Known For: Cooperative farming, peaceful values, unique marriage customs, and spiritual rituals
The Tsemay Tribe lives along the Woito River in southern Ethiopia and is primarily engaged in agriculture and livestock herding. While animal husbandry is central to their livelihood, the Tsemay also cultivate crops such as sorghum and maize using slash-and-burn and shifting cultivation methods. A strong sense of community defines their way of life—land is prepared, farmed, and harvested collectively, and major decisions are made during a Bulky, or general assembly.
The spiritual leader of the Tsemay is the Bogolko, a respected figure who prays for rain, health, and prosperity, and performs sacrifices on behalf of the community. In the broader Omo region, the Tsemay are known as masters of traditional healing and witchcraft, especially among nearby towns.
Diet and Food Practices
The Tsemay diet centers around sorghum and maize porridge, supplemented by wild plants such as moringa (Halekko), Erro, Merahie, and Machie during lean seasons. Clever preservation techniques—like mixing sorghum with ash—allow them to store grain for long periods without spoilage.
Clothing and Adornment
Men wear “ode”, a sarong-like garment, and adorn their necks and elbows with beaded ornaments. Unmarried girls dress in cotton or leather, while married women wear a traditional Fulat skirt—narrow in the front and flared in the back—paired with a Kashe necklace made of beads.
Tsemay Marriage Traditions
The Tsemay practice five traditional types of marriage:
- Haliko Egail – arranged marriage
- Wawaki Bais – consensual marriage
- Midi – marriage through abduction
- Shano – marriage by inheritance
- Sagarte – replacement marriage
Unlike many other Omo tribes, Tsemay couples often choose their own partners. Once a couple agrees to live together, the groom brings the bride to his father’s
home, where she is smeared with butter and given a goatskin skirt. The following day, elders are sent to negotiate with the bride’s family, leading to a dowry exchange and celebratory feast before both families offer their blessings.
Harmony with Neighbors
The Tsemay are considered one of the most peaceful tribes in the Omo Valley. Their long-standing spiritual and cultural ties with the Arbore Tribe—including a shared spiritual leader— have helped preserve mutual respect and cooperation between the two groups.
Come explore the peaceful lands of the Tsemay with Omo Region Tours—TripAdvisor’s top-rated operator for authentic, locally guided cultural journeys through Ethiopia’s Omo Valley.