Marisa Papen
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Surma and Me

9/25/2017

27 Comments

 

This is what was brought to our senses just after being caught in Caïro and just before our lock-up in Luxor.
Speaking of contradictions…

SURMA…
Before laying eyes on this story… 

A short little intro about the true meaning of a tribe:
Tribal people are very distinct and self-sufficient, living of and with their land.
They are not integrated into the ‘modern’ World.
Most tribes have never even been exposed to the ‘modern’ World.
They don't know about the existence of anything that is out of their reach. This tribe for instance had no idea the fact there is an Ocean out there…  Seeing is believing.
They have their own unique cultural, social and political entity which has been passed through for many generations.
They have their own customs and believes, their own beauty-standards, their own religion (read living life in harmony with nature and the spirit world). You may say, they are totally different then we are.
But to me they are, what we once were…
In touch with nature, 
a part of nature,
immensely grateful and respectful towards it…

That being said…
Knowing this and knowing me, you can imagine how stoked I was to go on this trip.
Never had I been so close to witness a lifestyle I had always dreamt of. Here’s what I saw and felt and smelled and thought...

…AND ME
As soon as we arrived in the Omo Valley more and more tribal people started to appear in the lush landscape.

Men with big guns herding 50 cows and 30 sheep, women carrying water and branches on their heads and kids who were just being kids. Running, screaming, playing, waving.
While being tumbled around from left to right (due to a road, you can't really call a road), our guide started prepping us a little bit on what we were about to experience.
I wanted to pay attention but I just couldn't... My eyes were locked on the wild beauty outside.
Then, finally, we pulled up the ‘driveway’ of the mountain we'd call home for a week. Straight away our car got surrounded by a dozen of curious souls - we stepped out.
Laughs and screams and a few reaching hands were coming our way. It was overwhelming.  Apparently/usually when tourists visit (which happens maybe twice a year, or not even); they get into the ‘village’, snap a few pictures, have a little walk through the area and get onto their next adventure.  As much as this would be a different encounter for us, it would be for them.
We were planning on hanging around for the next 6 days.

While zigzagging through the cornfields and the haphazardly-placed thatched little huts, I couldn’t stop thinking about the fact how bizar it must be for them… Imagine… Random people rocking up in your backyard, sticking cameras in your face when you're  just strolling through your daily habits, living the only life you know.  Day in, day out. Because I didn’t want them to perceive me as a tourist I didn’t pull out my camera that first day. It was quite difficult to detain though, every single maneuver they made was a reflection of beauty beyond belief.
Soft and gentle - at the same time - primal and tough.

As intrigued I was by their appearance, they were by me. And I probably forgot to mention, you might already have noticed, but a month before this trip I decided to shave my head. I figured I’d look less of a stranger, having the same haircut as they do. It worked. Until they touched it.  The different texture of my millimetered hair compared to theirs got them entertained for a full hour, maybe even longer. At that exact moment their pure energy became truly palpable to me. I literally felt vibrations when some of them were rubbing my head. It was pure magic.

What we claim to call beautiful in our Western World isn’t quite the same how the Surma tribe pursues beauty. Both Surma-men and woman pierce their ears, some woman stretch their lower lip for a plate. They scar their bodies by making little cuts repetitively - isn’t it funny we invented all these cremes, lasers and all other treatments to get rid of ours :)… They also have a long history of painting themselves, using pulverized minerals they create drawings and patterns. Not only is it an expression of emotion and art, there’s also a more practical reason behind it.  Different colors are used for ritual, to prevent illness, to attract the opposite sex or to relate to family members or certain animals. 

