Omo Child:  The River and the Bush

Transcript for Translation

 

:03  (text) Little Pass Films

 

:19 (text) June 16, 2011 Southwest Ethiopia

 

:29 This way.

 

        Hurry

 

:34  She’s over there.

 

1:00 He found her in the bush.

 

1:04 Is she alive?

 

(Title on screen)

Omo Child: The River and the Bush

 

1:29 (text) Kara Village Omo Valley, Ethiopia

 

1:34 A long time ago the Kara people lived in the mountains with many cattle and goats.  One day a bull broke away from the herd and found a river. 

 

2:09 When the bull returned to the tribe they discovered mud on his feet.  They began to track his path, far from their village.

 

2:27 After a long journey they found the Omo River.

 

2:37 The herders returned to the tribe and told the elders to move down to the river where there was good farming land. That’s where we have remained.

 

3:16 (text) Dore Lokoya Kara Elder

 

3:21 Listen carefully.

 

3:25 We Kara elders are different.  We are a unique people.  Look at our left ear.  We have marks that indicate our uniqueness. 

 

3:47 I can’t say how long our people have lived here but it has been many, many years.

 

3:59 Since before the grandfather of the grandfather of my grandfather.

 

4:11 (text) Ari Lale Kara Gate Keeper

 

4:14 We Kara people believe that there is a God that created us and nature.

 

4:24 The Kara believe in three things, rain, the harvest and livestock.

 

4:39 When the rain comes, we believe that is God.

 

4:46 (text) Babur Mayde Kara Elder

 

4:51 We Kara people work hard to sustain our families,  by farming and raising cattle.

 

5:04 The family is most important for our tribe. The children are needed to help with the animals. They are important for our future.

 

5:33 (text) Bi Lale

 

5:37 As women we work a lot. We are always gathering what we need. Everyday is the same.

 

5:54 It is our responsibility for all the firewood.

 

6:02 We collect all the water, sometimes ten trips a day.

 

6:36 These things are challenging in our lives.

 

6:41 (text) Labuko Lale Kara Elder

 

6:47 Let me tell you about our past.

 

6:50 A long time ago, the Kara people were many.

 

6:57 We were a strong, powerful tribe, feared and respected.

 

7:07 Everything has changed.

 

7:19 The mingi has cursed our land.

 

7:45 We have many struggles now. The land is cursed and dry.

 

8:06 I don’t want to talk about the mingi. I can’t talk about the mingi.

 

8:18 Only the elders have the power to talk about that.

 

8:24 (text) Dore Akir Kara King

 

8:30 Mingi goes way back, it’s really ancient.

 

8:38 There are three types of mingi and every mingi child must be killed.

 

8:52 My father was a king, Iam a king.  I’m doing my father’s work. We do this for the protection of our people.

 

9:03 I asked my father, “Why do we kill the mingi children?”

 

9:10 Was there some harm or miser in the past that happened because of mingi kids?

 

9:18 He said , “A cursed boy was buried in the village, his blood poisoned the land and his family died.”

 

9:33 I don’t want to think of these things.

 

9:37 All of these things I want to forget.

 

9:44 Now you make me think about all of these things. 

 

9:55 I have seen many children killed in my lifetime, many children killed before my eyes.

 

10:05 Usually the women do the killing.

 

10:13 One way they kill is by strangling with a rope, then they throw it in the bush.

 

10:26 Maybe wild animals eat the body.

 

10:32 (text) Dore Lale Haila Kara Elder

 

10:36 My second son was mingi and they strangled him with a rope. They killed him and threw him in the bush.

 

10:45 Sometimes I dream of him. He comes and stands in front of me, physically, and then disappears.

 

10:58 I think everyone has had an experience.

 

11:13 My grandfathers and grandmothers died from mingi sickness.

 

11:23 My daughter had a mingi pregnancy. I was very angry with her.

 

11:33 We have no hope.

 

11:45 (text) Korcho Village Omo Valley, Ethiopia

 

12:09 My name is Lale Labuko, I’m from the Omo Valley.

 

12:19 I love my people. The Kara people, they are very isolated from the world.

 

12:30 They have no money, there’s no electricity.

 

12:36 They don’t know about the world. They think, just them and the other tribes.

 

12:49 That’s their world. 

 

12:53 The Kara people are not bad people,  they are very good people.

 

13:03 They have a great hospitality. 

 

13:09 Even if you don’t have, you can go and eat with other family.

