The Salt of Africa

Ahmedela, Lake Asale. Young Afar Fathyma invites you to join caravans which have brought salt to all Ethiopia since millennia.

Hundreds of caravans have come together at Ahmedela, and during the night have been assigned a slot by "Shumbahri" (the Chief).

At dawn, literally thousands of camels leave Ahmedela, all in their assigned order, and head towards the center of Lake Asale.

Let's follow the caravans in this alien, hot and desolate desert of salt, seemingly endless Lake Asale, precious property of Afar warriors.

On the bottom of the local social scale are the "Focolo", the "salt lifters": they are poor immigrants from Tigray and have left Ahmedela as early as 3am.

After having cut into the salt crust using axes, large salt blocks are taken from the ground and prepared for shaping by "Hadali Mera" workers.

Only the "Hadali Mera", who are always Afar people, can prepare salt blocks weighing precisely 7 kilograms. They are at work since dawn.

One block of salt is the unit of currency in the salt businnes: each camel will carry 20 blocks to Mekele, trading centre of the highland.

In the midddle of the morning the caravans reach the centre of Lake Asale. The camels are exhausted and, remarkably, recover some energy by chewing on salt.

"Arho" workers, the cameliers, start to load each camels with the exact same amount of salt, later to be charged a tax.

At noon, in temperatures well above 40 degrees Celsius, the caravans start the long trip back to Ahmedela, disappearing into a distant mirage.

But even in such a hellish environment, "Arho" workers seem happy: "Now I'm rich: count my camels, you will know what a treasure I am bringing home!"

Sunset at Ahmedela - but the salt caravans move on and will travel all night from 100m below sea level up to Mekele, at 2300 metres above.

But curiosity to talk with visitors wins for "Arho": this Afar will lead his caravan only to the limit of the Afar country, at Berahile.

While our caravans are leaving in the sun's direction (left), others are coming towards us, repeating the work night and day, year after year.

We bid a last farewell to Mohammed, the Afar with his great green eyes.