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New work from Southern Ethiopia 
In a remote village, these naked men measuring their bellies are actually rivals in an annual competition. They have transformed their bodies into incredible shapes. This is a beauty pageant where all the contestants dream to be the fattest.
In a remote village, these naked men measuring their bellies are actually rivals in an annual competition. They have transformed their bodies into incredible shapes. This is a beauty pageant where all the contestants dream to be the fattest.
During the competition, the body that is desired most is big, but also a rare combination of fat, thick, and firm. No where else in the world can you see this— the Kael Ceremony practiced by the Bodi Me’en tribe.
Hardly anyone calls the tribe by their original name (Me'en) anymore. Over a generation, the men here have proven to have the biggest bodies in the Omo Valley, and were nicknamed by their neighbors as "the Bodi.” The Me’en have embraced the nickname, and celebrate it.
For more than a decade, the Bodi Me’en have always warmly welcomed me to photograph them, but they don’t really give a damn what outsiders think about their perception of beauty.
This is the way their forefathers did it, and this is how they still do it today.
This is the way their forefathers did it, and this is how they still do it today.
The Kael celebrates the vitality of grazing land during the rainy season. Out here, cows equal money, and having a big body is a sign of prosperity. Consuming only milk, butter & blood from livestock can show off individual wealth.
A big body can also prove personal connections. Some of these men don’t yet have their own cattle. Family, friends and patrons have backed them, donating their milk to the competitor. Big bellies represent this network of support, which is vital in an ever-changing landscape.
Becoming big out here requires discipline. The Bodi Me’en say that typically it is not the richest who wins, but the most mentally dedicated. They must follow a strict and regimented diet. This is the main reason why these Kael competitors are respected amongst the tribe.
Above all else, participating in the competition is a way to attract potential wives. Men here believe that the bigger they are, the more women will desire them.
To be sure, I asked both the men and women about it...
To be sure, I asked both the men and women about it...
I've known some of these guys for over 12 years, and aside from being determined during the competition, they are also hilarious and don't take themselves too seriously.
Every year, Lavazza collaborates with photographers to produce a fine art calendar. This year, because of the lockdowns and quarantines, many of the past photographers each contributed an image that was shot from their own place. For me, that was Ethiopia.
I was honored to be called upon once again, this time finding my name next to legends of art and photography like Patti Smith, Steve McCurry, Martin Schoeller and David Lachapelle, just to name a few.
I've been in Ethiopia since the beginning of the pandemic. After getting a special certificate from the government Public Health Institute, quarantining, and taking PCR tests, we were good to photograph this project, so long as our team from Addis Ababa followed some strict rules
For my contribution to the 2021 Lavazza Calendar, I wanted to share the Bodi Me'en's concept of being self-sufficient, owning your own livestock, and that is how you visually show off your wealth. In times of plentiful, they don’t need to rely on much beyond their own tribe.
Where I was born, we often make the mistake of reducing Ethiopia to visuals the famine of the 1980s. That mentality has to be updated to show what this land can offer the next generation.
There’s a lot of wealth here, even if it is not measured in paper money. When the crisis happened, the world economy tanked, the stock market crashed. It was the Bodi Me’en who proved they were truly rich.
This new documentary shows a behind the scenes look at our journey. The full thing is up here, although I had to blur some things for Youtube:
Lavazza is also having an auction and donating all the proceeds to charity. I printed, signed and sent over this huge 36x46 inch print you can bid on here:
http://Auction.Lavazza.com
As you can see, it was too big to roll out on my table.
#TheNewHumanity #LavazzaCalendar
http://Auction.Lavazza.com
As you can see, it was too big to roll out on my table.
#TheNewHumanity #LavazzaCalendar
