ETHIOPIA - THE SOUTH
A travel report - Part 5 06/04/2019 - From the Dorze via Arba Minch to the Konso (09/27/2011 according to the Ethiopian calendar)
Today
we leave the area of the Dorze and will travel south via Arba Minch
to Konso. We will pay a visit to the people of the same name living in
the area in one of their villages, which is under UNESCO protection.
Before that we will visit a sandstone formation called "New York".
It rained again all night. How
lucky that we didn't get it yesterday. Our departure is planned for
8:00 a.m., but we did the math without our sleepy lodge staff. The boys
take a little longer to get going, so we got the breakfast we had
ordered too late. But in such situations the guys are ultimately quite
inventive - they just put the empty jam jars back on the tray that we
put yesterday with the dishes we used, in the hope of getting them
refilled or new ones. So for better or worse we will have to scrape off
the dried up jam leftovers if we want to remember the taste of jam.
Joking aside, we may all have enough reserves on our ribs and a little
diet won't do any harm. ;-)
At around 8:30 a.m. we can finally think about our departure and vacate
our accommodations. Now Alex's driving skills are in demand again. But
as the saying goes: "You always get down." Fortunately, the rain has
cleared again and the last remaining rivulets of the nocturnal flash
floods seep away in the direction of the Abajasee. Nevertheless, the
slope is quite muddy and caution is advised.
Our current driving distance to Konso will only be about 150 km and is
quite a bit shorter compared to the previous days.
Image 326 + 327: From the Dorze
Lodge to Arba Minch - View of Lake Abaya
Before we reach the A7, of course, we have to stop a few times and
enjoy the view over the valley with Lake Abaya all the way to Arba
Minch. The last low-hanging clouds are slowly dissolving between the
mountains and the rest of the day promises dry weather, ... at least
from above. As far as the feet are concerned, a mud bath cannot be
avoided in our daily schedule.
Image 328 - 331: View towards Lake Abaya and
Arba Minch
Arrived in the valley, the streams and rivers have not yet calmed down
and are still busy transporting the red earth in the area into the Lake
Abaya.
Image 332 + 333: One of the river inflows of
Lake Abaya north of Arba Minch
rrived in Arba Minch, we want to take a break at Medhane Alem Church.
The official service must just be over, because most of the believers
have already left or are just leaving the premises. Nevertheless, there
is still a lot of activity and a priest still has one or the other
blessing to give.
Image 334: Google
Map - New
Medhane Alem Church in Arba Minch - Simply click on the image or link
and continue exploring the location.
Image 335 - 340: Medhane Alem Church - Arba
Minch
A new church building is in the process of being erected, which is
equipped with four corner towers and a large dome in the middle and
which also looks quite splendid. Next to it is an older, small and
rather inconspicuous church, where the faithful currently come to pray.
As is usual in the Orthodox Tewahedo Church of Ethiopia, this happens
not only in the interior, but also in front of almost all parts of the
building outside, but especially in front of pictures and doors. We
have already shown this in numerous places in various travel reports.
Image 341 - 344: Medhane Alem Church Arba Minch
It is worth going around the church, because from the rear open-air
area you have a beautiful view over part of Arba Minch towards the
Haile Resort, Paradise Lodge and other areas. A cemetery is attached to
the south of the old church building. But we don't have time for that
today. We're coming back to Arba Minch on the way back from our route.
There will certainly be another opportunity to take a closer look.
Video: New Medhane Alem Church - Arba
Minch -
Part 1
After the church visit, a friend of our team who is somewhere in the
city needs to take him to Konso. It is a hotel employee of our lodge in
Konso. Of course we are asked beforehand and we have nothing against
it. There is enough space in our minibus.
Image 345: At the "Bridge of God" - to
the left is the last piece of Lake Abaya ...
Image 346: ... and to the right of it
Lake Chamo begins
Image 347: A little further south along
Lake Chamo
The rest of the route becomes a game of patience, but quite an
interesting one. We are coming exactly at the time of the cattle drive
and this is quite massive. As far as the eye can see the road for a few
kilometers, a herd of cattle, followed by many other herds, comes
towards us. The animals have "right of way" and there is seldom a
driver who tries to keep the road clear, which should be very
difficult. So it means stop every few meters and wait until the
four-legged friends have circled us. The drivers are used to this, but
still have discussions with the men who are responsible for the animals
and who do not make the slightest effort to keep the cattle away from
the vehicles. So we see thousands of cows, goats and every now and then
a few sheep of all ages like we have never seen before. We wonder where
the huge pastures for all these animals are.
Image 348 - 353: Cattle drive south of Arba
Minch on the A7
And if you already have so many dairy animals around you, it is not
surprising that the drivers do not carry water but milk in their large
plastic bottles. It is quite possible that this may also be an
emergency ration for the many calves and other young animals. In any
case, there should be no need for milk and meat products here. Another
local product hangs over our heads. All over the trees there are large
cylindrical structures that serve as beehives. As we learn, one basket
can produce up to 12 kg of honey, twice a year.
