Omo Child: The River and the Bush (2015) Movie Script
1
June 16, 2011 Southwest Ethiopia
This way.
Hurry.
She's over there.
He found her in the bush.
Is she alive?
KARA VILLAGE
Omo Valley, Ethiopia
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.
When the bull
returned to the tribe
they discovered mud on his feet.
They began to track his
path, far from their village.
After a long journey
they found the Omo River.
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.
Listen carefully.
We Kara elders
are different.
We are a unique people.
Look at our left ear.
We have marks that
indicate our uniqueness.
I can't say how long our
people have lived here
but it has been
many, many years.
Since before the
grandfather of the
grandfather of my grandfather.
We Kara people believe
that there is a God
that created us and nature.
The Kara believe
in three things,
rain,
the harvest
and livestock.
When the rain comes,
we believe that is God.
We Kara people work
hard to sustain our families,
by farming and raising cattle.
The family is most
important for our tribe.
The children are needed
to help with the animals.
They are important
for our future.
As women we work a lot.
We are always
gathering what we need.
Everyday is the same.
It is our responsibility
for all the firewood.
We collect all the water,
sometimes ten trips a day.
These things are
challenging in our lives.
Let me tell you about our past.
A long time ago,
the Kara people were many.
We were a strong,
powerful tribe,
feared and respected.
Everything has changed.
The mingi has cursed our land.
We have many struggles now.
The land is cursed and dry.
I don't want to talk
about the mingi.
I can't talk about the mingi.
Only the elders have the
power to talk about that.
Mingi goes way
back, it's really ancient.
There are three types of mingi
and every mingi
child must be killed.
My father was a king, I am a
king. I'm doing my father's work.
We do this for the
protection of our people.
I asked my father,
"Why do we kill
the mingi children?"
Was there some harm
or misery in the past
that happened
because of mingi kids?
He said, "A cursed boy
was buried in the village,
his blood poisoned the
land and his family died."
I don't want to
think of these things.
All of these things
I want to forget.
Now you make me think
about all of these things.
I have seen many children
killed in my lifetime,
many children
killed before my eyes.
Usually the women
do the killing.
One way they kill is by
strangling with a rope,
then they throw it in the bush.
Maybe wild animals eat the body.
My second son was mingi
and they strangled
him with a rope.
They killed him and
threw him in the bush.
Sometimes I dream of him.
He comes and stands
in front of me, physically,
and then disappears.
I think everyone has
had an experience.
My grandfathers and grandmothers
died from mingi sickness.
My daughter had
a mingi pregnancy.
I was very angry with her.
We have no hope.
KORCHO VILLAGE
Omo Valley, Ethiopia
My name is Lale Labuko,
I'm from the Omo Valley.
I love my people.
The Kara people,
they are very isolated
from the world.
They have no money,
there's no electricity.
They don't know about the world.
They think, just them
and the other tribes.
That's their world.
The Kara people
are not bad people,
they are very good people.
They have a great hospitality.
Even if you don't have,
you can go and eat
with other family.
If somebody have no family
orphan can live
with other family
because we live
together as a group.
It's like really social life
and completely different
from the western world.
My name is Synde.
I can't talk about mingi
here because I fear the curse.
Maybe the curse will come to me.
I follow all the decisions
the elders make.
They are like our fathers.
As young people, we obey them.
That is the way it is.
Every cursed child
needs to be removed.
I accept it as a
part of our culture.
That is the way it has been
for a long time.
I'm not going to
keep a mingi child.
I would rather kill it
to protect my people.
Why would I bring
disaster to my land?
During all my pregnancy I knew,
that one day my child
was going to be killed.
No one wants a mingi child.
My mother was
very angry with me.
When I gave birth my
mother was not there.
I just left the baby
on the ground.
If we keep mingi children
then all of the elders will die.
I was raised to keep my
people and traditions safe.
When I decided to
send Lale to school
everyone was angry with me.
My friends insulted me.
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.
I told them, "This was my son
and this was my decision."
Most Kara boys herd
goats and work in the village.
When he was home,
instead of watching the farm,
he was reading his school book,
or writing on the
ground with a stick.
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.
