Konso Culture, Best Practices and Promotion

This project aims to promote and safeguard the culture of the Konso community located on the Sagan River in southwestern Ethiopia.

About

Konso is the first place in Ethiopia to be recognized as a ‘cultural landscape,’ in UNESCO world heritage list, a nod to its importance as a repository for biocultural diversity evolved over many centuries. The landscape consists of productive and unique terraced settlements spread over 21 square miles in the semi-arid Konso highlands, 550 km south west of Addis Ababa.

The Konso people are well known for their distinctive religious and cultural traditions including their unique funerary rituals involving elaborate music and dance. Konso culture is also famous for its carved wood statues called wagas, which memorialize important people in the community.