FUNDING FOR "ART WOLFE'S TRAVELS TO THE EDGE" IS PROVIDED BY... CANON.

DEDICATED TO INSPIRING PHOTOGRAPHERS TO PRESERVE AND TO PROTECT THE BEAUTY, DIVERSITY, AND GRANDEUR OF THE NATURAL WORLD.

FROM CAPTURE TO DISPLAY, CANON CAMERAS, HIGH-DEFINITION VIDEO, PRINTERS, AND PROJECTORS HELP TO FUEL THE PASSION AND THE CREATIVITY THAT BRING THIS INCREDIBLE WORLD INTO FOCUS.

AND BY... YOU CHASE AFTER MOMENTS.

THE MOMENT THE LIGHT IS JUST RIGHT.

THE MOMENT YOU SEE IT IN THEIR EYES.

A MOMENT OF TRIUMPH OR OF TRAGEDY.

THE MOMENT A SMILE BREAKS OR WHEN THE RAINS COME.

THE MOMENT YOU IMAGINED IS PASSING RIGHT NOW.

BUT THE MOMENT YOU SEE, WHEN IT ALL COMES TOGETHER, IS A MOMENT YOU'VE CAPTURED FOREVER.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING PROVIDED BY... AT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL, OUR MISSION IS TO CONSERVE AND PROTECT THE WORLD'S MOST PRECIOUS NATURAL RESOURCES.

BUT EQUALLY, IT IS TO CHAMPION A CAUSE LARGER THAN OURSELVES.

IT TAKES THREE DAYS BY ROUGH ROAD TO GO FROM ADDIS ABABA DOWN HERE TO THE OMO RIVER VALLEY.

BUT IN MANY WAYS, IT'S LIKE GOING BACK A THOUSAND YEARS IN TIME.

DEEP IN THE OMO VALLEY, I'M ART WOLFE.

JOIN ME ON "TRAVELS TO THE EDGE."

THE OMO RIVER FLOWS 1,000 MILES THROUGH THIS VAST, OPEN, EMPTY QUARTER OF ETHIOPIA, AND ULTIMATELY EMPTIES INTO LAKE TURKANA, WHICH IS THIS ENORMOUS LAKE IN NORTHERN KENYA.

AND ALONG THE BANKS AND ON THE MOUNTAINS ABOVE THE RIVER, ARE SMALL POCKETS OF DISTINCTIVELY DIFFERENT PEOPLES.

WE'RE LEAVING THE HIGHLANDS OF ADDIS ABABA AND HEADING SOUTH TO THE LOWER OMO VALLEY.

I'M LOOKING FOR THREE PARTICULAR TRIBES -- THE HAMAR, THE KARO, AND THE SURMA IN AN AREA SO REMOTE IT WASN'T EVEN ON THE MAP 100 YEARS AGO.

THE ROADS HERE ARE ROUGH AT THE BEST OF TIMES, BUT DURING THE WET SEASON, HEAVY RAINS CREATE A CONDITION KNOWN AS "BLACK COTTON," WHICH IS THIS REALLY FINE MUD, WHICH IS ALL BUT IMPOSSIBLE TO CROSS ONCE IT GETS WET.

SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA IS REALLY TIMELESS.

IT IS A LAND THAT HASN'T REALLY MOVED FORWARD.

IT'S BEEN ISOLATED BY VERY RUGGED COUNTRY, IT'S THE BACKWATER OF ETHIOPIA, MANY WOULD ARGUE, BUT FOR THAT VERY REASON, THE CULTURES HAVE REMAINED INTACT.

THEY'RE PRACTICING RITUALS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS, AND I WANT TO BE HERE TO RECORD THEM BEFORE THEY CHANGE.

WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT TRAVELING THROUGH HAMAR COUNTRY IS YOU COULD BE DRIVING THROUGH ENDLESS MILES OF REALLY ARID SCRUBLANDS AND SUDDENLY, ON THE HORIZON, ARE A GROUP OF HAMAR WALKING YOUR WAY.

AND WHEN YOU SEE THEM, AT FIRST GLANCE, IT'S JUST AMAZING BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEAUTIFUL SKINS, INCREDIBLE ORNAMENTATION OF NECKLACES, THEIR HAIRSTYLE IS COMPLETELY COIFFED WITH MUD AND OIL, WHICH IS A SIGNATURE ITEM THAT REALLY SETS THE HAMAR APART.

WE'VE HEARD THERE'S GOING TO BE A BULL JUMPING CEREMONY IN THIS VILLAGE.

