The Daasanach are a semi-nomadic tribe numbering approximately 50,000 individuals who live in the Omo Valley in southern Ethiopia. In the past, the tribe roamed from place to place herding livestock around open areas according to the seasons and the changing availability of water. But over the last fifty years, having lost the majority of their lands, they have also grown dependent to agriculture. Like many tribes in the region, the Daasanach have moved to areas closer to the Omo River, where they attempt to grow enough crops to survive.

French photographer Eric Lafforgue has spent several years documenting the life and culture of these people, and how they have changed under the influence of modern manufactured goods. An interesting fashion trend amongst the Dassanach is their elaborate headgear, which they make from the strangest of materials — bottle caps, wristwatches, hairclips, and other discarded pieces of plastic and metal.

Photo credit: Eric Lafforgue