As the old adage goes, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” and that’s never been more true than for the Daasanach tribe from Ethiopia’s Omo Valley. The tribe has found a creative way to recycle garbage: They turn it into amazingly beautiful jewelry intended for everyday wear. Each generation wears a different style of jewelry. The children’s are simple, the older folks’ are ornate, and the men stick to bottle cap headpieces until marriage. The documentation of this amazing tribal tradition comes from French photographer Eric Lafforgue, who has spent years documenting the customs of this tribe. According to Lafforgue, the jewelry is a part of their identity. See the gorgeous portraits below.
