SOUTH ETHIOPIA

HAMAR

Hamar who positioned themselves between the Hamitic races (like the Borena and the Konso) and the Nilotic People- because they live in the environs of the great Nile River are subsistence agro-pastoralists with a total population of about over 35,000. They inhabit the savannahs lands interspersed with patches of dense bush.

The Hamar are neighbored to the south by Geleb ,to the North by Banna and Bashada,to the east by Erbore and Tsemai,to south east the territory stretches across the plains of the Lower Omo to Chew Bahir (Also Known as Lake Stephanie) and to the west by Bume and Karo. The have a special relationship with Banna-Bashada group than the others as they share a common language and culture.

Although beekeeping and honey collection is a well-known activity among the Hamar, their herds - especially their cattle - are the focus of their culture and of their socioeconomic life. Even their vocabulary reflects this concern: there are at least twenty-seven words for the subtle variations of colour and texture of cattle - and every Hamar man has several names, including a goat name and a cow name.

The hammer have their own wide spread beliefs. Their markets , decorations and ornamentations and their bull jumping ceremonies together with Evangadi dance are objects of tourist focus.