All photos by Lindsay Stark.

Somali Nomads of Ethiopia

Closer Look  |  Lindsay Stark, Aug-Sep 2009 

www.Helo-Magazine.com 

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Somali pastoralists have roamed northeastern Ethiopia since before the creation of the modern nation. Centered at the trade town of Jijiga, Ethiopian Somalis live and trade among refugees from Somalia as well as Oromo, Amharic, and other ethnic groups. Perhaps the most challenging issue for Ethiopian Somalis today is not the complex set of political and ethnic issues in their region. It is recurring drought. 

For centuries, the pastoralists of the African Horn have endured and survived a twice annual drought cycle. But since the horrors of the 1984 famine, with inconsistent rains, environmental degradation, and retreating grasslands, life may be getting harder. Somalis on the outskirts of Jijiga offer a glimpse into their lives.

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