Camels, dubbed the ships of the desert, are integral to the life of pastoralists living in lowland areas of Ethiopia, citing their crucial use for transport. Their natural ability to withstand the scorching hot temperatures and to survive without water for weeks in such areas makes them popular domestic animals. Also, camels are a favorite source of milk and meat among these pastoralist communities, and are also exported to Arab countries as far as the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
The Babile area, some 540 km east of Addis in the Somali Region, is famous for its weekly Camel Market. Every Monday, hundreds of camel owners bring their best bred camels to a huge open field in the heart of Babile town, numbering from three to five thousand camels for sale.
The market is filled with a lively atmosphere, full of women wearing colorful “shiti” dresses and hijabs, old women decorated with henna and most of all, camels of different sizes and ages crowding the open field.
The market itself is a sight to behold but there is another unique feature that one experiences in Babile. To avoid brokers involving with potential buyers and inflating the price, deals are made in a discreet manner. Once a buyer approaches the owner and selects the camel of his choice, the price will not be discussed orally. Rather, they hide themselves in a scarf or behind the camels and use the creases on their fingers to negotiate the price.
A good camel could cost up to 200,000 birr or more and once they agree on the price, the deal is sealed with a handshake. Sometimes transactions are made hours or days after the deal.
A visit to the Babile Camel Market can be combined with a safari in Babile Elephant Sanctuary, home to the largest population of African Bush Elephants in Ethiopia, and a visit to the historic town of Harar, just 30km outside Babile Town.
Text and photos by Michael Metaferia
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