SURMA PEOPLE Meaning and
Definition
-
The Surma people, also known as the Suri, are an ethnic group indigenous to the southwestern part of Ethiopia. They primarily inhabit the Omo Valley region, which spans across the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNPR) of Ethiopia. The Surma are a Nilotic pastoralist community, known for their unique culture, traditional practices, and distinctive body modifications.
The Surma people are recognized for their elaborate body decorations, including lip plates and scarification. Lip plates, made of clay or wood, are inserted into the lower lip of both men and women, gradually stretching the lip to accommodate larger plates over time. Scarification, another important cultural practice, involves making incisions on the skin and applying substances to form raised patterns or scars, symbolizing beauty and identity.
The Surma people mainly rely on livestock rearing, with cattle being particularly significant in their economy. They also practice small-scale agriculture, cultivating crops such as sorghum, maize, and tobacco during the rainy season.
The Surma people have a decentralized social structure and live in small villages led by community chiefs. Their social organization revolves around age sets or age grades, which play an essential role in decision-making and conflict resolution within the community.
The Surma people have long been recognized for their vibrant culture, traditional body adornments, and distinct pastoralist lifestyle, making them an important and unique ethnic group within Ethiopia and the wider African continent.
Etymology of SURMA PEOPLE
The term "Surma people" refers to an ethnic group residing in southwestern Ethiopia, particularly in the Bench Maji Zone and parts of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region. The term "Surma" is an exonym given to this community by neighboring tribes, and its etymology is not precisely known.
It is believed that the name "Surma" might have originated from the Mursi people, another neighboring tribe. The Mursi people refer to themselves as "Mun", and it is presumed that the term "Surma" might have been derived from the Mursi word for "fellow" or "comrade", which sounds similar to "Surma" in pronunciation.
It is essential to note that the term "Surma" is sometimes considered outdated or even offensive by some scholars and within the Surma community itself.
