This traditional town, not far from the Kenyan border, lies right down in the heart of the south Omo region and is an important transport hub, located at a three way road intersection. It is the main town of the Hamer people and is known throughout the area for its colourful Monday market, one of the most important in Hamer country.

The Hamer people are easily identifiable by their high cheekbones, decorative outfits of leather and beads and by the thick copper necklaces that they wear. They number around 35,000 and occupy a large territory from the Omo river to Lake Chew Bahir. They are pastoralists by custom and place great importance on the size of their cattle herds. Both men and women decorate their bodies through scarring, cutting themselves and treating the wound with ash and charcoal. Clay hair buns on the heads of men indicate that they may have killed either a dangerous animal or a man in the recent past.