Image 354 + 355: Numerous beehives in the trees
At some point the cattle drive is over and we are making much faster
progress again. On the other hand, the road becomes much worse in parts
and there are some construction sites and missing bridges. We are lucky
that most of the aftermath of the nocturnal rain has disappeared,
otherwise the areas without bridges in particular would have been quite
dangerous for us.
Image 356 + 357: In contrast to the four-legged
animals, the chickens do not have to walk because they are simply tied
to the bus roof. They will certainly not like it.
Much nicer are of course the places with the large bridges, which,
depending on the season, have either a dry river or a raging river
under them. On the route to the south we cross some of them that tempt
us to take a break again and again. These wide river valleys are
popular destinations for timber collectors. As soon as the floods
recede, every portable piece of wood is collected and brought home.
Image 358: Google
Map - River
valley near Mande - Simply click on the picture or link and continue
exploring the location.
Around 12:00 p.m. we finally reach Konso and our lodge for the night,
which is located on the western outskirts of the city. Konso, also
known as Karati or Pakawle, has a population of around 5,000 and is
located at an altitude of 1,650 m above sea level. In 1897 Menelik II
took the place and the region as part of his conquests for the
Ethiopian Empire. We are now conquering our Kanta Lodge, which has
around 30 round houses, a restaurant, an unfinished functional building
with a future viewing platform and our own animal facility. The round
houses are embedded in a very beautiful garden, in which there are many
plants, insects, birds and other animals to be discovered. As usual
with the Konso, the lodge's round houses also have a clay pot crown and
a lot of dead wood was built on the paths for boundaries and passages.
Image 366: Google
Map - Kanta
Lodge in Konso - Just click on the picture or link and continue
exploring the location.
Image 367 - 371: The Kanta Lodge in Konso
We first move into our little house in which everything seems perfect
at first. But one essential thing is missing, there is no water. After
asking the management several times, we get the information that some
supply line has to be turned on first. But even after that, only a thin
thread of water trickles from the valves of the sink and shower. You
can hardly do anything with that. Let's hope that it will be a little
more by the evening.
Before we start our afternoon excursion, we visit the lodge's beautiful
restaurant, which is housed in a large round house. At least we have
some catching up to do in terms of food.
Image 372 - 374: The restaurant area of the
Kanta Lodge
Depending on the weather and your wishes, you can sit outside or
inside. Everything is tastefully and cleanly furnished for the guests.
You hardly dare to go in, everything shines here. A really very
recommendable location. That would be the right teaching facility for
the boys at Dorze Lodge. Here, too, we are the only guests at the
moment.
After lunch there is still some time for a walk in the lodge before we
are picked up again for the afternoon program.
Image 375: Kanta Lodge animal enclosure
The lodge's own animal population is quite large. In addition to sheep
and goats, there is also a stable full of dairy cows. The
self-sufficiency with meat and dairy products should be secured quite
well and independently. As we learn, several lodges do this too. Some
restaurants are even supposed to tie up the animal at the entrance for
advertising that will be put on the plate next, if we are to believe
Mastu's statements. But that was not the case at Kanta Lodge.
Image 378: Numerous hummingbirds and
nectar birds are buzzing around in the sea of flowers at the lodge.
Unfortunately, they are usually faster than our cameras. Here a yellow-bellied
nectar bird / Cinnyris venustus in a Bougainvillea. Image 379:
The multi-purpose building at the entrance to the lodge is not quite
finished yet. Unfortunately, the last recess in the stairs with the
passage to the viewing platform has also been forgotten. But they're
working on it. ;-) All civil engineers and planners should look the
other way!
Image 380 + 381: The future view from the
platform to the north. One floor down here.
Video: Kanta Lodge Arba Minch
At around 2 p.m. it finally continues. The next item on the agenda is
"New York", a huge clay-sandstone formation that wind and water have
carved into a canyon over many years. From our lodge we have to drive
about 17 km in a south-westerly direction. A local guide must accompany
us there. If it has rained for a long time, the approach should be a
bit difficult. But we are lucky and have no problems on the track. When
we reach the natural wonder near Gesergio or Gesergiyo,
some children and young people are already waiting for us, who either
want to lead us or want to sell something. Our local guide has to do
something first to clarify the fronts. We still want to take a closer
look at what the children have to sell. They actually have their hands
full of semi-precious stones like amazonite, various quartz and agates.
They found the stones in a nearby river bed, as they tell us.
Unfortunately, there is nothing we can add to the things we have
purchased so far.
Image 382 - 391: The so-called New York
Formation near Gesergiyo
Several gorges open up before our eyes, which show themselves with
countless red-brown clay and sandstone towers and artistically profiled
walls with deep furrows. It is a fairy tale world that is different
from every point of view. Like castles, these structures protrude
several dozen meters above the valley, which is lined with bushes.
Every now and then they are crowned by stones, trees, various plants or
bird nests. Locals' houses stand worryingly on the edges of the various
gorges. Better not drink a drop of alcohol if you live there. Above and
in between there are even some paths that look quite tempting. But that
is not so recommended, at least as far as the upper ways are concerned.
