The beautiful southern region of Ethiopia is home to a collection of unique tribes who’s traditional lifestyles have remained remarkably unchanged for what is believed to be close to a millennia. The Konso were our first insight into the peoples of this area and we were warmly welcomed into one of their fortified hilltop settlements.
Situated on the top of one of the regions many hills Gamole is an archetypal Konso town. Tiers of Stone terracing run down the hill like steps and are at the heart of agricultural life here, a drought strategy that is centuries old. A few steep footpaths lead you through the outer stone wall to narrow, steep and winding pathways that are labyrinth-like to the unknown foot. The town is built concentrically and inner walls divide it into wards or districts, much like a tree the oldest part lies at its centre.
The streets of Konso towns were historically designed as a defensive measure from both enemies and wild animals. Wandering around the maze like walkways of Gamole we could see why you would not want to be an enemy on the run! The threats of the past have now diminished and the town’s dry stone walls are no longer built as high, however the walls in the central ward remain an impressive three meters tall.
Families live in individual compounds side by side and the close quarters and alleyways are not unlike in character the iconic backstreets of the industrial north of England. Life here however revolves around agriculture (a job shared by all) and all structures are made from materials that can be taken from the surrounding fields and hilltops. From the dry stone walls to the heavy wood structures everything is built using only the strong hands of the Konso people.
Each compound is surrounded by hard wood boughs stacked side by side and secured in stone foundations. We got to see inside this secure fencing when we were kindly invited in by a man with an excellent moustache. Passing through a wooden arch and stepping over a barrier that keeps the livestock in, we were greeted by a curious bleat from an old goat.
The lower level of the homestead belongs to the animals and a grain house or two whilst the upper level is the families domain. The round huts which are made from mud and wood and topped off with grass roofs are very pleasing to the eye. When one of these sturdy homes needs to be built the whole male community turns out to help construct it. Whilst building is left to men, women (typically!) rear children and prepare food, as well as fetch water and collect fodder for the animals in giant loads!
After reaching the age of 18 men can leave their compound and sleep in a mora, a large hut with a raised platform centrally located in each ward. These not only act as watchtowers (for fires and thieves) but are also important public spaces for the community to discuss issues. Well worn rocks surround the mora and provide an area where both sexes can settle disputes. Problems not resolved here are taken to the communities common mora. Here resides the truth stone, a fairly unremarkable lump in the ground but one, the Konso believe, that has the power to kill if someone should lie when touching it!
The community is lead by an unelected generation set, consisting solely of men, which changes every 18 years. This handover is represented by the erection of a new Generation Pole, a tall tree trunk which towers above the rest in a pyre-like structure in front of the common mora. Around the pole is an area which is either dedicated to dance in times of celebration or acts of retribution. Here wrongdoers, typically adulterers and thieves, where beaten in front of the community though now we were told fines and police involvement are more common.
Traditional customs still play a central role here but whilst exploring Gamole we also noticed the presence of the outside world creeping in. It will be interesting to see how age old customs continue to fit with the growing modernity of the younger generations. The community are proud of their Konso heritage but education and new opportunities are beginning to give people choices outside of the stone walls.
If the Clan Chief we met is anything to go by then tradition and modernity stand a great chance of working together. Nine clans make up Konso and the position of cheif is hereditary. Before meeting the Kertita Chief we were expecting to encounter a complacent overlord who reaps the benefits of his lofty position in a removed compound in his sacred forest. Gezahegn could not have been more different! A charming and charismatic man he is dedicated to bringing together the old and the new. Drought is a very serious problem here, and whilst an important part of his role in the community is performing sacrifices to bring the rain, he also works closely with NGO’s on more practical solutions such as digging wells. Provocation aside Gezahegn is trying to get a license which will allow him to set up his own own projects, we whole heartedly believe he will use it to make great changes whilst also protecting his heritage.
As chief Gezahegn mediates disputes between his people and this has inspired him to initiate training programmes in conflict management. Not only have local leaders and community members taken part but his skill and experience has also been recognised by the government. Encouraging different tribes and generations to communicate is fundamental to this regions success.
Spending a morning wandering around a town that has barely changed for the last 800 years, talking to the people who live there and meeting a clan chief was incredible and an insight into a very different way of life. Apart from the odd jerry can, tin roof and Arsenal shirt life is still lived much as it was and it is amazing how effective, if sometimes backbreaking, time old methods (sacrifice not included!) are. Addisu, our knowledgeable local guide, told us “our culture is a bridge to the past and a guide to the future”. We really hope for the Konso people that progress will not be held back by tradition or culture lost in change.