IT'S AN ANCIENT RITE OF PASSAGE FOR A YOUNG MAN ENTERING ADULTHOOD.

THIS IS A GUY WHO IS GOING TO JUMP TOMORROW, YOU KNOW?

HE IS READY, HE'S GOT A BULL JUMPING TOMORROW.

[ SINGING IN HAMAR ] CAN YOU HEAR THE SING OVER HERE?

SHE'S A SISTER OF THE JUMPER TOMORROW.

SHE JUST DECLARING THAT "MY BROTHER IS BRAVE, HE CAN JUMP."

SHE'S SORT OF DECLARING THE CEREMONY TOMORROW.

[ SINGING IN HAMAR ] Wolfe: AFTER TAKING A PICTURE OF SOMEBODY, I LOVE TO SHOW THEM.

[ SPEAKING HAMAR ] OH, YOU WANT A PICTURE OF YOU, OKAY.

PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE, AND WHEN YOU CAN SHOW THEM PHOTOS OF THEMSELVES, THEY REALLY RESPOND.

AND IT'S TRUE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

SO THE CAMERA IS A GREAT TOOL FOR BREAKING DOWN THE AWKWARDNESS OF ENTERING A VILLAGE.

IT BECOMES A PASSPORT INTO THEIR VILLAGE.

THEY LOVE LOOKING AT THEMSELVES, AND IT'S REALLY A LOVELY WAY OF CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE.

TWO HAMAR MEN ARE ADORNING THEMSELVES FOR THIS COW JUMPING CEREMONY.

I PUT ON AN EXTENSION TUBE BETWEEN MY LENS AND MY CAMERA WHICH ENABLES ME TO FOCUS CLOSER.

BY HAVING THE ABILITY TO MOVE IN AND FOCUS REALLY CLOSE, IT OPENS UP A VARIETY OF NEW SUBJECTS.

FIRST I SHOOT FROM A DISTANCE, THEN I MOVE IN, AND EVERY SUBSEQUENT SHOT, I GET IN TIGHTER AND TIGHTER UNTIL I'M REALLY HIGHLIGHTING THE ELOQUENT DETAILS WITHIN THESE HAMAR MEN.

THIS IS REALLY EMPHASIZING THE BEAUTIFUL DETAIL THAT THE HAMAR ARE ABLE TO ACHIEVE WITH THEIR EARRINGS AND THEIR NECKLACES IN THE SIMPLEST OF FORM.

AND WHAT I'LL DO NOW IS CONNECT THIS WITH OTHER CULTURES AROUND THE WORLD AND HIGHLIGHT HOW THEY ADORN THEMSELVES.

IT'S REALLY A CELEBRATION OF THE CREATIVE PROCESSES THAT GO ON IN THESE REALLY REMOTE REGIONS.

[ SINGING IN AFRICAN LANGUAGE ] ISN'T SHE JUST BEAUTIFUL?

IN THE AGE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY, I'M NOT ONLY ABLE TO BRING MY PHOTOGRAPHS HOME TO SHOW MY FRIENDS... NOW I'M ABLE TO SHOW THE PEOPLE I'M SHOOTING WHAT I'M SHOOTING.

TODAY IS THE BIG DAY -- THE JUMPING OF THE BULLS.

IT'S NOISY, IT'S WILD, AND IT'S CHAOTIC.

THERE'S A REAL REGALNESS TO THE HAMAR CULTURE, AND YET I WOULD KID MYSELF IF I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT CULTURES ARE CHANGING.

I WAS HERE 10 YEARS AGO AND THERE WERE NO T-SHIRTS, THERE WERE NO SHORTS, AND NO I'M SHOOTING AROUND THAT.

WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE BULLS, ANTICIPATION FOR THE CEREMONY INTENSIFIES.

THE JUMPER MUST TRY TO COMPOSE HIMSELF AMID ALL THE CHAOS.

THE BULLS ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER, LINED UP, AND FINALLY IT'S TIME FOR OUR YOUNG MAN TO SYMBOLICALLY PASS INTO MANHOOD.

JUST AS HIS ANCESTORS HAVE DONE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

NEXT WE'RE HEADING WEST TO THE OMO RIVER, IN SEARCH OF THE KARO PEOPLE.

ETHIOPIA IS KNOWN AS THE CRADLE OF HUMANITY, AND IT'S HERE, DEEP IN THE OMO RIVER VALLEY, WHERE THE ARCHAEOLOGISTS HAVE FOUND SIGNS OF HUMAN CIVILIZATION THAT DATE BACK MORE THAN TWO MILLION YEARS.

