did lip plates begin?

One theory is that lip plating originated as a deliberate disfigurement designed to make women and young girls less attractive to slave traders. Some researchers claim that the size of the lip plate (the bigger the better) was a sign of social importance or wealth within the tribe.

What is the most feared tribe in Africa?

Top on the list of deadliest African warriors is the Somali tribe. The Somali are undoubtedly the most powerful of all African tribes when it comes to military warfare and tactics. They boast of the best military warfare and tactics which helped them to sail as far as Southeast Asia to flex their power.

Who are the Omo people?

They live at the point where the Omo River delta enters Lake Turkana, in fact their name means ‘People of the Delta’. They are primarily pastoral people, growing maize, beans, and pumpkins at the time of year when the delta floods. During dry seasons they rely on their cattle and goats for milk, meat, and hides.

Where is the Suri tribe located?

Ethiopia
The Suri are an agro-pastoral people and inhabit part of the West Omo zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People’s Region (SNNPR) in Ethiopia, while the Other live partly in neighbouring South Sudan.

Is Ethiopian beautiful?

Ethiopia offers some of the most extraordinary landscapes anywhere in Africa. From the jagged-peaks of the Simien Mountains, the thick afro-alpine forests of the Bale Mountains, or the kaleidoscopic acid springs of the Danakil Depression – it’s one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

Can you eat with a lip plate?

People often ask me if the women wear the lip plates all the time and how can they eat with them. The answer is no, they don’t wear them all the time. That means they eat without the plate, meaning their stretched lip hangs down, sometimes even under their chin.

Where are the Mursi people of Ethiopia located?

Diaspora, Ethnology, and Related Peoples. The Mursi are an agro-pastoralist ethnic tribe living in southwestern Ethiopia, Africa. They inhabit the lower valley of the Omo River near the border of Ethiopia with South Sudan.

What did the Mursi tribe do for a living?

The Mursi tribe maintain an ancient way of bartering and sharing goods with other tribe members. For instance, the Mursi clan barter photographs of themselves with tourists for razor and other basic materials they deem essential. One amazing and distinctive feature of the Mursi tribe is their dressing.

What kind of clothing does the Mursi tribe wear?

One amazing and distinctive feature of the Mursi tribe is their dressing. They put on ornaments of different kinds and tattoo their bodies with ash after which patterns are drawn on them.

How did the Mursi tribe get a donga?

Just like any other ethnic tribe in the lower valley, the men must pass a test before they can get married. A Mursi man is given a stick called a Donga and must face one opponent. The men then battle it out, beating each other with the sticks.