 

13:16 If somebody have no family orphan can live with other family because we live together as a group.

 

13:28 It’s like really social life and completely different from the western world.

 

15:08 My name is Synde. I can’t talk about the mingi here because I fear the curse.

 

15:14 Maybe the curse will come to me. 

 

15:20 I follow all the decisions the elders make. They are like our fathers. As young people, we obey them.

 

15:29 That is the way it is.

 

15:33 Every cursed child needs to be removed.  I accept it as a part of our culture.

 

15:40 That is the way it has been for a long time.

 

15:48 I’m not going to keep a mingi child. I would rather kill it to protect my people.

 

15:59 Why would I bring disaster to my land?

 

16:05 During all my pregnancy I knew, that one day my child was going to be killed.

 

16:14 No one wants a mingi child.

 

16:19 My mother was very angry with me.

 

16:24 When I gave birth my mother was not there.  I just left the baby on the ground.

 

16:37 If we keep mingi children then all of the elders will die.

 

16:43 I was raised to keep my people and traditions safe.

 

17:09 (text) Labuko Zino Gunza Lale’s Father      Hami Gnalawu Wuka Lale’s Mother

 

17:14 When I decided to send Lale to school everyone was angry with me.  My friends insulted me.

 

17:21 The elders were unhappy with my decision. The elders told me it was not permitted in our culture.  Our children are needed to help farm and to help protect the tribe.

 

17:35 I told them, “This was my son and this was my decision.”

 

17:44 Most Kara boys herd goats and work in the village.

 

17:49 When he was home, instead of watching the farm, he was reading his school book, or writing on the ground with a stick.

 

17:59 I saw how smart my son was but the elders were against him going to school. I went against the elders. I sent my son away to get an education.

 

18:27 So when I was nine years old I left my village. I went to school.

 

18:33 We have to walk 70 miles from my village without any shoes and we walk in the afternoon when it’s cool and in the night and the morning.

 

18:53 You know, there’s no water. It’s the desert.

 

19:09 Most of my friends, they gave up.

 

19:15 I walked for twelve years barefoot, to get my education.

 

19:33 I’m one of the first that went to school out of Kara.

 

19:44 I was so nervous with everything.

 

19:52 It was different for me, I see a different world. They indroduce me the pen and the paper. I’ve never seen in my village.

 

20:06 Education is precondition for the peace. It’s the answer for poverty.

 

20:16 I learned that everyone, all human being is equal.

 

20:24 Education is more essential than anything.

 

20:30 The first time I heard about mingi I was fifteen years old.

 

20:37 When I come back to the village for vacation. I saw the elders come and grab two year old baby.

 

20:46 They grab from the mother, the mother was crying, and the child was crying.

 

20:53 Some elders told the family not to cry, they say “Quiet. This is mingi.”

 

20:59 They take the baby to the river. And they killed the two year old baby.

 

21:18 Quickly I just go back to my home, and I ask my mother, “What’s going on there?” “They call mingi and they took the baby,” and my mother start explaining for the first time.

 

21:29 She say “Mingi is a curse. Mingi means some children, they born with bad luck.”

 

21:37 My mother explained there’s three types of mingi, woman mingi, girl mingi, and teeth mingi.”

 

21:49 Girl mingi is, when the girl pregnant before the marriage.

 

21:57 Women mingi is, when child born without elders blessing.

 

22:07 Teeth mingi, means when teeth come on top before the bottom teeth they consider us mingi.”

 

22:19 At the end she said, “Lale this two year old baby, was declared as teeth mingi. So that’s why the elders took because they don’t want that chld kept in the village, because it’s a curse.”

 

22:35 It bring disease, sickness, drought, no rain, nothing. People will suffer more.

 

22:41 “By the way.” My mother said, :You had two older sisters they was mingi, and they killed them.”

 

22:56 I was so sad and it’s very tough time for me to learn something like very cruel and barbaric it’s just hard, you know, and I said, “Someone has to stop these things.”

 

23:15 I felt if I would be strong that time I could have saved that two year old baby. I knew I was too young, I have to go back to school to prepare myself to come back and help my people.

 

23:42 (text) Mingi Gate

 

23:51 When someone has killed a mingi child they bring the woman to the mingi gate for a blessing.

 

24:05 The woman must be cleansed from her sin. 

 

24:13 My father was the guardian of the mingi gate. Now it is my responsibility.

 

24:31 The most common tupe of mingi is girl mingi. That’s because a man can have many wives and many girlfriends.

