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By Avery Edwards, May 2009

As Easton’s eyes flitted open from a deep, dream-filled sleep, he took a long draught of the stale air around him. He closed his eyes once more, trying to engrain each scene from his dream into his failing memory. He had a vivid dream- more a memory, now once again remembered- of his wife, Lorelei. She was standing at the dinner table, with his beautiful toddler, Liam, icing cake for his birthday. Lorelei had her nimble hands delicately wrapped overtop of Liam’s small, sticky fingers. Liam’s face showed much concentration, as a small crease appeared between his brows. Easton could tell she was singing a tune by the soft movements of her mouth, and the emotional expressions in her face proved she was not only speaking.
Easton had always wondered what kind of voice his wife had. Was her voice sweet and light, or low and hearty? Being deaf since the age of three, he had forgotten all that sound could be. Having contracted an early, small case of polio, he was given a new drug to be tested. The drug worked- but had the price of hearing loss. He never minded the loss much- he still had communication with sign language. Loosing his hearing and speech at such a young age, Easton no problem picking up another way of communication.
But that was years ago. Now the stiffening pain of arthritis in his fingers stopped any signing he could still remember. Having no one to talk with since the death of Lorelei, Easton could not recall the last time he had signed to anyone- much less even had any conversation with anyone. Thinking back to the last time he could remember seeing anyone, he figured that he hadn’t signed to anyone since the funeral. A combination of a failing memory, and no longer gaining any practice had left Easton with little sign language to use, even if his fingers could still bend to form the words. Easton felt so trapped, so lonely with out language. He felt lost- unable to find expression. The agony of fighting to find a simple word was just too much.
Easton continued to lie on his cold, stiff bed until the light began creeping over his shoulder, eventually warming his face. Sitting on the edge of his bed, Easton gazed onto the single photo on the small, pine bedside table. A college-bound Liam’s arms tightly wound around a laughing Lorelei in the yellowing, spontaneous photograph. After a moment of intense thought, Easton pointed to himself, painstakingly signed with a shaking hand the word “love”, and then pointed to the photograph. Easton sighed, wishing he could remember all the words he wished to tell his family.
Easton finally rose from the tousled sheets, and shuffled with slumped shoulders to the small kitchen. Sliding two pieces of white bread into the decrepit toaster, he then sat a small coffee brewer to work. The toast soon popped soundlessly out of the toaster, and he sat to munch on the warm breakfast. After finishing his toast, he pushed himself away from the table and returned with a small mug of coffee as he dropped heavily into the chair.
Envisioning through clouded eyes his wife sitting across from him in her customary seat, Easton could recall her happy smile. Though worn and creased, the smile had always been a loving gesture. Easton struggled to remember more of Lorelei’s features. Had she always worn her glasses, or did she prefer to leave them off until needed? Easton could not recall. The pain of loosing his memory was more than he could bear. First his speech, now his thoughts? Easton pushed all of the horrible feeling away, and slowly closed his eyes.
Dumping the remainder of his cool coffee into the sink, Easton hobbled slowly back into the empty bedroom. Passing by the messy bed, he made his way into the only bathroom in the house. Wetting a plastic, red, comb, he shakily pushed back what wispy-white hairs he still had. Then standing at the foggy old mirror, he made sure to replay the dream numerous time while staring at his own solemn eyes, so that he would have at least one happy thought more during the day.
It had been so long since he had seen his only child. Liam. His son was supposed to be coming home with his recent bride, Lucy, and bringing their new son for Easton and Lorelei to meet for the first time. Easton and Lorelei had been skeptical of Liam and Lucy moving so far away, but Liam wanted to let his precious and fragile bride stay near her own family. Besides, Liam protested, surely he would find a better job offer all the way in Illinois. It was better than Nebraska’s job market would ever be. Coming to grips with the point, Easton and Lorelei finally agreed. Reluctantly, Easton and Lorelei waved goodbye to their son and new daughter-in-law on the wedding day. The news that a baby was coming soon was so welcome to Easton, he knelt to the floor with joy the moment he read the letter. He mouthed what he could of a prayer, and silently grinned for what seemed like days.
The baby had arrived

