Karo gathering - Omo Valley, Ethiopia

The Karo are a small tribe numbering less than 1,000 who live on the banks of the Omo River. They differentiate themselves from neighboring tribes through their extensive use of body painting. They use ochre, chalk, charcoal and pulverized rock to achieve a variety of colors. The body artists create vibrant designs that accentuate fine facial features and enhance their graceful movements. Members of the tribe are under constant threat from larger surrounding tribes that have more guns and warriors. Both men and women scar themselves, the men to indicate how many enemies they have killed. The scars are made with a sharp blade before ash is rubbed in, which causes the wounds to rise as they heal.