 

24:42 someone could have as many as three to four children killed per year.

 

24:54 I’ve had many of my own children killed. If you keep a mingi child, it will be a curse for the land and also for the people. Only that child will remain.

 

25:12 I know an older woman in my village that killed twelve children due to mingi.

 

25:47 (text) Muko

 

25:50 I killed twelve, twelve mingi children. I don’t feel remorse about killing them.

 

26:01 If you drink water with a mingi family, the water is poison and you will die that day.

 

26:09 I’m old, I’m not afraid of dying. It’s something the young people need to worry about.

 

26:18 When I was young I was beautiful. In my time we never put western clothes on our bodies.

 

26:33 We only dressed in goatskin and at night we used cow skin. But today all the young people they all want to dress in western fashion.

 

26:52 Lale comes here and thinks he’s educated. He cannot stop the mingi curse.

 

27:05 Ending mingi is against our culture.

 

27:19 After I graduated my high school, I went to the teacher training institute and I become a teacher.

 

27:29 So after you graduate you have to choose, to stay in the town or go the village to help young people, educating them.

 

27:51 Always it’s in my mind, in the back of my mind, one day I’m going to challenge the elders. I’m going to save these children’s life.

 

28:02 If we end mingi practice, that means we save the whole generation. I discussed with many young people. One of them was Lale Biwa.

 

28:13  Lale Biwa is very strong guy, very influential and have a good impact in the village.

 

28:22 (text) Lale Biwa

 

28:25 As a family we have been discussing these issues. When and how this is going to stop?

 

28:33 The future of the Kara is difficult.  The number of the Kara population every year goes down.

 

28:44  You see the mingi, people have been killing when we were, when I was a small child. So I heard it from my family and they have been many children have been killed that time. Very serious.

 

29:01 You see, the power, the future of the Kara is on the hands of the elders. So, many times I’m sharing my ideas with them.

 

29:12 You see ok, you see some are ok supporting my ideas. Some are between. Some are completely out.  This is original, our culture but we can’t continue like that.

 

29:27 You see I…before I married my wife, you see she was my girlfriend.

 

29:39 You see from her is one child was killed. So the girl group, took the baby after she gave birth. They took the baby, take to the forest and on the mouth of the baby they put soil completely and no breathing nothing.  It died.

 

30:12 It’s a boy, it’s a boy.

 

30:22 When my girlfriend was pregnant my brother’s, the first wife was pregnant, and they gave the birth, two days difference.

 

30:44 And today, my brother’s son, is a big boy. So I miss my son.

 

31:17 How many children has been killed in Kara and Hamer?  It’s unbelievable.

 

31:34 But we say, “One day change will come.” We can’t continue like this, but one day will come change.

 

32:04  I first met Lale at the Jinka Museum.

 

32:14 (text) Gido Labuko Lale’s Wife

 

32:17  It was love at first sight.

 

32:23 When Gido is my girlfriend the parents had decided to give for another person they already engaged.  They said, “The Kara is not marrying Arbore because, Arbore marry to in Arbore, not to Kara.” That’s unusual there. I stand there for her, I say “No.” We have to stop this.

 

32:47  It only took me 5 months to decide to marry him.

 

32:59 After we have a baby, we love Regina very much, very much. I remember we were discussing about mingi children, and I explained  to Gido the people are killing the children.  If Regina’s teeth come on the top they kill Regina.

 

33:23  He shared with me the horrors he had seen and told me the story that changed him.

 

33:45  In 2007 I was in the village, sleeping in the night. I heard the children are crying.  In the moring I asked people, I said, “I heard many children crying, what happened?” Now it’s quiet. They said, “This is your uncle children.  They killed them.”  That’s the time I was very angry and I have to stop that. Yeah.  Yeah. Yeah.

 

34:32 I was touched and saddened by his story I told him we need to fight for these children.  I said, “Lale we could bring the mingi kids into our home if that would keep them safe.  If we don’t have enough food or money, God would see us through.  So let’s start.”

 

34:59 (text) Labuk Village 2008

 

35:16 We sitting here now and we’re drinking coffee and ask the family to give us for pregnant women.  This the one we discuss here.

 

35:34 I am here to rescue your daughter’s baby. Please look to the future. When I was young and the missionaries came to Kara, no one knew about education. Now that is changing.  I want to see the same with mingi. I am asking your permission.  Let me be a river.  Let me be a bush.  Please give me the baby after the birth.

