Dorze TRIBE
ETHIOPIA

The Dorze are a highland people living in the southern part of Ethiopia, near the city of Arba Minch. Traditionally weavers and farmers, they’re known for their towering bamboo homes and resourceful use of the enset (false banana) plant, from which they create a type of fermented flatbread called kocho. This process – from scraping the stalk to baking the dough – is a communal, rhythmic ritual practiced mostly by women.

Despite the encroachment of modern conveniences, the Dorze maintain much of their agrarian way of life. Their sustainable techniques and deep respect for the land make them one of Ethiopia’s most self-reliant ethnic groups.

Map showing the location of the Dorze Tribe near Arba Minch in southern Ethiopia.

Hands know what time forgets. In the Dorze kitchen, every motion holds memory.

  • Dorze woman slicing enset (false banana plant) in traditional Ethiopian food preparation | Michaela Pupíková Photography
  • Traditional Dorze bread-making from fermented enset, kneading dough by hand. Dorze village kitchen, Ethiopia | Michaela Pupíková Photography
  • Baking enset bread over open fire in a Dorze village kitchen, Ethiopia | Michaela Pupíková Photography
  • Shaping kocho flatbread on banana leaves in Dorze culinary ritual. Dorze village kitchen, Ethiopia | Michaela Pupíková Photography
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Dorze Tribe Ethiopia: A Glimpse into Daily Life

This gallery documents the traditional lifestyle of the Dorze Tribe Ethiopia.