The Mursi cannot speak of the dead just as they cannot tell their dreams it is not a matter of superstition or sorcery but it is more a representation of the dead person who, of course, cannot be seen otherwise.ĭreaming of the dead for the Mursi is quite common but, unable to tell their dream, they share it using drawings made with clay. One of these theories proposes the interpretation of body painting with clay focused on dreams and the meaning of death. Understanding the meaning of painting with clay is more controversial and several scholars have hypothesized different theories about it difficult to say which one corresponds to reality, this can also mean that this type of painting has more than one function or meaning. The intentions of the man are made explicit on the mantle of the bull while the product of the bull is clearly visible on the body of the man and this relationship is the representation of herding. It is clear that there is a parallelism between the man and his bulls, it is not just an analogy, there is an interdependence between the man and his cattle and also a relationship of mutual help that allows both to present themselves at their best on the other hand, cattle have a central role in the life of the Mursi, as a community and as individuals, painting with cow dung is only the manifestation of one of the many aspects of this importance.

The dung is stored in the cattle pen, to this is added the ash from the dry dung that was burned overnight to heat the cattle.

This type of body painting also shows man's abilities in herding and also in the activities of domestic life showing these abilities will allow him to find a wife and be able to marry. Painting with cow dung is practiced exclusively by the Mursi men who paint their own body and that of the bulls in their herd the bulls symbolize their reproductive capacity and for the man it means that he is looking for a wife. There are two types of tribal painting in the Mursi culture: painting with cow dung and painting with clay. The Mursi, a population who lives in the Omo Valley in Ethiopia, practice various rituals and ceremonies and implement various body modification practices, among these there is undoubtedly body painting, one of the most important practices of their culture.įor the Mursi, body painting is both an aesthetic factor and a symbolic representation, as well as a tool to protect and heal themselves.

Tribal body paint eyes