 

36:22 It’s a good idea, but I’m scared. I’m worried for the future. The elders would be angry. Maybe next time, the next child, but for now it’s not possible.

 

36:51 This is very hard for my family.  I think my daughter will be cursed.  It’s just too new of an idea.  I can’t take the risk.

 

37:17 We were ready to save the child.  The mother had agreed but the father was scared. I was very sad because I know what happens to the child in his culture.

 

38:04 I think after that I said, I’m strong enough. I have to challenge these things. Some of my ideas say don’t start, if you start it’s risky you going to die.  But some of my insides said take the risk, you know, you are one life but you can save many.

 

38:27 If you lack allies here, they will kill you. One time, I clearly heard the elders were plotting against Lale.  They were planning to kill him.

 

38:57 The biggest challenge is elders. Before you do something you have to ask elders.  It’s a risky thing, it’s like this culture exist for many many years and today you’re changing something that exist with you’re ancestors?  It’s a big risk.

 

39:24 Everything has changed.  New things have come.  Education has come. The government and like Lale are telling us tht mingi is wrong.  Who are they? They cannot protect us.

 

39:42 In my culture, one piece of firewood cannot boil the water and directly I start speaking with my father. I said, “I want to stop these things.”

 

39:55 I thought Lale was crazy, I thought maybe it would bring a curse on our family.  And I asked him: “Why are you bringing this idea? Is that good for you? Is that good for our family? Why don’t you go work for the government?”

 

40:13 He was really not sure he suspect that the elders would be angry, the community will be angry.

 

40:20 But Lale kept pushing me, saying “Let’s try. Maybe the elders will accept it.” And he told me that “There is no curse, and that everything will be fine.” But I was fearful.  My heart was not right. I didn’t think things could change.

 

40:37 I told him, “Dad, you have to understand one thing, the first time you sent me to school because, the other elders didn’t decide that.  You were different from them.  So now it’s my time, I have to be different. I want to take the risk and I want to save these kids.”

 

40:57 Lale told me he would be the river, he would be the bush.  He would take the children out of the village and build a home for them.  So he convinced me.  He asked me what to do.  I suggested he try asking some families whose children were sentenced to death.

 

41:32 (text) Hylo Ari  Kara Elder

41:36 I am one of the victims of mingi. Last year my daughter was declared teeth mingi. Her teeth showed from the top first, instead of the bottom.

 

41:47 (text) DARA KEKE ARI – HYLO’S WIFE

 

41:51 Bale was a beautiful girl. She hardly ever cried. One day we were at the river to find mud for clay posts.  I stopped to feed her. While feeding, she smiled and I noticed, she had two teeth coming from the top. I told my husband that our baby had two teeth coming in from the top.

 

42:14 I told my wife, “Let’s not rush into anything.” By accident a neighbor woman noticed. Nobody else saw.

 

42:24 She said, “There is nothing you can do, she is mingi.”

 

42:33 The neighbor asked us what we were going to do. In my mind it was unthinkable to drown my child in the river. That conversation was supposed t be a secret, but she told the whole village. Everyone found out.

 

43:02 As a parent it’s heartbreaking to see them kill the child you raised for two years. Bale was two years old and we loved her so much.  I swore to God, no one is going to kill my flesh and blood. I will be the first Kara man to stand up to the elders.

 

43:41 The elders came to me and insisted that I kill my daughter.  I refused.  I put my rifle beside me, and told them, “I will kill whoever takes my child.”

 

44:08 They decided to be away from the people because most of time they take the children when the family was not around or sometimes in the night, sometimes daytime. So they decided to protect their child in the other side of the river.

 

44:29 People isolated me because I had a mingi child.

 

44:37  Most of time the families give up and they let their children to be killed because you can’t live alone you always have to share with other people.

 

44:55 The elders said, “The harvest would be poisoned because we were mingi.” There was a big meeting and they decided they were going to come and take Bale and kill her.

 

45:14 Immediately I send Gude to discuss with Hylo to rescue Bale.

 

45:21 (text) GUDE ARI

 

45:24 I knew Hylo because he is family to me. I assured Hylo that no one would hurt him or his family if he gives us his child.

 

45:42  Gude told me that Lale was going to come with a car and rescue Bale.  After a few days, the rescue group came with a car and I was ready with my wife and child.

 

46:00  That’s how my daughter was sent away.

 

46:07 When I gave her to Lale I was crying. My tears were falling. My wife was crying.  We had a lot of emotions.

 

46:24 We had a relationship with Bale.  She was already walking and talking.  I know she is getting good care.