WE'VE ARRIVED AT THIS KARO VILLAGE, AT THE END OF THE HARVEST SEASON.

IT'S BEEN A FRUITFUL YEAR AND THE VILLAGERS ARE IN THE MOOD TO CELEBRATE.

THIS IS BEAUTIFUL, THIS IS OCHRE AND IT PUTS ON THE SKIN, AND WHEN IT DRIES, IT BECOMES REALLY RED, RIGHT?

AH, AND THIS IS FOR THE WHITE?

AH, THIS IS LIKE BEING IN NORDSTROM'S.

OKAY, PERFECT!

NICE!

I'M NOT REALLY TRYING TO DOCUMENT A CULTURE LIKE A TRADITIONAL DOCUMENTARIAN.

WHAT I AM TRYING TO DO IS MINE A SENSE OF ART.

THE MAGIC'S IN THE DETAIL.

I REALLY TRY TO PULL OUT THE ESSENCE OF A CULTURE THROUGH THE ABSTRACT.

AND RIGHT NOW, IN FRONT OF ME, THERE'S THIS BEAUTIFUL WOMAN WHO'S GOT A SERIES OF SPOTS AROUND HER NOSE AND HER CHEEK, AND I'M TRYING TO ZOOM IN AS CLOSE AS I CAN AND JUST MAKE A REALLY SIMPLE, ABSTRACT SHOT WITH THE EYE AND THE SPOTS, NOTHING MORE THAN THAT, NOTHING MORE COMPLEX THAN THAT.

WHEN THE KARO ADORN THEMSELVES, IT'S VERY INDIVIDUALISTIC.

NO TWO PATTERNS ARE THE SAME, AND THAT'S WHAT ART IS ABOUT, BASICALLY, IS THAT SELF-EXPRESSION THROUGH YOUR OWN SENSE OF AESTHETIC.

THESE CULTURES DON'T REALLY HAVE MUSEUMS OR ART GALLERIES OR EVEN LIVING ROOMS WHERE THEY CAN HANG ART.

THEY, IN FACT, BECOME THEIR OWN LIVING, BREATHING WORKS OF ART.

CAN WE HAVE THIS SPACE?

CIRCLE...OKAY.

[ CHILDREN LAUGHING ] THIS IS KNOWN AS "DESIGNING YOUR SHOT."

[ LAUGHTER ] CIRCLE.

NOW YOU SIT DOWN.

I SEE A BEAUTIFUL PATTERN AMONGST THEIR FEET.

OKAY.

NOW I'VE GOT A BEAUTIFUL CIRCLE...

THIS IS REALLY HARD WORK, BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH IT.

I LOVE MAKING ART WORK OUT OF MY SUBJECTS.

OKAY, LOOKIE HERE!

THESE KIDS ARE GREAT, IT'S WONDERFUL TO SHOW THEM A REWARD... OH-EH-EEYA!

OH, IT WENT DARK!

[ SPEAKING KARO ] WHEN I'M PHOTOGRAPHING THESE KARO, I'M TRYING TO GET THEM TO LOOK STRAIGHT INTO MY CAMERA SOMETIMES.

I'M ALSO SHOOTING CANDID SHOTS, BUT MANY TIMES I WANT THEM TO LOOK STRAIGHT INTO MY CAMERA AND THEREFORE STRAIGHT INTO THE VIEWER OF MY PHOTO'S EYES, SO THERE'S THE CONNECTION THAT I FEEL AT THE MOMENT I TAKE THE PICTURE.

IT'S A VERY, VERY EFFECTIVE WAY FOR PEOPLE TO FEEL CONNECTED TO THE SUBJECTS.

[ SINGING IN KARO ] Wolfe: AFTER A DAY OF ADORNMENT, THE KARO ARE READY TO CELEBRATE A GOOD HARVEST.

THE OMO RIVER CORRIDOR IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER PLACE ON EARTH, WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT CULTURES INHABITING A LAND THAT HAS CHANGED LITTLE IN THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

E NEXT LEG OF OUR JOURNEY TAKES US ACROSS THE OMO, AND UP INTO MOUNTAINS VIRTUALLY UNTOUCHED BY THE MODERN WORLD.

THIS IS WHERE WE HOPE TO FIND THE SURMA, THE MOST REMOTE OF THE TRIBES WE'VE COME TO SEE.

[ RACING ENGINE ] THIS IS A JOURNEY OF A THOUSAND OBSTACLES.

WE'VE COME OUT OF THE FLAT SAVANNAH OF THE OMO RIVER VALLEY, AND NOW WE'RE CROSSING THIS MOUNTAIN RANGE THAT RISES TO 11,000 FEET BEFORE WE GET TO THE SURMA MOUNTAINS.