So when I was nine
years old I left my village.
I went to school.
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.
You know, there's no
water. It's the desert.
Most of my friends,
they gave up.
I walked for twelve
years barefoot,
to get my education.
I'm one of the first
that went to school
out of Kara.
I was so nervous
with everything.
It was different for me,
I see a different world.
They introduce me
the pen and the paper.
I've never seen in my village.
Education is
precondition for the peace
It's the answer for poverty.
I learned that everyone,
all human being is equal.
Education is more
essential than anything.
The first time I
heard about mingi
I was fifteen years old.
When I come back to
the village for vacation.
I saw the elders come
and grab two year old baby.
They grab from the mother,
the mother was crying,
and the child was crying.
Some elders told
the family not to cry.
they say "Quiet.
This is mingi."
They take the baby to the river.
and they killed the
two year old baby.
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.
She say " Mingi is a curse."
Mingi means some children,
"they born with bad luck."
My mother explained
there's three types of mingi
women mingi
girl mingi
"and teeth mingi."
Girl mingi is,
when the girl pregnant
before the marriage.
Women mingi is
when child born
without elders blessing.
Teeth mingi,
means when teeth come on
top before the bottom teeth
"they consider us mingi."
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 child kept in the village,
because it's a curse.
It bring disease,
sickness,
drought,
no rain,
nothing.
People will suffer more.
"By the way," my mother said,
"You had two older sisters
they was mingi,
and they killed them.'
was so sad and
it's very tough time for me to
to learn something like
very cruel and barbaric
it's just hard, you know, and
I said, "Someone has
to stop these things."
I felt if I would be
strong that time
I could have saved
that two year old baby.
knew I was too young,
I have to go back to
school to prepare myself to
come back and help my people.
When someone has
killed a mingi child
they bring the woman to
the mingi gate for a blessing.
The woman must be
cleansed from her sin.
My father was the
guardian of the mingi gate.
Now it is my responsibilty.
The most common type
of mingi is girl mingi.
That's because a man
can have many wives
and many girlfriends.
Someone could have as many as
three to four children
killed per year.
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.
I know an older
woman in my village
that killed twelve
children due to mingi.
I killed twelve,
twelve mingi children.
I don't feel remorse
about killing them.
If you drink water
with a mingi family,
the water is poison
and you will die that day.
I'm old, I'm not
afraid of dying.
It's something the young
people need to worry about.
When I was young
I was beautiful.
In my time we never put
western clothes on our bodies.
We only dressed in goat skin
and at night we used cow skin.
But today all the young people
they all want to dress
in western fashion.
Lale comes here and
thinks he's educated.
He cannot stop the mingi curse,
Ending mingi is
against our culture.
After I graduated
my high school,
I went to the teacher
training institute
and I become a teacher.
So after you graduate
you have to choose,
to stay in the town
or go to the village.
So I decided to go to my village
to help young people,
educating them.
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 life.
If we end mingi practice,
that means we save
the whole generation.
I discussed with
many young people.
One of them was Lale Biwa.
Lale Biwa is very strong
guy, very influential
and have a good
impact in the village.
As a family we have been
discussing these issues.
When and how
this is going to stop?
The future of the
Kara is difficult.
The number of the Kara
population every year
goes down.
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.
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.
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.
You see I...
Before I married my wife,
you see, she was my girlfriend.
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.
It's a boy,
It's a boy,
When my girlfriend was pregnant
my brother's
The first wife was pregnant,
and they gave the birth,
two days difference.
And today
my brother's son, is a big boy
So I miss my son
How many children has
been killed in Kara and Hamer?
It's unbelievable.
But we say, "One
day change will come."
We can't continue
like this, but one day
will come change.
I first met Lale
at the Jinka Museum.
It was love at first sight.
When Gido is my
girlfriend Leiser
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."
You know we have to stop this.
It only took me 5 months
to decide to marry him.
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.
He shared with me
the horrors he had seen
and told me the story
that changed him.
In 2007
I was in the village,
sleeping in the night.
I heard the children are crying.
In the morning 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.
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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Everything has changed.
New things have come.
Education has come.
The government and people like
Lale are telling us that mingi is wrong.
