"BEHIND THE CREATION OF..."
A series of blog posts highlighting the blend between fashion and culture. The campaign aims to raise awareness towards Africa's indigenous groups and showcase how culture could be preserved through contemporary streetwear.
The Karo Tribe is Ethiopia’s Indigenous Group That Excels in Body Painting and Scarification.
The Lower Omo Valley in southern Ethiopiais home to ethnic tribes whose exotic traditions and way of life remain untouched by the modern world.
Undeniably artistic, Karo tribes are known for their alluring and intricate body and face painting. They decorate their bodies with locally found white chalk, yellow mineral rock, iron ore and charcoal. Designs ranging from simple and fine dots to rough but remarkable lines traced with palms or fingers. Both men and women practice this symbolic and ornamental expression to appear more attractive to the opposite sex.
This elaborate process is used to display status and masculinity.
Men scarify themselves to symbolise courageous acts. If you see a Karo man with scars across his chest, you know that he has bravely killed enemies from rival tribes or a deadly animal. A man sporting scars on his chest is held in high esteem in his community. Each scar represents a single kill. Another merit bestowed on brave Karo warriors is the right to wear a grey and red ochre clay hair bun. Ostrich feathers are inserted in the hair bun to complete the stylish look. This coveted clay hair bun is often remade every three to six months, and can be worn for a period of up to one year.
Karo have specific rituals and ceremonies that define their culture. One such practice is bull jumping, which signifies the coming of age for young men. An initiate has to prove his readiness for manhood by successfully jumping over rows of cattle six times in a row. Those who fail are disgraced while the successful boys qualify to marry and earn the right to appear in sacred places with elders of the clan. But there’s a catch: a young man can only marry if his older brothers have done so.
Reinventing customs and tradition, BLUJUJ has drawn inspiration from Karo practices to only fuse them with modern fashion styles. The concept of masculinity, power and status have been embodied in the creation of the KARO HOODIE.
“WHEN SIBLINGS FIGHT, A STRANGER INHERITS THEIR PROPERTY”.
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