AND ALONG THE WAY, WE'VE HAD A MULTITUDE OF OBSTACLES, AND RIGHT NOW A HUGE RAINFOREST TREE HAS FALLEN ACROSS THE ROAD, WHICH MEANS THE TRACK GOES AROUND THE TREE, WHICH MEANS, OF COURSE, WE GET STUCK IN THE MUD ONE MORE TIME.

[ Sighs ] STUCK AGAIN!

THIS IS GOING TO BE A LONG DAY, AND NOW WE'RE AT LEAST IN SURMA COUNTRY, BECAUSE THEY'RE EVERYWHERE, HEY!

HOW ARE YOU?

[ SINGING AND CLAPPING ] BECAUSE OF THEIR EXTREME ISOLATION, THE SURMA ARE UNAWARE THERE'S A COUNTRY CALLED ETHIOPIA, AND THAT THEY LIVE WITHIN ITS BORDERS.

THEY CALL THEIR HOME SURMALAND.

Man: NOW WE'RE IN A VILLAGE OF SURMA PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IN THE HEAT OF THE SUN, THEY WOULD LIKE TO PLAY UNDER THE TREE.

[ SPEAKING SURMA ] YOU SEEN THIS GAME?

NO.

OKAY, THIS IS A TRADITIONAL GAME, MOSTLY PLAYED BY THE SURMA PEOPLE.

THEY JUST INVITE US, YOU KNOW, TO PLAY.

YOU WANT TO ABANDON ME AS A PLAYER?

[ LAUGHTER ] WELL, I DON'T KNOW.

YOU'VE GOT A LOSER ON YOUR SIDE, I HAVE TO TELL YOU.

I'D RATHER PHOTOGRAPH THIS GAME THAN PLAY IT, QUITE HONESTLY.

I COULD SEE HAVING THIS GAME BOARD ON A WALL IN MY HOUSE, IT JUST LOOKS LIKE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL BURNISHED SCULPTURE.

YOU SEE, THAT'S WHAT I PHOTOGRAPHED.

[ SPEAKING SURMA ] WHAT HE JUST SAID TO HIS FRIENDS -- "MY GOD, THIS GUY'S AN EXCELLENT PHOTOGRAPHER."

THAT'S YOU.

THE CAMERA IS A GREAT CONNECTION.

THESE LADIES ARE WEARING WHAT THEY CALL LIP DISKS, OR LABRETS.

HISTORICALLY, THE LIP DISK WAS PLACED IN THE YOUNG WOMEN SO THAT WHEN SLAVE TRADERS CAME DOWN THROUGH THE HORN OF AFRICA, AND STOLE WOMEN OUT OF THESE REMOTE VILLAGES, THEY WOULD LOOK GROTESQUE AND THEREFORE BE PASSED OVER BUT TODAY, RATHER THAN BEING SOMETHING THAT WAS GROTESQUE TO DISCOURAGE THE SLAVE TRADE, IT'S A SIGN OF BEAUTY, AND THE LARGER THE LIP DISKS, THE MORE BEAUTIFUL THE LADY.

VERY NICE.

THIS YOUNG GIRL RIGHT HERE HAS REALLY A BEAUTIFUL PATTERN OF ALMOST SNOWFLAKE DESIGNS ON HER FACE.

THESE MAY BE, IN FACT, THE FIRST PHOTOGRAPHS THIS YOUNG LADY HAS EVER SEEN OF HERSELF.

I'M DOWN HERE ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER WITH ABOUT 30 SURMA WARRIORS THAT ARE LATER ON GOING TO PERFORM THE DONGA, WHICH IS A STICK FIGHT.

THEY ARE ACTUALLY COMPETING FOR THE ATTENTION OF THE WOMEN, AND THE MOST ELABORATELY ADORNED WARRIOR AND THE STRONGEST STICK FIGHTER WILL CATCH THE ATTENTION OF THE WOMEN.

THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.

I'M GOING TO GO IN FOR SOME DETAILS OF THE FACE.

THIS IS NICE, I'VE PUT ON THE WIDE ANGLE AND I'M USING A VERY SMALL APERTURE OPENING SO I CAN GET IN, HAVE SOME FOREGROUND.

THERE'S A GREAT SHOT OF THIS WARRIOR DECORATING THE OTHER, AND IT'S INTERESTING HOW MUCH ATTENTION THEY PAY TO HELPING THE OTHER ONE.