Who are they?
They cannot protect us.
In my culture,
one piece of firewood
cannot boil the water
and directly I start
speaking with th my father.
I said, "I want to
stop these things."
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?"
He was really not sure
he suspect that
the elders would be angry,
the community will be angry.
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.
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."
Lale told me he
would be the river,
he would be the bush.
He would take the children
out the of village and
build a home for them.
So he convinced me.
He asked me what to do.
suggested he try
asking some families
whose children were
sentenced to death.
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.
Bale was a beautiful
girl. She hardly ever cried.
One day we were at the river
to find mud for clay pots.
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.
I told my wife, "Let's
not rush into anything."
By accident a neighbor
woman noticed.
Nobody else saw.
She said, "There is nothing
you can do, she is mingi."
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 to be a secret,
Ebut she told the whole village.
Everyone found out.
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.
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.
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."
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.
People isolated me
because I had a mingi child.
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.
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.
Immediately I send
Gude to discuss with Hylo
to rescue Bale.
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.
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.
That's how my
daughter was sent away.
When I gave her
to Lale I was crying.
My tears were falling.
My wife was crying.
We had a lot of emotions.
We had a relationship with Bale.
She was already
walking and talking.
I know she is getting good care.
When we brought
Bale to our house
we washed Bale, take the bath.
She's introduced to the
western world and we
we put some clothes oncher and
put her in good bed and
give her some milk and food
and she was really happy.
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.
I remember my two older
sisters when I see Bale.
So I feel,
you know like
I have to
do more.
When I looked into her eyes,
I knew we could rescue more.
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."
Lale has been a
great advisor to me.
He encouraged
me to go to school,
and be a leader for my tribe.
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.
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.
I was targeting
educated young people
because the educated
young people are easier
to explain the idea.
We pledged, to
watch who's pregnant,
when they give birth
they have to be around.
We are a new generation,
ready for change.
That is why I work with Lale.
I want to endu mingi.
I don't believe in curses.
These curses are
ancient beliefs.
We are here to
protect the children.
All the young people
agree we should stop mingi.
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.
June 16, 2011
Aryio!
Let's go!
There's not much time.
Tell them we will be
there in 8 to 9 hours.
We saw the baby's
grandmother and she told us
"The baby is in the forest
for the animals to eat."
We had to hurry.
The elders found
out about the birth
and were on their
way to kill the baby.
It was almost dark
when we found her,
she was alone, dirty and bloody.
This way.
Hurry.
She's over there.
Is she alive?
Let us see the baby.
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.
OMO CHILD HOME Jinka, Ethiopia
After I rescued four
kids we decided to
have a house.
We have only one nanny, Zeritu.
ZERITU TSEDAL HEAD NANNY
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.
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.
If we say no,
the child going to be killed.
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.
That time is very risky
for myself, for my life.
I come back to Dus
and I have a big
meeting with elders.
They said, "Lale you
know in our culture,
if you farmed the land
monkeys, they sneak
and they steal the corn."
The first time when they do that
you say: "Oh there's
a donkey there.
So, second time if the
monkey come you kill."
"Lale you saved six children."
So, 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."
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.
They don't even still
believe, that I have kids.
They never see the mingi kids.
So I have to show them.
I drove to Dus, to
my father's house.
I put in my car one nanny
and my friend, we just drove.
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.
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 mi ming kid
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.
Some saw how
beautiful they looked,
how normal they looked.
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."
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."
So that's the
warning, that's it,
and I say, "Thank you."
and I took the children,
I left in three minutes.
Some of the families decided
there is somewhere that
they can secure their kids.
Lale can take my child
and live far away.
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.
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.
I said, "You have
no power to do that."
I'm just sharing an idea.
you have no right
to threaten me.'
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.
Lale asked if anyone
was supporting him?
I said just two or three people.
Wherever I go,
the other tribes say,
"There is the Kara,
the child killers."
am not a child killer.
This is not what I want
the Kara to be known for.
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.
The real killer is
disease, not mingi.
Dirty drinking
water. No medicine.
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.
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.
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.
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."
The government and
organizations like Lale's
told us that mingi is wrong.