 

46:42 When we brought Bale to our house we washed Bale, take the bath. She’s introduced to the western world and we put some clothes on her and put her in good bed and give her some milk and food and she was really happy.

 

47:00 When I saw Bale, I was so happy! I hadn’t really believed that we could rescue even one child.  When I saw her face, there are no words for my emotions.

 

47:21  I remember my two older sisters when I see Bale. So I feel, you know like I have to do more.

 

47:30 When I looked into her eyes, I knew we could rescue more.

 

47:39 When I discussed with many of my friends they said, “Lale this will be risk for  you.  This will be very dangerous for your family.” I explained my vision.  I said,  “Our future depends on us.  As young people, we have to work together to change these people to change the Omo.”

 

 

48:01 Lale has been a great advisor to me.  He encouraged me to go to school, and be a leader for my tribe.

 

48:10  When I was seventeen I had a girlfriend who was pregnant and had a mingi baby. When my son was born, the women group took my son from the hut.  They tied a rope around his neck, then they put dirt in his mouth to silence his cries.

 

48:40 I felt I killed him because I did not stand up for him. No one ever talked about ending mingi. Lale was the first one who talked about ending mingi. I wanted to help him fight for the children that could not protect themselves.

 

49:03 I was targeting educated young people because the educated young people are easier to explain the idea.

 

 

49:13 We pledged, to watch who’s pregnant, when they give birth they have to be around.

 

49:13 (text) SILBO SHANKO, KARA    FAYESSA BABUR, KARA

 

49:35 We are a new generation, ready for change.  That is why I work with Lale. I want to end mingi. I don’t believe in curses.

 

49:52 These curses are ancient beliefs. We are here to protect the children.

 

49:57 All the young people agree we should stop mingi.

 

50:02 We heard a mother gave birth in the bush and left the baby alone to die.  So, we went to save the baby before it was too late.

 

50:11 (text) June 16, 2011

 

50:17 Aryio! Let’s go! There is not much time. Tell them we will be there in 8 to 9 hours.

 

50:48 We saw th4e baby’s grandmother and she told us, “The baby is in the forest for the animals to eat.” We had to hurry.

 

51:00 The elders found out about the birth and were on their way to kill the baby.

 

51:13  It was almost dark when we found her, she was alone, dirty and bloody.

 

51:46 This way.  Hurry. She’s over there.

 

52:13 Is she alive? Let us see the baby.

 

53:51 I couldn’t believe she survived.  I was so surprised to hear she was alive.  I’m not looking for whether or not she can come back. I am happy she was rescued, she has a future now. There’s talk about ending mingi but this is a very dangerous idea. We will see what happens if a mingi child stays in the tribe.

 

54:25 (text) OMO CHILD HOME  Jinka, Ethiopia

 

54:49 After I rescued four kids we decided to have a house. We have only one nanny, Zeritu.

 

55:00 (text) ZERITU TSEDAL HEAD NANNY

 

55:02  I was amazed to hear about the rescues.  I have known about the killing of children.  I was honored to be part of this change to give these children a future.

 

55:18 Clearly there was two things I’m facing. One is, I’m worried that if we keep taking the children, we are very limited with money and more kids are coming. So every month we have one more kid, one more kid.

 

55:43 (text) BABY JESSICA

 

55:48 If we say no, the child going to be killed.

 

55:54 I had a family, I had a child at that time but when these children come there’s no option for me I can’t retreat because I already started. I want these children to succeed and everyone can see they are blessed.

 

56:14 That time is very risky for myself, for my life. I come back t Dus and I have a big meeting with elders.

 

56:22 (text) DUS VILLAGE

 

56:32 They said, “Lale you know in our culture, if you farmed the land monkeys, they sneak and they steal the corn.”

 

56:48 The first time when they do that you say, “Oh there’s a monkey there.  So, second time if the monkey come you kill.”

 

57:05 “Lale you saved six children.  So the first time you steal these children from us but next time, if you try to save the children, we will kill you.” I told them, “I’m your child, I’m not a monkey but I listened to you.  I respect your warning.”

 

57:33  So I have to go back to Jinka, and I stayed there for two months.  In two months they killed eleven kids in Dus. Eleven.  I say, “What can I do?” How can I move the most majority to come to one idea? So I decided to take four kids back to the village. I want to show for the tribe that these children are healthy, they are not cursed.

 

58:01 They don’t even still believe, that I have kids.  They never see the mingi kids. So I have to show them.

