Surma Woman, Ethiopia

"A Surma woman, wearing her lip plate in the presence of men, carries her husband's old Lee Enfield rifle. The Bumi, traditional cattle-raiding enemies of the Surma, have been involved in the civil war in southern Sudan and are now armed with Kalashnikov rifles. They have returned to raid the cattle of the Surma, using their rifles rather than traditional spears. This has forced the Surma to sell cattle in order to acquire firearms to defend their families and protect their herds. The Surma fear for their survival."

—photographers Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher, writing in the book Faces of Africa

Read an interview with Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher.

See today's top stories from National Geographic News.

Photo gallery by Chelsea Lane-Miller
National Geographic News