Why do the Surma people utilize lip plates? The Surma people, particularly the Suri sub-tribe, are well-known for their use of lip plates as a type of body decorations. Lip plating, also known as lip stretching, is the process of inserting increasingly bigger clay or wooden plates into the lower lip. This practice is traditionally regarded as a rite of passage in Suri culture and is significant for various reasons: Lip plates have cultural significance in the Suri culture as a symbol of beauty a

abel furaha on Instagram: "The Surma (or Suri) people are an agro-pastoral indigenous group in Ethiopia's Omo Valley, famous for distinct traditions like women wearing large clay lip plates, body painting, and men's ritualistic Donga stick fighting, symbolizing beauty, strength, and cultural identity, though facing modernization challenges. They are closely related to the Mursi and Me'en groups, valuing cattle and engaging in subsistence farming in their fertile, remote region. Documentary with