 

58:12 I drove to Dus, to my father’s house. I put in the car one nanny and my friend, we just drove.

 

58:30 My fear was they’re going to take the children from me and they kill.  The elders are many. They can easily take the children from me.

 

59:03 All the women and girls they come to the house and look at the children. For them it’s something new, because they never see a mingi kid.

 

59:18 When Lale brought the mingi kids back it was amazing.  It was like a resurrection.  It was like the kids were back from the dead.  Some demanded that we take them back to Jinka because we brought the curse with us.

 

59:39 Some saw how beautiful they looked, how normal they looked.

 

59:48 Many people said, “From today, I don’t want to kill my child.” So many people grabbed my hand and said, “Lale, I will give my child, if it’s mingi.”

 

1:00:00  Immediately the elders sent a messenger and they told me, “Lale if you don’t leave in 5 minutes, we will take these kids and kill in front of you.  We will throw in the river.”

 

1:00:22  So that’s the warning, that’s it, and I say, “Thank you.” And I took the children, I left in three minutes.

 

1:00:33 Some of the families decided there is somewhere that they can secure their kids.  Lale can take my child and live far away.

 

1:00:50  To end mingi in the Kara, Lale needs the elders support. I told him I would see if there was any support in the tribe.

 

1:01:13 I talked to two people about ending mingi, they went directly to the elders and told them.  The elder’s called me to the ceremony house.  They said, “You’re Lale’s father, tell him to stop.” If you continue this thing, we will burn down your house.”

 

1:01:35 I said, “You have no power to do that. I’m just sharing an idea. You have no right to threaten me.”

 

1:01:47 Having my father in my back, it’s big. That time I’m worried for him, maybe they will attack him or they take his wealth. It’s really hard time. Yeah, it was hard.

 

1:02:07  Lale asked if anyone was supporting him. I said just two or three people. 

 

1:02:23  Wherever I go, the other tribes say, ‘There are the Kara, the child killers.” I am not a child killer.  This is not what I want the Kara to be known for.

 

1:02:41 My responsibility here in this community is to reach others who have resources to save my people.  We observed that the rescued mingi children are healthy.  The children demonstrate that change is possible.  Rescuing children is more beneficial to our community than killing them.  That’s why I support ending mingi.

 

1:03:14 the real killer is disease, not mingi. Dirty drinking water. No medicine.

 

1:03:29  For too long we were saying that mingi is part of our ancestors’ culture.  Lale organized a meeting with the Kara and his organization. The government was also invited to talk.

 

1:03:47 (text) DUS VILLGE DEC 14, 2011

 

1:03:57  We had big meeting in that bush down there.  The government people were there.  The Omo child people were there. All the Kara elders were there. It was very complicated.

 

1:04:20 (text) ATOWLELE ALMA KELE  CHIEF GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATOR

 

1:04:25  For the past 6 years, the government has tried to end the mingi practice.  It’s been hard with limited resources and very difficult to get the tribes to listen to our plans. We informed the tribes of the laws of Ethiopia. According to the constitution of Ethiopia it is illegal to kill anyone.

 

1:04:58  We told them, “If they kill their child, they will be arrested.” The child needs to stay in the tribe.  You can’t force a child from her mother.

 

1:05:20  The government and organizations like Lale’s  told us that mingi is wrong.  Now they threaten to arrest us for our beliefs.

 

1:05:34 Since the God created these areas, they have been killing  thousands of thousands of children.  They think what they are doing is right.

 

1:05:49 The mingi children must be killed, because if you don’t, the pure Kara will die. It’s a curse for the land.

 

1:06:00 You can’t say just keep the children or end mingi at that moment it was really hot.  Some want to kill the children some want to rescue the kids. In that moment it was really hard to talk about ending mingi. So I said, “Please let me take the mingi child out of the tribe. Maybe the curse will follow them.”

 

1:06:31  That’s why I said for the elders, I said, “Let me be a bush. Let me be a river.” And some say, “No, even if we give away, the curse will come back later.” So it was debate between, the curse will go away or the curse will come back.

 

1:06:58  Forty, is accepted the idea.  Sixty percent , no.

 

1:07:08 So with the government and elders was arguing because the government is telling the Kara the mingi children must stay at the village.  But the Kara refuse because they believe with their spirit, because if they keep the children in the village it’s curse.

