Collectors and museums steal these Konso tribe wooden statues

The Konso didn't think to preserve the wagas (wakas) until local and outside thieves began stealing them when the wooden statues became a red hot commodity for collectors and museums. They are cool looking.  Konso tribe, Ethiopia, Africa.

Wooden statues to honor their heros

Ethiopia's Konso tribe carves wooden statues called wagas (wakas) as grave markers to commemorate tribal heros. One elder defined a hero as either one who has been a good tribal leader/administrator or someone who killed a wild animal threatening the village. In the olden days, the tribe erected wagas for a warrior who killed an enemy. 

Since they are unique, collectors and museums from around the world have stolen many wagas. Naturally, the Konso have become quite protective of them. 

But I had spent days interviewing the elders to learn about their myths, stories and archetypal dreams, (plus I have a face even my wife's mother trusted—after I had been married for 8 years), so on both of my trips, amazingly, I was allowed free access to photograph all of the wagas. 

Originally these wagas (wakas) were totally exposed to weather's harsh erosion. Now a small tin roof (seen in the photo below) was errected. Konso tribe, Ethiopia, Africa.

Konso tribe, Ethiopia, Africa.

These are the hero's wifes in the grouping pictured below.  Konso tribe, Ethiopia, Africa.

The hero is the tallest wooden statue. The smaller ones surrounding him are his wives and children.  Konso tribe, Ethiopia, Africa.

This is the well prepared hero from the grouping pictured above. I could never find out why someone gave him a crown of vines. Konso tribe, Ethiopia, Africa.

I photographed these wagas on my 2001 trip. By my 2007 trip, they had disappeared. Konso tribe, Ethiopia, Africa.

This is the son of the hero for whom these wagas were errected. He is represented by one of the small wooden figures behind him on the left. Konso tribe, Ethiopia, Africa.

Konso tribe, Ethiopia, Africa.

Behind the father and his sons, you can make out the feet and torso of some family wagas. Konso tribe, Ethiopia, Africa.

On my second trip to the Konso, one of the village women challenged me when I wanted to photograph this site where waga once stood. The local culture minister jumped in to my rescue to explain I had permission from the elders. I must say, as you can see by his terse body language, he was a little harsh with the poor woman. I wanted to hug her and thank her for what she was trying to do. But me knowing only 20 words of Konso stopped me from any serious communication.  Konso tribe, Ethiopia, Africa.

On my first trip, I was shown this storage room full of wagas recovered from thieves. Then, with a smile, the caretaker offered me one. Wow, I could easily picture the wooden statue in my living room. But that was exactly the problem, so could lots of other collectors and museums. I declined the kind offer and took a photo to hang in my living room.  There is now a Konso Cultural Center displaying wagas.  Konso tribe, Ethiopia, Africa.

Need suggestions for cameras to be used by remote African kids

      As part of a Myth Project I wanted to get the kids' perspective on life and culture. I thought that best way might be to give the kids digital cameras to record everyday doings from their eye-level.

      I'm looking for suggestions for both cameras (probably would like to get at least 10) and other ideas anyone might have as to the best way to proceed.

These kids in the Ethiopian Konso tribe village of Busso gave me a hard time because I only spoke about 20 words of Konso. "But you are an adult," they kept saying. We all laughed at my ignorance. It's amazing how a laugh in a remote African village sounds exactly the same as a laugh in Sherwood, Oregon, USA.

  

What do vineyards in Napa, Santa Barbara, Beng, China and Ziway, Ethiopia have in common?

Today, I pulled vineyard photographs from around the world for the world's largest calendar company. I'm awestruck that people and corporations plant vines in all corners of the world. Yet, as I looked at my selections, it struck me how different the vineyards and their stories are from each country. 

What is is about growing wine that is so attractive to so many around the world for thousands of years? 

California: This is the privately-owned 230-acre Star Lane Vineyard, a part of an almost 8000-acre Dierberg ranch, Happy Valley, Santa Ynez, Santa Barbara County, California. Jim Dierberg started out in banking in Hermann, MO and  expanded into wine.  What is it about growing wine that is so attractive?

California: Spring-time view of privately-owned John William's (former dairy farmer from upstate New York and owner and winemaker at Frog's Leap winery) white barns and water tower seen from mustard-flowering Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard  in the Napa Valley, California. So why go from dairy to wine?

Ethiopia: This is the Awash Wine Company vineyard about 3 hours from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. They get two harvests per year, with dormancy controlled by irrigation. Founded in 1943, the company is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

China: Perched on a flat above the Lancang River (known as the Mekong further south) in the Yunnan province near the boarder with Tibet sits the village of Beng. The ShangriLa wine company has taught the farmers how to grow wine grapes and changed the economy of the entire region.