Mursi Lip Plates and Headwear: Culture and Tourism
Fact-checked on
In this article
The Mursi, who also call themselves Mun, live in the Lower Omo Valley of southwestern Ethiopia. Lip plates and body decoration are among the most photographed aspects of their culture, but those photographs show only part of people’s lives.
Lip plates
Some Mursi women wear plates made from clay or wood in their lower lips. Mursi Online, a research resource developed through anthropological work with the community, describes the practice in relation to female adulthood, identity and social relationships.
Practices vary between individuals. A photograph of one woman cannot establish what every Mursi woman wears, and a plate is not worn continuously in all situations. Avoid presenting all girls as following one fixed timetable or treating plate size as a simple measure of a woman’s worth.
The popular explanation that lip plates were introduced to deter slave raiders is not supported by the research cited by Mursi Online.
Headwear in tourist photographs
The elaborate arrangements of horns and other objects seen in some tourist portraits should not automatically be described as ordinary dress or ancient ceremonial headgear. Mursi Online documents how tourism and paid photography have encouraged distinctive adornments for visitors’ cameras.
The preserved photographs above illustrate appearances captured at particular moments. They do not establish that those accessories are worn during everyday work or by everyone in the community.
Look beyond the portrait
Cattle keeping, cultivation, language, family relationships and oral traditions also matter to Mursi life. An account focused only on unusual-looking ornaments gives an incomplete picture.
Tip: When discussing or sharing photographs, distinguish the photographer’s caption from evidence about the community. Ask permission before photographing people and agree on any payment beforehand.
