Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Dangers & Annoyances
Because there are many tourists, '
faranji
frenzy' (
Click here
)
is as bad here as it is in
northern Ethiopia. Just keep smiling and remember that the stress will pass.
Photography can also be stressful. Locals love having their photo taken - because they
charge you for the privilege. Posing for photos is the best and sometimes only source of
cash the villagers have. (Keep in mind that, generally speaking, women are more likely to
spend the money on useful things like plastic buckets or flashlights; men mostly buy
areke,
homemade liquor.) They'll often aggressively approach you, demanding that you
start snapping. In fact, most of the face and body painting and elaborate headgear were
once worn only for battle or special occasions, but it's now done daily to prompt tourists
to snap photos. The clothing (or lack of it in the case of the Mursi), however, is genuine.
The price is always negotiable but Birr2 for a quick pose or Birr10 for a longer one is nor-
mal. The days of your model counting camera clicks is mostly over. During village-wide
celebrations your guide will negotiate a flat fee for photography, but this is very rarely ac-
ceptable during normal village visits because when the money is paid to the chief, he will
generally keep it all.
In an attempt to get you to stop and take their picture, many kids have taken to dancing,
selling whistles and doing acrobatics alongside the road, which is dangerous enough.
Some even do their shtick in the middle of the road to force you to slow down. In either
case, please don't promote this behaviour (which also encourages them to skip school) by
giving them anything.
For many ethnic groups, raiding is a part of life. Camps should never be left unatten-
ded.
Jinka
POP 25,800 / ELEV 1500M
Set in the hills above Mago National Park, fast-growing Jinka is the biggest town in this
region, although its facilities and services remain limited. Because it's the only practical
base for visiting the Mursi, it's often bursting at the seams with tour groups.
Sights
Market
MARKET