AND I JUST LOVE GETTING IN AND PHOTOGRAPHING THIS DETAIL.

HOLD THE CAMERA STEADY, TAKE THE PICTURES.

THIS IS EXCITING, THIS IS THE WARM UP FOR THE DONGA.

THESE GUYS ARE GETTING THEMSELVES ALL RILED UP, THEY'RE ABOUT TO PERFORM THE DONGA, WHICH IS NOT A DANCE, IT'S A BATTLE.

THESE ARE TWO DIFFERENT VILLAGES THAT ARE COMING AND COMPETING FOR THE HONOR OF THE VILLAGE.

AND IT CAN BECOME QUITE GRAPHIC.

I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT BEING HERE, BUT I'M ALSO A LITTLE NERVOUS.

THEY ARE IN A STATE OF EXCITED FRENZY.

WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS CAPTURE THIS DONGA IN THE MOST ELOQUENT WAY POSSIBLE, AND TO TRY TO STAY ALIVE DOING IT.

SO THIS IS A GOOD VIEW, RIGHT FROM HERE.

I'M PUTTING THE SUN IN MY BACK.

THIS TRADITION HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

AND, UNFORTUNATELY, IT COULD END WITH THE INEVITABLE WESTERNIZATION OF THE WORLD.

MY WHOLE MISSION IS TO TRY TO MAKE SENSE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.

I NEVER KNOW HOW THIS WHOLE DONGA -- OH, MY GOD!

THIS IS A VERY POWERFUL...

THEY WILL STOP IT IF ANYBODY GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED, BUT I HOPE THEY CAN TELL.

THERE'S SO MUCH HAPPENING, THE CHANTING IS PRIMORDIAL AND IT JUST LENDS A SENSE TO THIS PLACE.

THERE'S DUST IN THE AIR, THERE'S BLOOD IN THE AIR.

JUST GIVES IT A MEMORY THAT I'LL NEVER FORGET.

I'LL NEVER FORGET THIS MOMENT.

THE PEOPLE OF THE OMO HAVE KEPT THEIR UNIQUE CULTURES ALIVE FOR CENTURIES.

IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO PHOTOGRAPH THESE RICH TRADITIONS WHILE THEY STILL EXIST.

I'M ART WOLFE.

JOIN ME NEXT TIME ON "TRAVELS TO THE EDGE."

THIS PROGRAM AND OTHER EPISODES FROM THIS SEASON ARE AVAILABLE ON THREE-EPISODE DISCS FOR $17.95 EACH, PLUS SHIPPING AND HANDLING.

AN AWARD-WINNING BOOK OF ART WOLFE'S LANDSCAPES FEATURED IN THIS SERIES AND BEYOND, "EDGE OF THE EARTH, CORNER OF THE SKY," IS AVAILABLE FOR $49.95 PLUS SHIPPING AND HANDLING.

TO ORDER THE BOOK OR DVDs, PLEASE CALL 1-800-440-2651.

YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS EPISODE, PHOTO TIPS, AND OTHER DESTINATIONS IN THE SERIES, BY VISITING OUR WEB SITE AT -- FUNDING FOR "ART WOLFE'S TRAVELS TO THE EDGE" IS PROVIDED BY... YOU CHASE AFTER MOMENTS.

THE MOMENT THE LIGHT IS JUST RIGHT.

THE MOMENT YOU SEE IT IN THEIR EYES.

A MOMENT OF TRIUMPH OR OF TRAGEDY.

THE MOMENT A SMILE BREAKS OR WHEN THE RAINS COME.

THE MOMENT YOU IMAGINED IS PASSING RIGHT NOW.

BUT THE MOMENT YOU SEE, WHEN IT ALL COMES TOGETHER, IS A MOMENT YOU'VE CAPTURED FOREVER.

AND BY... CANON.

DEDICATED TO INSPIRING PHOTOGRAPHERS TO PRESERVE AND TO PROTECT THE BEAUTY, DIVERSITY, AND GRANDEUR OF THE NATURAL WORLD.

FROM CAPTURE TO DISPLAY, CANON CAMERAS, HIGH-DEFINITION VIDEO, PRINTERS, AND PROJECTORS HELP TO FUEL THE PASSION AND THE CREATIVITY THAT BRING THIS INCREDIBLE WORLD INTO FOCUS.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING PROVIDED BY... AT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL, OUR MISSION IS TO CONSERVE AND PROTECT THE WORLD'S MOST PRECIOUS NATURAL RESOURCES.

BUT EQUALLY, IT IS TO CHAMPION A CAUSE LARGER THAN OURSELVES.