Paracosm is an elegant series by photographer Vincente Pamparo which documents the Karo Tribe in Ethiopia, the smallest of the more than 200,000 tribal people living in Africa’s Great Rift Valley. The body of work demonstrates how, in an ever-changing world, the Karo Tribe finds ways to balance the cultures and traditions of their tribe with a touch of modernization.
Traditionally, the Karo paint their faces and bodies with chalk–mixed with charcoal, yellow rock, and red iron ore for color–in preparation for ceremonies. The beautifully composed photographs document this tradition combined with individuals simply going about their everyday lives.
A man holds a weapon; young friends stand arm in arm; and a woman cradles a baby; all of which are set within stunning natural landscapes. “The Karo Tribe is unique from the rest of the other tribes because they have managed to turn to farming and seafood for a lot of their subsistence due to a famine that wiped out their cattle. However, health problems, some of the teenagers choosing to leave the tribe, as well as government/corporate incursions may potentially be affecting the longevity of the tribe.”
