Barotseland & Zambezi floodplains – Barotseland & die Sambesi-Flutebene

The floodplains along Zambezi River in Zambia’s west are vast plains that get flooded for a few months every rainy season between April and June or July. Clusters of trees mark slightly higher ground, and those are the places the Lozi people use to build their small settlements. It is a remarkable fact that flooding […]

A visit to the Anuwak – Zu Besuch bei den Anuak

Even though the Gambella province is the least populated in Ethiopia, there are still five ethnic groups calling the land their home. Besides the Nuer and the Anuwak people, there are Majong, Opo and Komo, but when it comes to numbers, the Nuer and the Anuwak are the dominant groups. Members of these two are […]

Mutomboko – War dance of the Luba-Lunda – Kriegstanz der Luba-Lunda

As a westerner, being part of Mutomboko ceremony seems to be an entire series of puzzling moments, but if you think hard enough, you will recognize striking similarities to our own societies. Not that the bewilderment would go away. Als Europäer an der Mutomboko-Zeremonie teilzunehmen, heißt, sich einer ganzen Reihe von verwirrenden Erfahrungen auszusetzen. Wenn […]

Through the vastness of Zambia / Durch die Weiten Sambias

The landlocked country Zambia that had been a part of the British protectorate of Northern Rhodesia since 1890 encompasses 752.614 km2 which makes it twice as large as Germany – but with only 18 Million inhabitants most of which are living in the big cities. The country is the place where south, central, and east […]

Nakapelimoru & the Karamojong – Nakapelimoru & die Karamojong

100 kilometres north of Moroto lies Kotido, a small and either dusty or muddy town in the centre of the huge Karamoja plains. Undistinguishable Kotido is mainly interesting because of its proximity to Nakapelimoru, one of the largest traditional settlements in eastern Africa. Approximately 10.000 Karamojong are living in Nakapelimoru. The settlement consists of traditional […]

Moroto & the Tepeth – Moroto & die Tepeth

Moroto is a sleepy but pleasant small town at the foot of the 3.084 metres high Mount Moroto right at the border to Kenya. As a home for 15.000 inhabitants, Moroto is the biggest urban centre in Uganda’s north-eastern province of Karamoja. Apart from few bigger settlements with modern architecture and concrete buildings, the Karamojong […]

Pakwach

We reached Pakwach in the emptiest minibus in history. At the end of the ride, we had been the only two passengers on the complete rear bench seat, and I wondered if this could be an indication of the upcoming apocalypse. But the world decided to exist a little longer, and we got the opportunity […]

Meet the Dorze – Zu Gast bei den Dorze

The Dorze live up in the Guge mountains north of Arba Minch, and they belong to the so called “Museum of tribes” in southern Ethiopia, ancient ethnic groups living just like their forefathers. Long ago, the Dorze had been a tribe of hunters and warriors, but when the regions big game disappeared, the people had […]