mursi

The Mursi are an ethnic group living in the Omo River valley in southwestern Ethiopia. They are part of the Surmic branch of the Nilo-Saharan language family. Their population is estimated in the tens of thousands, concentrated in the South Omo Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNPR). They share borders with groups such as the Suri, Kwegu, and Bodi.

The Mursi language belongs to the Surmic sub-branch of Nilo-Saharan, and many Mursi are bilingual in Amharic or other regional languages. Traditional oral histories and practices are central to cultural transmission, while literacy in Mursi remains limited outside local contexts.

Economy and daily life are largely based on agro-pastoral activities. The Mursi cultivate crops such as sorghum and maize and keep cattle and goats, adapting to the seasonal rhythms of the Omo valley. A distinctive cultural trait is the lip plate worn by some Mursi women, a puberty-related practice that has attracted widespread attention; body adornment, beadwork, and scarification also feature in ceremonial contexts.

Tourism and external contact have increased in the Omo Valley, bringing income through photography and cultural demonstrations but also raising concerns about cultural commodification, privacy, and the impact on traditional life. Access to resources and land use are further affected by regional development projects and environmental changes in the Omo basin.

Contemporary issues facing the Mursi include the pressures of modernization, development projects along the Omo River, and shifts in livelihoods caused by water management and land-use changes, all of which intersect with traditional governance and social structures.