Mario Gerth, A Photographer fascinated by Suri in Ethiopia reveals a lot about this tribe

         Sury lady, Ethiopia

   In all your travels to over 77 countries, where would you place your recent trip to the Suri tribe in Ethiopia based on their distinct traditions? And is there any experience you will like to share about this particular trip?

   For sure, the Suri tribe belongs to the most fascinating humans in Africa, in my opinion. The traditional costumes are a mix of fruits, flowers, body-paintings, shells and beats. It shows the respect for nature and they celebrate it to the highest levels.

       Hamar Lady, Ethiopia

     In all your photographs, you are focused on African traditions and images that give insights on traditional methods that the western world have seemingly lost touch of. Would you say that is the main goal of your photography and travels? To discover and provide insights on old traditions that are still practiced in Africa?

    In the media, Africa is always called the “C” continent. It´s always about chaos, corruption, crisis… To me Africa is something else: It´s a deep culture, all our roots come from Africa. It is bright, it is proud, it is magical. Is has so much more than we get served on TV. I stand for the positive view on Africa so I take photos from that angle.

          Arbore, Ethiopia

    Time Magazine named you a “world changer “due to your collection of portraits about Africa and African people in general. What more should we expect from you?

    I am only doing my job – collecting stories and collecting wonderful pictures of a wonderful continent. I am just taking photos. I go to places far away, meet new people, we chat and drink a tea and I come back with the Africa I meet.

                 Karo, Ethiopia

    Your photographs show beautiful visages and images of countries and its people, such as you have done in Ethiopia, are there ways of further promoting and exhibiting your projects that you are currently working on?

    The main goal to me is meeting the last African Nomads and preserving their culture. There are a lot of changes right now in Africa which brings Africa in a new age. There is a lot of new technology and education but also loss of culture. With my exhibitions I show what African traditions are like, and promote the culture.