Now,
they threaten to
arrest us for our beliefs.
Since the God
created these areas,
they have been killing,
thousand of thousands of children.
They think what
they are doing is right.
The mingi children must be
killed, because if you don't,
the pure Kara, will die.
It's a curse for the land.
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."
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 a debate between,
the curse will go away or
the curse will come back.
Forty,
Forty...
is accepted idea.
Sixty percent, no.
So with the government
and
elder's 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 a curse.
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.
OMO CHILD HOME May 14, 2012
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?
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.
I received a call
from my wife Gido
that would change everything.
A baby was born
in Korcho village,
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.
We needed the Kara to
keep the baby in the village.
Giving the baby away
doesn't solve the mingi issue.
The government
told us not to rescue.
The government and Kara
were talking for two weeks.
The Kara elders
had not changed the culture.
The child will curse the tribe.
We threatened with
police, to take them to jail.
Nothing worked.
The elders were very angry.
They said, "We going to fight."
So everyone took their guns.
It will be a big war.
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.
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.
I knew that there's more
children would be like this.
We have to stop mingi now.
Tomorrow we have to go to Dus.
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.
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 mingris wrong.
I've been teaching
about this for four years.
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.
When Lale speaks, sometimes
only one person
really opposes him.
But that one loud person can make
it seem like everyone is against Lale.
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.
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?
Other tribes ended
mingi in their own way.
So we must end it in a Kara way.
I'm sick of it.
I was so worried and nervous
that if they didn't
accept that day.
nothing is going to happen.
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.
You could start to see
a different response
than any meetings we had before.
You elders are
resisting the change.
You want to continue 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.
I am there, I am listening,
but I can't read their hearts.
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.
We needed to as an elder,
we needed to make a decision
for the future of the Kara.
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.
As Kara elders we
started to realize that
the mingi practice
was harming us.
We had to make a decision.
For the future of our tribe.
You need to tell everyone.
As loud as a machine gun.
You have to invite the
women and girls and boys!
Tell everyone what you decide!
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.
They say we
accepted to end mingi
and they put it July 14th
that's the day they declared.
But I'm worried, I'm not sure that
they're going to end the mingi practice.
DUS VILLAGE July 14, 2012
All the Kara elder's went
to the ceremony house.
To show their decisions.
We had a vote at
the ceremony house
before we could do the
culture change at the mingi gate.
We had finally made our
decision after a long debate.
They started coming
from the ceremony house
where the mingi gate is.
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.
And they sit in front of
that gate.
It was time to do the
mingi culture change.
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.
Right away they
start roasting the lamb
and two elders stand
and they start proclaiming
that mingi has ended.
Listen... Listen...
People of Dus!
We have been discussing
about mingi for 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.
Today, bless you
and this land. Bless.
Today, bless you and this land.
Today, bless you
and this land. Bless.
Mingi go away.
Mingi go away. Go away.
Never again.
Never again.
- Never.
Never again.
Never again. Never.
Mingi practice die.
God pour blessings. Yes.
asked for a blessing
from God to send rain.
"Please rain, come.
Please rain, come."
The rain will
bless our decision.
Listen carefully girls and boys.
We have publicly
declared to end mingi.
Now I ask for
blessing for our people.
We were begging God
to pour blessings from the sky.
If it rains, God has
blessed our decision.
Can God bless them?
Bless the leaders
for their work.
Blessing in their lives.
Bless our people.
Bless our land.
Bless our land. Bless.
Bless the young.
From today,
the name mingi
will never be heard!
Right after five minutes
I see the rain
coming from the river side.
I see the wind
it's big from mountain side.
Finally mingi has
ended for my people.
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.
Today is really, spiritual day
and if you can't see that,
how the rain is coming now
after they stop everything.
This is amazing.
This is amazing.
Omo Child
saved
many doctors.
Many nurses.
Many pilots.
Our children are very
special and loved very much.
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.
Omo Child has to do many things,
to bring them up.
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.
We did it our way.
We did the right thing.
We are all happy it has ended.
It has ended.
Now mingi ended,
we can keep our children.
We will be strong.
As a result of many
people's efforts we
changed the mingi gate forever.
We ended it, forever.
