Médaille d'or dans la catégorie « Photographie de Voyage »

These two young women belong to the Mursi tribe, one of the numerous tribes in southwest Ethiopia, near the border with South Sudan. The Mursi people take immense pride in their heritage and traditions, living closely-knit communal lives.

During my stay in a Mursi village, I gained insights into the profound significance of scarification within their culture. Scarification serves as a means to distinguish between various ethnic groups and clans within the Mursi tribe. Furthermore, it plays a pivotal role in rites of passage, marking significant life transitions such as puberty, marriage, or childbirth. As individuals undergo these milestones, scarification becomes a symbolic expression of personal growth and evolving societal roles. Additionally, within Mursi culture, scarification is viewed as a form of embellishment and enhancement of beauty.