Image 392 - 396: The so-called New York
Formation near Gesergiyo Image 395: Presumably a Gloriosa lily
You don't want to leave this wondrous place and would like to take one
of the hiking trails through the valley and also visit the village on
the cliffs, but we don't have enough time for that, because we have
another point in our plan.
Video: New York Formation near
Gesergiyo
We drive back towards Konso and visit Gamole, a little west of our
lodge. Our local guide has to accompany us again. The Konso village is
said to be over 400 years old and is surrounded by three stone walls.
There are villages with more or less curtain walls. The outer wall of
Gamole is approximately 1,300 meters long. These walls are
approximately 1 m thick and can be up to 3 m high. The Konso villages
surrounded by stone walls are also known as paletas. Several gates lead
into the interior, which are made of old, gnarled wood and give the
villages a prehistoric character. The oldest of the wall is inside and
encloses the original settlement area. Today the place is under the
protection of UNESCO. Gamole is not the only interesting village in the
area. There are numerous others like Mechelo, Lower Dokatu, Dara,
Olantu, Gocha, just to name a few. About 55 square kilometers of the
Konso area, a cultural landscape with villages, terraced fields,
irrigation systems, dry stone walls and much more are under protection.
Image 397: Google
Map - Gamole
Walled Village -
Simply click on the picture or link and continue exploring the location.
Image 398 - 403: Gamole
Unfortunately, on our muddy paths along the endless stone walls, we get
very little insight into the densely packed farmsteads of the Konso and
their everyday life. Our local guide apparently has no idea how to
delve deeper into Konso life. He's probably more worried about his
fancy sneakers with which he almost becomes a "wall walker" in order to
avoid any contact with the mud. The mud also has an advantage, because
it is easier for the Konso's pulling sleds, which they use to transport
their animals' dung outside, to slide along it. These sledges consist
of a simple wooden construction with pull ropes and a large "plate"
made of some natural material on which the manure is stacked.
Image 404 - 407: Gamole Walled Village - Konso
Image 408 - 411: Wagas
The Konso are also known for their memorial statues for a dead man, the
so-called Wagas. These are stylized wooden figures that are arranged in
groups. The deceased usually stands symbolically in the middle and is
surrounded by his wives. In addition, heroic events from the life of
the man, such as the killing of an enemy or an animal such as a lion, a
leopard or a crocodile are depicted. Traditionally, a waga was only
built over the grave of important Konso men such as heroes or clan
chiefs.
Image 412 + 413: Gamole
Walled Village - Konso
The round houses and storage rooms of the Konso often have a two-part
roof, which is crowned with a clay pot. Every now and then an ostrich
egg is attached to it.
Image 414: View from Gamole
Image 415 - 418: Gamole - A Pafta -
Village community center
Image 419 - 421: Gamole - A generation tree on a mora (ceremony place)
There are six ceremony places (Moras) in Gamole, which are used for a
wide variety of occasions. There are also the open common rooms
(paftas) covered with an oversized round thatched roof, which are
probably only used by men. Meetings, negotiations, but also games,
bachelor parties and much more are held there. So-called generation
trees, which are built from dry juniper wood, stand on the squares. The
age of the villages should be determined from these trees and their
number, whereby 18 years should stand for a generation. However, we do
not know exactly how this works or how it can be determined.
Image 422 + 423: The marriage stone and stepping stones that have been smoothly polished over the centuries.
The so-called marriage stone is also located on the site of the Mora.
If a young Konso wants to get married, he must first prove his manhood
and strength. He has to lift this stone and throw it back over his
head. Over the centuries, the stone has acquired a perfect shape and a
mirror-smooth surface. But it certainly couldn't have come from the
ritual.
Image 424 - 426: Gamole Walled Village
Video: Gamole Walled Village
After about an hour we leave Gamole again after our shoes are soaked
and have become significantly heavier. We'll have to clean something
again in our lodge afterwards. At least the sun is shining beautifully
today, which should speed up the subsequent drying process.
Image 427 - 429: Village square in a suburb
of Konso between Gamole and Kanta Lodge and a tire recycling facility a few meters further
At around 5 p.m. we are finally back in our beautiful lodge and
unfortunately we have no water again. As before, only a thin string
comes out of the pipe, with which one can hardly do anything. These are
of course difficult circumstances for washing our shoes and trouser
legs.
So we have to go to the management of the lodge again and ask for water
and we can't believe it, but after a long wait it is even enough for a
warm shower. Now it's time to quickly fill the bucket in the bathroom.
You never know if the water will find its way to us at night.
We will see each other again tomorrow at this point when we go to Jinka
and spend two nights there in the ECO Omo Lodge. Jinka is northwest of
Konso. At around 300 km, this is one of the longest stages of our
journey. Let us be surprised what there is to see on the route.
Copyright: www.reggaestory.de
Photos: Marion & Peter Joachim
Text and videos: Peter Joachim
English version: Gabriele Brown