The Ethiopian Government
June 16, 2011 Southwest Ethiopia
This way.
Hurry.
She's over there.
He found her in the bush.
Is she alive?
KARA VILLAGE
Omo Valley, Ethiopia
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.
When the bull
returned to the tribe
they discovered mud on his feet.
They began to track his
path, far from their village.
After a long journey
they found the Omo River.
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.
Listen carefully.
We Kara elders
are different.
We are a unique people.
Look at our left ear.
We have marks that
indicate our uniqueness.
I can't say how long our
people have lived here
but it has been
many, many years.
Since before the
grandfather of the
grandfather of my grandfather.
We Kara people believe
that there is a God
that created us and nature.
The Kara believe
in three things,
rain,
the harvest
and livestock.
When the rain comes,
we believe that is God.
We Kara people work
hard to sustain our families,
by farming and raising cattle.
The family is most
important for our tribe.
The children are needed
to help with the animals.
They are important
for our future.
As women we work a lot.
We are always
gathering what we need.
Everyday is the same.
It is our responsibility
for all the firewood.
We collect all the water,
sometimes ten trips a day.
These things are
challenging in our lives.
Let me tell you about our past.
A long time ago,
the Kara people were many.
We were a strong,
powerful tribe,
feared and respected.
Everything has changed.
The mingi has cursed our land.
We have many struggles now.
The land is cursed and dry.
I don't want to talk
about the mingi.
I can't talk about the mingi.
Only the elders have the
power to talk about that.
Mingi goes way
back, it's really ancient.
There are three types of mingi
and every mingi
child must be killed.
My father was a king, I am a
king. I'm doing my father's work.
We do this for the
protection of our people.
I asked my father,
"Why do we kill
the mingi children?"
Was there some harm
or misery in the past
that happened
because of mingi kids?
He said, "A cursed boy
was buried in the village,
his blood poisoned the
land and his family died."
I don't want to
think of these things.
All of these things
I want to forget.
Now you make me think
about all of these things.
I have seen many children
killed in my lifetime,
many children
killed before my eyes.
Usually the women
do the killing.
One way they kill is by
strangling with a rope,
then they throw it in the bush.
Maybe wild animals eat the body.
My second son was mingi
and they strangled
him with a rope.
They killed him and
threw him in the bush.
Sometimes I dream of him.
He comes and stands
in front of me, physically,
and then disappears.
I think everyone has
had an experience.
My grandfathers and grandmothers
died from mingi sickness.
My daughter had
a mingi pregnancy.
I was very angry with her.
We have no hope.
KORCHO VILLAGE
Omo Valley, Ethiopia
My name is Lale Labuko,
I'm from the Omo Valley.
I love my people.
The Kara people,
they are very isolated
from the world.
They have no money,
there's no electricity.
They don't know about the world.
They think, just them
and the other tribes.
That's their world.
The Kara people
are not bad people,
they are very good people.
They have a great hospitality.
Even if you don't have,
you can go and eat
with other family.
If somebody have no family
orphan can live
with other family
because we live
together as a group.
It's like really social life
and completely different
from the western world.
My name is Synde.
I can't talk about mingi
here because I fear the curse.
Maybe the curse will come to me.
I follow all the decisions
the elders make.
They are like our fathers.
As young people, we obey them.
That is the way it is.
Every cursed child
needs to be removed.
I accept it as a
part of our culture.
That is the way it has been
for a long time.
I'm not going to
keep a mingi child.
I would rather kill it
to protect my people.
Why would I bring
disaster to my land?
During all my pregnancy I knew,
that one day my child
was going to be killed.
No one wants a mingi child.
My mother was
very angry with me.
When I gave birth my
mother was not there.
I just left the baby
on the ground.
If we keep mingi children
then all of the elders will die.
I was raised to keep my
people and traditions safe.
When I decided to
send Lale to school
everyone was angry with me.
My friends insulted me.
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.
I told them, "This was my son
and this was my decision."
Most Kara boys herd
goats and work in the village.
When he was home,
instead of watching the farm,
he was reading his school book,
or writing on the
ground with a stick.
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.
So when I was nine
years old I left my village.