 

1:07:40  Most Kara, were not convinced to change the mingi culture.  Even me. The government said we must keep the cursed children.  That is dangerous, the curse would come and kill my people. We did agree to let Lale take some cursed children out of the tribe.

 

1:08:16 (text) OMO CHILD HOME May 14, 2012

 

1:08:32 I was so happy because we are saving lives, but at the same time I created another problem. I can see everything is getting difficult; financially I was worried because more kids will come. How can I feed all these kids?

 

1:09:05 I was thinking about how can I challenge the government? How can I challenge the elders? For tribes, I’m worried that the government’s going to put the people in prison because the government already put it clearly that if someone is going to kill a child we’re going to put them in prison.

 

1:09:28 I received a call from my wife Gido that would change everything. A baby was born in Korcho village.

 

1:09:44 The elders said, “We don’t want to kill, because if we kill it’s criminal but we can’t feed her.” She was left in the hut to die.

 

1:09:58 We needed the Kara to keep the baby in the village. Giving the baby away doesn’t solve the mingi issue.

 

1:10:08 The government told us not to rescue. The government and Kara were talking for two weeks.

 

1:10:18  The Kara elders had not changed the culture. The child will curse the tribe.

 

1:10:27  We threatened with police, to take them to jail. Nothing worked.

 

1:10:37  The elders were very angry. They said, “We going to fight.” So everyone took their guns. It will be a big war.

 

1:10:51  I talked to Lale and told him, “This situation is impossible, the elders are too stubborn.” We now needed Omo Child to rescue the baby.

 

1:11:05  One of friend of mine, Bona Sharpo, rescued her.  But Tensai was fed for two weeks only water.  When they send me a picture of the baby I start crying.

 

1:11:39  I knew that there’s more children would be like this. We have to stop mingi now. Tomorrow we have to go to Dus.

 

1:12:01  I called a meeting. No outsiders. No government. Only me and my age set and the Kara elders. We have one friend of mine with a camera for our protection.  This would be the most important meeting we would ever have.

 

1:12:24  I’m speaking to you young people. It’s you young men who are getting girls pregnant.  I’m telling you, I can’t take any more children.  It’s too hard.  Everyone knows that mingi is wrong. I’ve been teaching about this for four years.

 

1:12:49  Now if you make a girl pregnant, it’s your problem.  It’s not my problem.  Please, elders what can we do? Things will only get more difficult. Now I will open the floor to debate.

 

1:13:08  When Lale speaks, sometimes only one person really opposes him.  But that one loud person can make it seem like everyone is against Lale. 

 

1:13:23  Do you think this generation of Kara is good?  You are bad Kara. We Kara people used to be able to keep a secret.  Now you’re a bunch of loudmouths.  Telling everyone about everything. I can’t trust this generation.

 

1:13:47  We used to have meetings about farming and our cattle. Now it’s always about penises and vaginas. You say you don’t have space for these children. But in my culture I have to kill them. What can we do?

 

1:14:14  Other tribes ended mingi in their own way. So we must end it in a Kara way. I’m sick of it.

 

1:14:24  I was so worried and nervous that if they didn’t accept that day nothing is going to happen.

 

1:14:33  The boys are sneaking like hyenas looking for the girls. After he’s found her and had sex with her.  He get’s her pregnant and leaves her. If you have any solutions please bring them up.

 

1:15:01  You could start to see a different response than any meeting we had before.

 

1:15:10  You elders are resisting the change.  You want to continue the killing. I know you are strong. I know you don’t want to change mingi. When you speak without thinking you set yourself up for failure. You have to consider if mingi practice is helping us or hurting us.

 

1:15:45  I am there, I am listening, but I can’t read their hearts. 

 

1:15:58  I’m tired of this! The issue of mingi is taking over my life. Our people are facing serious hunger. As a Kara elder, I’m responsible for all of these issues.

 

1:16:19  We needed to as an elder, we needed to make a decision for the future of the Kara.

 

1:16:25  I like Lale’s ideas, but you elders must speak the truth. What are we doing? Why are we killing lives? Is there anyone here who wants to kill a child? I want ten people to admit to that.

 

1:16:47  As Kara elders we stated to realize that the mingi practice was harming us. We had to make a decision. For the future of our tribe.

 

1:17:06  you need to tell everyone. As loud as a machine gun. You have to invite the women and girls and boys! You have to invite the women and girls and boys! Tell everyone what you decide!

 

1:17:20 Let’s bless our meeting! Can we agree together?  Yes! Can we agree together? Yes! Can we make a decision? Yes! For our people? Yes! For our future? Yes! Let us vote.

