A Time For Knives

Description

Before the first light of dawn, our Land Cruiser carved its way through the early morning darkness, navigating the rugged terrain of the Omo Valley in Ethiopia. Our alertness was high as we scanned for roaming wildlife or wandering locals as we trekked over the terrain. We were headed out to meet the Dassanech, a remote tribe that seemed to be tucked away on the Kenyan-Ethiopian border, a location so isolated I’m still not completely sure which side we were on.

As we arrived, the first sight to greet us was the Dassanech homes. They were humble huts, an assembly of wood, plastic, and heat-absorbing sheet metal, that were dotted across the dry landscape. Soon they would be subjected to the unrelenting heat of the sun. Yet, it was here, in this seemingly barren isolation, that the Dassanech carved out their existence.

When the morning sun began to paint the sky in hues of orange and red, the hum of the Dimi ceremony began. It’s a time when the tribe gathers, not under the cooling shade of trees, but under the vast expanse of the sky, to dance and sing from home to home, celebrating their young girls’ transition into womanhood. Historically, the Dimi ceremony included circumcision for both boys and girls, which gave rise to the moniker “time for knives” by some of the elders.” Today, the tribe contends that this practice has been discontinued for girls, although that remains uncertain.

In “A Time for Knives”, three Dassanech men, in their ceremonial attire, their bodies daubed with paint, truly command attention. Leopard skins hang over their shoulders, and hats made of black ostrich feathers sit atop their heads, a symbol of their valor and tribal stature. The tall clay-covered sticks they hold represent more than mere physical objects; they are tangible symbols of their divine connection. Their faith shapes them, as they shape the clay over the wood, with the dwellings they bless standing solemnly behind them.

The Dassanech, on first glance, may seem to be trapped in an unforgiving environment, but I hope this image conveys something different. Yes, their landscape is tough, their dwellings basic, but look closer. There’s an incredible vitality here, a dance of life in a place you’d least expect.

This image is a celebration of the beauty of human persistence. The Dassanech aren’t relics of the past. They’re an active, dynamic community, living out traditions honed over centuries, despite a world that’s quickly changing around them. And their Dimi ceremony, even if once called ‘A Time for Knives’, is a time to celebrate unity, resilience, and an unyielding commitment to their way of life.”