I went to school.
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.
You know, there's no
water. It's the desert.
Most of my friends,
they gave up.
I walked for twelve
years barefoot,
to get my education.
I'm one of the first
that went to school
out of Kara.
I was so nervous
with everything.
It was different for me,
I see a different world.
They introduce me
the pen and the paper.
I've never seen in my village.
Education is
precondition for the peace
It's the answer for poverty.
I learned that everyone,
all human being is equal.
Education is more
essential than anything.
The first time I
heard about mingi
I was fifteen years old.
When I come back to
the village for vacation.
I saw the elders come
and grab two year old baby.
They grab from the mother,
the mother was crying,
and the child was crying.
Some elders told
the family not to cry.
they say "Quiet.
This is mingi."
They take the baby to the river.
and they killed the
two year old baby.
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.
She say " Mingi is a curse."
Mingi means some children,
"they born with bad luck."
My mother explained
there's three types of mingi
women mingi
girl mingi
"and teeth mingi."
Girl mingi is,
when the girl pregnant
before the marriage.
Women mingi is
when child born
without elders blessing.
Teeth mingi,
means when teeth come on
top before the bottom teeth
"they consider us mingi."
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 child kept in the village,
because it's a curse.
It bring disease,
sickness,
drought,
no rain,
nothing.
People will suffer more.
"By the way," my mother said,
"You had two older sisters
they was mingi,
and they killed them.'
was so sad and
it's very tough time for me to
to learn something like
very cruel and barbaric
it's just hard, you know, and
I said, "Someone has
to stop these things."
I felt if I would be
strong that time
I could have saved
that two year old baby.
knew I was too young,
I have to go back to
school to prepare myself to
come back and help my people.
When someone has
killed a mingi child
they bring the woman to
the mingi gate for a blessing.
The woman must be
cleansed from her sin.
My father was the
guardian of the mingi gate.
Now it is my responsibilty.
The most common type
of mingi is girl mingi.
That's because a man
can have many wives
and many girlfriends.
Someone could have as many as
three to four children
killed per year.
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.
I know an older
woman in my village
that killed twelve
children due to mingi.
I killed twelve,
twelve mingi children.
I don't feel remorse
about killing them.
If you drink water
with a mingi family,
the water is poison
and you will die that day.
I'm old, I'm not
afraid of dying.
It's something the young
people need to worry about.
When I was young
I was beautiful.
In my time we never put
western clothes on our bodies.
We only dressed in goat skin
and at night we used cow skin.
But today all the young people
they all want to dress
in western fashion.
Lale comes here and
thinks he's educated.
He cannot stop the mingi curse,
Ending mingi is
against our culture.
After I graduated
my high school,
I went to the teacher
training institute
and I become a teacher.
So after you graduate
you have to choose,
to stay in the town
or go to the village.
So I decided to go to my village
to help young people,
educating them.
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 life.
If we end mingi practice,
that means we save
the whole generation.
I discussed with
many young people.
One of them was Lale Biwa.
Lale Biwa is very strong
guy, very influential
and have a good
impact in the village.
As a family we have been
discussing these issues.
When and how
this is going to stop?
The future of the
Kara is difficult.
The number of the Kara
population every year
goes down.
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.
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.
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.
You see I...
Before I married my wife,
you see, she was my girlfriend.
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.
It's a boy,
It's a boy,
When my girlfriend was pregnant
my brother's
The first wife was pregnant,
and they gave the birth,
two days difference.
And today
my brother's son, is a big boy
So I miss my son
How many children has
been killed in Kara and Hamer?
It's unbelievable.
But we say, "One
day change will come."
We can't continue
like this, but one day
will come change.
I first met Lale
at the Jinka Museum.
It was love at first sight.
When Gido is my
girlfriend Leiser
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."
You know we have to stop this.
It only took me 5 months
to decide to marry him.
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.
He shared with me
the horrors he had seen
and told me the story
that changed him.
In 2007
I was in the village,
sleeping in the night.
I heard the children are crying.
In the morning 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.
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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Everything has changed.
New things have come.
Education has come.
The government and people like
Lale are telling us that mingi is wrong.
Who are they?
They cannot protect us.