 

1:17:35  They say we accepted to end mingi and they put the date July 14^th that’s the day they declared.  But I’m worried, I’m not sure that they’re going to end the mingi practice.

 

1:18:12 DUS VILLAGE  July 14 2012

 

1:18:17  All the Kara elder’s went to the ceremony house. To show their decisions.

 

1:18:31 We had a vote at the ceremony house before we could do the culture change at the mingi gate.

 

1:18:48  We had finally made our decision after a long debate.

 

1:18:55  They started coming from the ceremony house where the mingi gate is.

 

1:19:05  The ceremony house and the mingi gate are facing each other.  Our ancestors must have known this day was coming. That’s the reason they built them that way.

 

1:19:24  And they sit in front of that gate.

 

1:19:40  It was time to do the mingi culture change.

 

1:19:56  I slaughtered the lamb at the mingi gate because the lamb is a symbol of cleanliness from sin. Kara people, today I slaughtered my father’s lamb to end mingi practice forever. If any Kara kills a mingi child they will have a curse put on them. I cleanse the gate.

 

1:20:23  Right away the started roasting the lamb and two elders stand and they start proclaiming that mingi has ended.

 

1:20:36  Listen…Listen…People of Dus! We have been discussing about mingi for a long time.  Is mingi bad or good? My ancestors were wrong. We were also wrong. Dus we are known and recognized as beautiful, brave and colorful people. Today, bless you and this land.

            -Bless

 

1:21:07  Today, bless you and this land.

            -Bless

 

1:21:08 Mingi go away.

            -Go Away

 

1:21:08 Never again.

            -Never

 

1:21:09 Never again.

            -Never

 

1:21:11  Mingi practice die.

            -Yes

 

1:21:12  God pour blessings.

            -Yes

 

1:21:13  God pour blessings.

            -Yes

 

1:21:19  I asked for a blessing from God to send rain. Please rain, come.  Please rain, come.”  The rain will bless our decision.

 

1:21:31  Listen carefully girls and boys. We have publicly declared to end mingi. Now I ask for blessing for our people.

 

1:21:42 We were begging God to pour blessings from the sky. If it rains, God has blessed our decision.

 

1:21:55  Can God bless them?

            -Yes

 

1:21:56 Bless the leaders for their work.

            -Bless

 

 

1:21:57  Blessing in their lives.

            -Bless

 

1:22:00  Bless our people.

            -Yes

 

1:22:01  Bless our land

            -Bless

 

1:22:03  Bless the young.

            -Yes

 

1:22:04  From today, the name mingi will never be heard!

 

1:22:13  Right after five minutes I see the rain coming from the river side.

 

1:22:27 I see the wind it’s big from mountain side.

 

1:22:52  Finally mingi has ended for my people.

 

1:22:58  All the people were surprised and astonished at what happened that day.   It was like a miracle for all the people.  That rain was something we had never seen.

 

1:23:19  Today is really, spiritual day and if you can seehow the rain is coming now after they stop everything.  This is amazing. This is amazing.

 

1:24:05  Omo Child saved many doctors.  (text at same time) TENSAI Women Mingi; Future Doctor.

 

1:24:14  Many nurses. (text at same time) JESSICA Girl Mingi; Future Nurse.

 

1:24:19  (text) ALEMA Teeth Mingi ; Future Pilot

Many pilots.

 

1:24:24  Our children are very special and loved very much.

 

1:24:38  It is very important for these children to succeed.  They will be the next doctor, engineer or pilot.  All of them could have been killed but are now the next leaders of their generation.

 

1:24:54  Omo Child has to do many things,  to bring them up.

 

1:25:56 (text) First mingi baby accepted by Kara

 

1:26:03  Now we see the mingi children are growing healthy and no curse happens to their family.  We are hoping God will open more doors to the changes he seeks and keep all the children healthy and happy. 

 

1:26:20  We did it our way. We did the right thing. We are all happy it has ended.  It has ended.

 

1:26:38  Now mingi ended, we can keep our children.  We will be strong.

 

1:26:48  As a result of many people’s efforts we changed the mingi gate forever. We ended it, forever.

 

Final Text:

 

The lower Omo Valley in southwest Ethiopia is home to eight tribes with an estimated population of 200,000.

 

50,000 continue the practice mingi.

 

Omo Child provides food, shelter and education for the rescued children of the Omo Valley.

 

Lale and Omo Child continue their mission to end mingi forever.