Every single day I felt a stronger admiration when observing them. One time I was resting in the shade of a sculptural tree and I was watching 2 men and a woman from a distance, they were just sitting in the grass, playing with some leaves and collecting some stones. I was trying to go back in my memory and imagine that same exact situation happening in our civilized world.
I couldn’t.
On all my travels, I had never seen something like this, just 3 adults, being peacefully nestled down, without any entertainment… No music, no electric devices, no wine, no magazines, nothing, just sharing a word now and then.
Think about it, we all work in order to make money to play...
But then in the evening or in the weekends, we’re too tired to play… We sit down and watch television. You’d think we’d have crazy parties after work or orgies or whatever with all that money we make, but no, we don’t. We pay off loans and buy another car and buy this and buy that. Well… I could go on about this for a long time.
But let’s get back to the day they took me down to the river. Which was the third day of our stay.
Visualizing it again, I still get the shivers.
Because we couldn't really communicate, there was only one thing I could do... go with their flow, my body was their canvas now. With impeccable precision and devotion they were circling around me, using stems and grass or just their fingertips to give my skin a second dimension. And just a few meters further there was Jesse, capturing the whole spectacle. Creating another circle, like a solar system.

Being almost half a year later now, I still have no words to explain what I felt while being with them.
But what is most memorable to me is that, although we come from completely different places...
We connected, they recognized me, they accepted me for who I was without prejudice and they gave me love.

Thank you Surma, for showing me the essence of life.
You truly are forever in my heart.


Photography by Jesse Walker from ENKI EYEWEAR and Me

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27 Comments
Paul Walker
9/25/2017 05:19:22 am

Great pictures as usual and your integration with the people is lovely to see. I wondered how you found walking barefoot on that terrain as it looks like it could be painful. Thanks for sharing such an interesting experience

Reply
Andrew
9/25/2017 05:44:15 am

Wonderfully beautiful, gentle, desirable and enigmatic.
More such beguiling and connecting blogs and photo series please!

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Jean
9/25/2017 08:50:28 am

Beautiful text. Amazing pictures. Great work.

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Brian Morris link
9/25/2017 09:12:42 am

That is the most amazing story yet!!!!!

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Jan Lamberts link
9/25/2017 09:45:53 am

Fascinating story and images.

Reply
Baba
9/25/2017 10:15:12 am

You are amazing Marisa, I love your story and Pic´s

Reply
roland Gerard
9/25/2017 11:05:23 am

I am amazed by the idea,amazed by her ,
amazed by the photographer it is a rare intelligence it is
beautiful and super sexy it is true and the nature is realy sublimated
crazy true and the goal is reached! it's if course exciting and it make dream hihihi

Reply
Wouter
9/25/2017 11:33:41 am

Je openheid is fenomenaal en lovenswaardig. (y)

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Shilly
9/25/2017 12:44:23 pm

Mooie tekst en prachtige foto's. Proficiat xx

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Detlef
9/25/2017 01:49:08 pm

Hello Marisa, for our "civilized western" way of life it is incredible to live like that. Some people would describe this life as wildly romantic and transcend it. But whoever is involved in this life for several months and also in bad times knows that life in these cultures is hard and deprived. We call some of their rites and cultural characteristics hard and inhuman and believe in our cultural superiority. This is even supported by some locals who have come to know our culture. These cultures, however, are enjoying things that we pass by carelessly. Family cohesion is stronger than with us. These people too would enjoy our "achievements". And spoil. Like some of us. They would break their cultural rule and seek their personal liberties. As is so typical of us. They would lose the cohesion of the family and that of the population or tribe. Or whatever you might call these destinies. However, despite all the improvements the result is for interpersonal relationships to conclude negative to catastrophic. For these "primitive" cultural achievements have ensured their survival in the past. Something that our current culture would not create in their living conditions. I got to know cultures that were brought to our "level". It was always bad. I am glad for you that you could share the life with them for a short time. You took strong impressions. But remember, it was only a brief moment to return with certainty. I like your texts and photos. Very nice also without you on it. ;-) Your integration is Beautiful.
I have not read everything from you yet. But what I let I found good. Keep it up.

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Dirk
9/25/2017 02:13:05 pm

Wonderful story. Capturing the purest souls on this planet...