In my culture,
one piece of firewood
cannot boil the water
and directly I start
speaking with th my father.
I said, "I want to
stop these things."
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?"
He was really not sure
he suspect that
the elders would be angry,
the community will be angry.
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.
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."
Lale told me he
would be the river,
he would be the bush.
He would take the children
out the of village and
build a home for them.
So he convinced me.
He asked me what to do.
suggested he try
asking some families
whose children were
sentenced to death.
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.
Bale was a beautiful
girl. She hardly ever cried.
One day we were at the river
to find mud for clay pots.
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.
I told my wife, "Let's
not rush into anything."
By accident a neighbor
woman noticed.
Nobody else saw.
She said, "There is nothing
you can do, she is mingi."
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 to be a secret,
Ebut she told the whole village.
Everyone found out.
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.
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.
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."
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.
People isolated me
because I had a mingi child.
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.
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.
Immediately I send
Gude to discuss with Hylo
to rescue Bale.
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.
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.
That's how my
daughter was sent away.
When I gave her
to Lale I was crying.
My tears were falling.
My wife was crying.
We had a lot of emotions.
We had a relationship with Bale.
She was already
walking and talking.
I know she is getting good care.
When we brought
Bale to our house
we washed Bale, take the bath.
She's introduced to the
western world and we
we put some clothes oncher and
put her in good bed and
give her some milk and food
and she was really happy.
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.
I remember my two older
sisters when I see Bale.
So I feel,
you know like
I have to
do more.
When I looked into her eyes,
I knew we could rescue more.
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."
Lale has been a
great advisor to me.
He encouraged
me to go to school,
and be a leader for my tribe.
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.
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.
I was targeting
educated young people
because the educated
young people are easier
to explain the idea.
We pledged, to
watch who's pregnant,
when they give birth
they have to be around.
We are a new generation,
ready for change.
That is why I work with Lale.
I want to endu mingi.
I don't believe in curses.
These curses are
ancient beliefs.
We are here to
protect the children.
All the young people
agree we should stop mingi.
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.
June 16, 2011
Aryio!
Let's go!
There's not much time.
Tell them we will be
there in 8 to 9 hours.
We saw the baby's
grandmother and she told us
"The baby is in the forest
for the animals to eat."
We had to hurry.
The elders found
out about the birth
and were on their
way to kill the baby.
It was almost dark
when we found her,
she was alone, dirty and bloody.
This way.
Hurry.
She's over there.
Is she alive?
Let us see the baby.
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.
OMO CHILD HOME Jinka, Ethiopia
After I rescued four
kids we decided to
have a house.
We have only one nanny, Zeritu.
ZERITU TSEDAL HEAD NANNY
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.
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.
If we say no,
the child going to be killed.
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.
That time is very risky
for myself, for my life.
I come back to Dus
and I have a big
meeting with elders.
They said, "Lale you
know in our culture,
if you farmed the land
monkeys, they sneak
and they steal the corn."
The first time when they do that
you say: "Oh there's
a donkey there.
So, second time if the
monkey come you kill."
"Lale you saved six children."
So, 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."
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.
They don't even still
believe, that I have kids.
They never see the mingi kids.
So I have to show them.
I drove to Dus, to
my father's house.
I put in my car one nanny
and my friend, we just drove.
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.
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 mi ming kid
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.
Some saw how
beautiful they looked,
how normal they looked.
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."
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."
So that's the
warning, that's it,
and I say, "Thank you."
and I took the children,
I left in three minutes.
Some of the families decided
there is somewhere that
they can secure their kids.
Lale can take my child
and live far away.
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.
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.
I said, "You have
no power to do that."
I'm just sharing an idea.
you have no right
to threaten me.'
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.
Lale asked if anyone
was supporting him?
I said just two or three people.
Wherever I go,
the other tribes say,
"There is the Kara,
the child killers."
am not a child killer.
This is not what I want
the Kara to be known for.
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.
The real killer is
disease, not mingi.
Dirty drinking
water. No medicine.
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.
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.
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.
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."
The government and
organizations like Lale's
told us that mingi is wrong.
Now,
they threaten to
arrest us for our beliefs.
