Me'en
(Bodi - Chirim - Mela - Tishana)
Ethiopia and Eritrea have within
their borders 12 peoples that belong to the so-called Nilo-Saharans. In
Ethiopia the largest group counts appr. 60.000 souls and are known by the
name Me'en.
An overview of the Nilo-Saharans:
| Ethiopia |
Kwegu
- Majangir - Me'en - Mursi - Tchai - Tirma |
| Eritrea |
Bertha - Gumuz - Koma - Kunama - Mao
- Nara |
The Me'en consist of two subgroups:
the smaller group is called Bodi (appr. 4000 people, who call themselves
Mela or Chirim); the remainder are the Tishana. The
Bodi lead a semi-nomadic life, the Tishana have settled as farmers near
the Omo river. The Tashana own little livestock, except for bees. They
have a good reputation as successful farmers, producing mainly sorghum,
mais, tef, and coffee. The Tishana and the Bodi still share their language,
but are rapidly growing apart. The social structures are very different.
Bodi society is based on clans and a powerful central role for the komorut.
These komorut are ritual mediators who know how to bless the
farmland, how to ask for rain, and who are the acting judges. The Bodi
live with their cattle, whose color patterns play a significant role in
their artistic life. The Bodi live in constant conflict with most of their
neighbors, all of whom they attack on a regular basis. One neighbor, the
Dime, has been more or less enslaved. They have good relations with
the Dizi, whose leading families are closely related to the Bodi's
leading families.
All Me'en use scarification, especially
on arms and back. The young men wear necklaces and bracelets, which distinguishes
them very clearly from the Omotic peoples, who do not use these types of
jewellery.
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