This is a Hamer woman .Some Hamer still have a cruel tradition: women can have babies before being married, to test their fertility...Once they have the baby, some forgive him. This tradition tends to disapear but NGO still save abandonned new borns.
On the neck of the woman, you can see 3 necklaces. the biggest one at the top means she is First Wife. This is important, as her statut is the higher one in Hamer society. But as she has 2 more simple necklaces around her neck, it means her husband took 2 more wifes... The Hamer women who are not First Wife have to live a hard life , as they are more slaves than wifes...

The Hamar is a catlle herder tribe which lives on the Eastern side of the Omo Valley in Southern Ethiopia. Honey collection is their major activity and their cattle is the meaning of their life. There are at least 27 words for the subtle variations of colours and textures of a cattle ! And each man has three names: a human, a goat and a cow name.
The Hamar have very unique rituals such as a bull-leaping ceremony, that a young men has to succeed in order to get married. The cow jumping is an initiation rite of passage for boys coming of age in Hamar tribe. Cows are lined up in a row. The initiate, naked, has to leap on the back of the first cow, then from one bull to another, until he finally reaches the end of the row. He must not fall of the row and must repeat successfully the test four times to have the right to become a husband. While the boys walk on cows, Hamar women accompany him: they jump and sing. Totally committed to their initiated sons, the mothers are whipped to blood, in order to prove their courage and accompany their sons during the test.
The Hamar are very preoccupied with their beauty. They have at times spectular haidresses.
Men use a wooden head rest which prevents the hair from touching the ground. You can see them walking with it everywhere ! It is used as head rest to protect the clay wig that some do on the top of the head, but it is also usefulas a seat ! Even if there is a chair close to them, they prefer to use the head rest !
Women know many ways to do their hair. The most famous hair style is when their hair is in short tufts rolled in ochre and fat or in long twisted strands. These coppery coloured strands are called "goscha", it's a sign of health and welfare.
They also wear bead necklaces, iron bracelets around their arms, and decorate their breast with lots of cowry shells, like a natural bra.
Around married women's necks, you can see "esente": torques made of iron wrapped in leather. These are engagement presents; they are worn for life and indicate their husband's wealth. One of the necklaces catch more especially the attention: it is called the "bignere". It's also an iron and leather ring, which has a phallic-shape end. But this jewelry can only be worn by a man's first wife.
I remember a woman I have met. On her neck, there were three necklaces. According to what I just explained about the bignere, the biggest one at the top means she was "First Wife". This is important, as her statut is the higher one in Hamer society. But as she has two more simple necklaces around her neck: that means her husband took two more wives... The Hamar women who are not first wife have a really hard life and they are more slaves than wives... During my trip, I could see some of these women, working like slaves for the men: their skin were covered with clay, butter and animal fat... So they were a little scary ! Another thing to know about these women: the more scars one has on her back, the higher is her status.
The young unmarried girls, for their part, wear a kind of oval shape plate, in metal. It is used like a sunshield, but it tends to be rare in the tribe. Some of them have fund their future husband, but have to wait in their house until the so-called prentender can provide all the money for the ceremony: he has to pay for all the cows the bride-to-be's family asks for. These girls are called "Uta" and have to wait three months, entirely covered with red clay... And no right to take baths or showers ! They cannot go out of the house, let alone the village.That's why it is very rare to see or take a photo of a Uta. A cruel tradition still has currency for some Hamar: unmarried women can have babies to test their fertility, but some of them are just abandonned in the bush. This tradition tends to disapear but NGO still save abandonned new borns. Abandonments are all the more frequent than some Hamar believe that a child born out of formal marriages has "mingi", as to say something abnormal and unclean. For them, it is the expression of the devil, which may cause disasters such as epidemics or drought in the village. So, illegitimate children are abandoned. This kind of beliefs can also be observed in other Ethiopan tribes: many parents prefer to sacrifice their own child rather than risk being affected by the