Since the God
created these areas,
they have been killing,
thousand of thousands of children.
They think what
they are doing is right.
The mingi children must be
killed, because if you don't,
the pure Kara, will die.
It's a curse for the land.
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."
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 a debate between,
the curse will go away or
the curse will come back.
Forty,
Forty...
is accepted idea.
Sixty percent, no.
So with the government
and
elder's 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 a curse.
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.
OMO CHILD HOME May 14, 2012
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?
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.
I received a call
from my wife Gido
that would change everything.
A baby was born
in Korcho village,
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.
We needed the Kara to
keep the baby in the village.
Giving the baby away
doesn't solve the mingi issue.
The government
told us not to rescue.
The government and Kara
were talking for two weeks.
The Kara elders
had not changed the culture.
The child will curse the tribe.
We threatened with
police, to take them to jail.
Nothing worked.
The elders were very angry.
They said, "We going to fight."
So everyone took their guns.
It will be a big war.
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.
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.
I knew that there's more
children would be like this.
We have to stop mingi now.
Tomorrow we have to go to Dus.
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.
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 mingris wrong.
I've been teaching
about this for four years.
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.
When Lale speaks, sometimes
only one person
really opposes him.
But that one loud person can make
it seem like everyone is against Lale.
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.
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?
Other tribes ended
mingi in their own way.
So we must end it in a Kara way.
I'm sick of it.
I was so worried and nervous
that if they didn't
accept that day.
nothing is going to happen.
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.
You could start to see
a different response
than any meetings we had before.
You elders are
resisting the change.
You want to continue 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.
I am there, I am listening,
but I can't read their hearts.
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.
We needed to as an elder,
we needed to make a decision
for the future of the Kara.
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.
As Kara elders we
started to realize that
the mingi practice
was harming us.
We had to make a decision.
For the future of our tribe.
You need to tell everyone.
As loud as a machine gun.
You have to invite the
women and girls and boys!
Tell everyone what you decide!
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.
They say we
accepted to end mingi
and they put it July 14th
that's the day they declared.
But I'm worried, I'm not sure that
they're going to end the mingi practice.
DUS VILLAGE July 14, 2012
All the Kara elder's went
to the ceremony house.
To show their decisions.
We had a vote at
the ceremony house
before we could do the
culture change at the mingi gate.
We had finally made our
decision after a long debate.
They started coming
from the ceremony house
where the mingi gate is.
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.
And they sit in front of
that gate.
It was time to do the
mingi culture change.
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.
Right away they
start roasting the lamb
and two elders stand
and they start proclaiming
that mingi has ended.
Listen... Listen...
People of Dus!
We have been discussing
about mingi for 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.
Today, bless you
and this land. Bless.
Today, bless you and this land.
Today, bless you
and this land. Bless.
Mingi go away.
Mingi go away. Go away.
Never again.
Never again.
- Never.
Never again.
Never again. Never.
Mingi practice die.
God pour blessings. Yes.
asked for a blessing
from God to send rain.
"Please rain, come.
Please rain, come."
The rain will
bless our decision.
Listen carefully girls and boys.
We have publicly
declared to end mingi.
Now I ask for
blessing for our people.
We were begging God
to pour blessings from the sky.
If it rains, God has
blessed our decision.
Can God bless them?
Bless the leaders
for their work.
Blessing in their lives.
Bless our people.
Bless our land.
Bless our land. Bless.
Bless the young.
From today,
the name mingi
will never be heard!
Right after five minutes
I see the rain
coming from the river side.
I see the wind
it's big from mountain side.
Finally mingi has
ended for my people.
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.
Today is really, spiritual day
and if you can't see that,
how the rain is coming now
after they stop everything.
This is amazing.
This is amazing.
Omo Child
saved
many doctors.
Many nurses.
Many pilots.
Our children are very
special and loved very much.
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.
Omo Child has to do many things,
to bring them up.
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.
We did it our way.
We did the right thing.
We are all happy it has ended.
It has ended.
Now mingi ended,
we can keep our children.
We will be strong.
As a result of many
people's efforts we
changed the mingi gate forever.
We ended it, forever.
The Ethiopian Government