People in Ethiopia were generally friendly. In the tribal areas, they did not always like to have their pictures taken, unless you pay them. The Mursi with their lip disks, as shown in the page about the tribes make it a thriving business.
Ethiopia is very religious. This showed in the many churches and the Palm Sunday celebration in Aksum and the Easter celebration in Lalibela. The Palm Sunday celebration in Aksum was fantastic, there were probably on the order of 20,000 - 30,000 people there.
View of some of the procession. I guess that there must have been 20,000 - 30,000 people in Aksum for the Palm Sunday celebration. (949k) Procession. Most people wore white covers. (1011k) The procession with the donkey and church officials. (990k) Church officials in the procession. (993k) Church officials and young disciples in the procession. (866k) Church officials in the procession. (979k) Church officials in the procession. (884k) Church officials in the procession. (972k) The donkey in the procession. (1085k) Trumpeter in the procession. (896k) Trumpeter in the procession. (671k) Church official in the procession. (778k) Church official in the procession. (864k) Church official in the procession. (813k) Church official in the procession. (617k) Church official in the procession. (639k) Church official in the procession. He seemed to be some master of ceremony in the procession. (692k) Young disciple with palm frond. (580k) The carpet haulers. They would pick up the red carpet after the officials have walked past it, run ahead and lay the carpet out again in front of the main part of the procession. (927k) The carpet haulers. (1084k) The carpet haulers laying out the carpet. (946k) There as a film crew filming the procession. (703k) End point of the procession with male and female choirs. (972k) Male and female choirs. (1043k) Female choir. (1060k) Female choir. (804k) Female choir. (699k) Congregation assembled at the cathedral before sunrise. (740k) Congregation assembled at the cathedral before sunrise. (514k) Congregation assembled at the cathedral before sunrise. (864k) Praying worshipers. (757k) Worshiper in white. (882k) Worshiper in white. (604k) Monk in saffron yellow. (835k) Monk in saffron yellow. (785k) Worshiper in white. (586k) Worshiper with white headdress. (642k) Worshiper with white headdress. (612k) Worshiper with white headdress. (606k) Worshiper in white. (574k) Weaving a palm frond from the procession into a headband. (770k) Men with headbands made from palm fronds carried in the procession. (821k) Woman with headbands made from palm fronds carried in the procession. (650k) Worship ceremony. (1226k) Worship ceremony. (1090k) Worship ceremony. (1025k) Worship ceremony. (953k) Chanting during the worship ceremony. (775k) Worship ceremony. (1143k) Participant in the worship ceremony. (704k) Participant in the worship ceremony. (912k) Participant in the worship ceremony. (864k) Participant in the worship ceremony. (946k) Participant in the worship ceremony. (585k) Participant in the worship ceremony. (776k) Villagers on their way home after the Palm Sunday celebration. (1364k)
People
My guide talking with a bunch of kids. (930k) Women at market. (1029k) Group of women. (1059k) Group of men. (900k) School boys. (770k) School girls. (909k) Women. (988k) Women in local festival dress. (1031k) Group of smiling kids. (922k) Group of smiling kids. (951k) Men in white worship covers. (922k) Old man. (788k) Old man. (771k) People at the market. Notice the men carrying the neck rests, and wearing mini skirts. This was usual in this area. (948k) Old man sleeping on his neck rest. (882k) In this area, many men were wearing these tall hats. (637k) Typical posture when walking. All men carry these sticks. They usually hold it behind the neck when they are walking around. (993k) This was our guard with rifle in the Simien Mountain park. (1406k) Woman with umbrella for shade. (901k) Woman with colorful dress. (879k) Woman at the market. (966k) In this area both men and women wear a large bed cloth (or whatever it is) just wadded up on their heads. These were not just towels, they were much larger than a towel. (1291k) My guide showing off a local woman with typical hairdo. (938k) Woman with child. (860k) Woman carrying her child on her back. (1228k) Children. (932k) Child. (597k) Waving child. (1115k) Smiling child. (903k) This one was occupied with the cotton balls. (936k) He was dragging an empty plastic container as a toy. (787k) This kid had a good load on his back. (807k) Cute kid. (805k) Kids too had the wadded up bed cloth on their heads in this area. (710k) Old man. (580k) Old man. (652k) Man with wadded up bed cloth on his head. (609k) Woman with hairdo typical of northern Ethiopian tribes. (593k) Woman. (643k) Woman. (727k) Cute kid. (668k) Smiling kids. (879k) Smiling kid. (638k) Cute kid. (728k) Cute kid. (825k) She wasn't so sure that this was alright. (521k)