Omorate

Omorate, also known as Kelem, is a town located in southern Ethiopia, near the Kenyan border, within the Debub Omo Zone of the South Ethiopia Regional State. It sits at an elevation of 395 meters above sea level and serves as the administrative center for Kuraz woreda. The town is strategically positioned on the Omo River, approximately a two-hour drive from Turmi, and represents a deep penetration into the Omo Valley, close to Lake Turkana. The Omo River's banks are notably steep, though they are prone to flooding during the rainy season.The primary draw of Omorate is its proximity to the Daasanach (also known as Marille or Geleba) people, a Cushitic ethnic group inhabiting parts of Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Sudan. Visitors can cross the Omo River by local wooden boats to reach Daasanach villages and experience their unique culture and traditions. The Daasanach are traditionally pastoralists, though they have increasingly adopted an agropastoral lifestyle. Their semi-nomadic migration patterns, dictated by rainfall and the availability of greener pastures for their livestock, mean their houses are typically built as periodical shelters rather than permanent structures.Historically, Omorate was a small settlement, primarily serving as a police station until the 1970s, despite having an Italian official during the occupation who encouraged local resistance against the King's African Rifles in 1941. A notable, albeit failed, North Korean-funded agricultural cotton scheme from the Mengistu era left behind abandoned powerlines and affected the local community. Today, Omorate is characterized by a blend of traditional Daasanach tribal life and the remnants of this past agricultural endeavor. The Daasanach are recognized for their distinctive body decorations, which can include items like bottle openers, feathers, and colorful pearl necklaces.