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Ronny Huybrechts
9/25/2017 03:06:38 pm

Prachtig gedaan. Jij weet natuurlijke schoonheid en cultuur letterlijk met een stipnotering in de verf te zetten. Jij toont ons niet alleen de basis waar het leven echt om draait, waar velen zelfs niet meer aan kunnen denken maar ook wederzijds respect en integratie. Zeer mooie foto's.
Marisa, je bent een echte ambassadrice voor pure cultuur en de natuurlijke aardse schoonheden die we hebben.

Reply
Dirk
9/25/2017 10:02:31 pm

Je ziet er (zoals steeds) geweldig uit op de foto's, maar op een vreemde manier zien die stamleden er zo mogelijk nog indrukwekkender uit...

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Maurice
9/26/2017 12:29:26 pm

Hi Marisa .
discovered yoiu and your pictures only recently...
really fascinated....
lovely story , lovely pics....
really pleased I met you..
cheers

.

Reply
Gabor
9/26/2017 10:48:52 pm

Dear Marisa,
unfortunately I do not know you personally I'm just following you on your facebook page.
So I got to the story and the photos from there.....
Impressed !!!
Your courage, for the idea, the story and this pure coexistence with nature and naturally living groups.
The way you show this to us who do not know anything about it: FANTASTIC !!
Congratulations! So far, only your beauty was impressive to me.
But now everything has changed !!
Yor are amazing woman!!

Reply
Ash link
9/27/2017 04:28:29 am

Amazing images and the best of your stories yet! Bravo!

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Heyneman
9/27/2017 08:48:22 am

Magnify reported from You ,I am glad to knows You Marisa

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Luc Haeck
9/28/2017 06:19:11 am

Zoals altijd zie je er verbluffend uit.

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Maddalena Z.
9/29/2017 02:28:42 pm

Amazing! I wish I could live a similar experience. Do you mind sharing me the name of your guide? I was it expensive?

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Fissha Ayou
10/4/2017 08:39:27 pm

I'm an Ethiopian who live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. As an Ethiopian and a former tour operator in the area, I know Omo Valley very well. If you want to visit the area, I can recommend you some reliable tour companies. I don't think it is that expensive.

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Ray
12/14/2017 05:56:02 pm

18 years ago, my fiancé invited me to visit her grandparents village. Her father was from the Omo region, a Hamer. During the time there, I recovered my inner peace. They might not be literate, or civilized the western way. Some of their customs might be extreme in our eyes. But they have ethics they live instead of paying lip service only.

That's something we lost in our OH so civilized society.

When I was there, no tourism was yet allowed. Today you can book tours to the "savages"from at home. Another paradise lost.

Joe Belcovson link
10/2/2017 02:59:41 pm

Amazing model and photography very primal, love it.

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Ivan Akirov
10/3/2017 05:09:52 am

Just Wow! After that quite bitter experience in Egypt, this should have been very freeing! You are a very talented, smart and lucky woman.

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Mido
10/15/2017 12:27:45 am

Wow, fantastic Mari

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André Anlub link
3/17/2018 04:25:16 pm

Fantástico! As fotos estão belíssimas, nos fazem viajar até o lugar! A luz está perfeita... tudo belo! Parabéns, belíssimo trabalho!

Reply
Babi jinka omo valley
5/1/2018 07:20:09 am

Hello everyone
Omo Valley Tour to explore the untouched and unique cultures that survived the challenges of "modern civilization". A once in a lifetime authentic experience of unaffected cultures in the best of way, deep in the tribal villages leaving the commonly used paths, to witness the genuine and daily uninterrupted normal life of these societies seen no where else in the same planet we all share.

I invite you to come and explore many beautiful untouched cultures to make your life full of memories through breathing the air these unique tribes breathe, listening to the fascinating stories of the past in their own acting in this Cultural melting pot of the Omo Valley! Contact me for any sort of excursion through my email address babijinka36@gmail.com
Check out my reviews on Tripadvisor https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g1237159-d593874-Reviews-Omo_National_Park_and_River-Jinka_Southern_Nations_Nationalities_and_People_s_Reg.html

Reply
Daniel
6/29/2018 09:55:51 am

This story is pure bliss.
All love to you and your photographer and the tribe.
Thank you so much für sharing! 💓

Reply



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