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I would connect two of the Solaris units together in parallel with the provided wire connectors for more charging power. While Brunton specifications say it’s possible to connect up to three arrays, the most I ever used were two together.

Then I connected the Universal Charger to one of the solar panels.
Since the adjustable terminals on the Universal Chargers were too fat to fit Nikon battery charging slots, I used the alligator clips that came with the Universal Charger.
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At first I tried a thin wire to connect the alligator clips to the battery, but later found filing down some buss connectors made a more solid connection. Plus, this more closely replicated the charging terminals of the Powerbook itself. I only needed one positive, one negative connection to the battery’s multiple slots. Don’t worry if the battery doesn’t indicate polarity, and surprisingly, Apple technical support could not help with the identification. The Universal Charger gives an error message when polarity is reversed.

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After weeks of research and experimentation, my Ethiopia Solar Power equipment list included:
• 3 - Brunton Solaris 26 Foldable Solar Arrays
www.brunton.com
• 2 - Maha MH-C777Plus-II universal Charger & Analyzers
Contact Maha for list of suppliers in your area: www.mahaenergy.com
• 5 – Bunji cords to suspend the solar panels
• 2 - Powerbook batteries, which I labeled for easy identification
• Length of rope when trees or supports were far apart
• Handful of buss connectors that I filed down to fit the battery contacts

I would connect two of the Solaris units together in parallel with the provided wire connectors for more charging power. While Brunton specifications say it’s possible to connect up to three arrays, the most I ever used were two together.

Then I connected the Universal Charger to one of the solar panels.
Since the adjustable terminals on the Universal Chargers were too fat to fit Powerbook battery charging slots, I used the alligator clips that came with the Universal Charger.

??At first I tried a thin wire to connect the alligator clips to the battery, but later found filing down some buss connectors made a more solid connection. Plus, this more closely replicated the charging terminals of the Powerbook itself. I only needed one positive, one negative connection to the battery’s multiple slots. Don’t worry if the battery doesn’t indicate polarity, and surprisingly, Apple technical support could not help with the identification. The Universal Charger gives an error message when polarity is reversed.

What happened when Adam and Eve ate of the fruit?

Somewhere between Jiga and Dembeche on Highway 3, our driver, Ermias, told of his talk with a Mursi man on another Omo trip. “The Mursi man said ‘We were closer to God before you came.’ The ‘you’ refers both to non-Omo Ethiopians and faranji.”

Ato Daniel Bambu, the official Ethiopian government Suri cultural recorder, told me in his crumbling concrete office cubicle: “The old chiefs were different. They talked directly to God. God was much nearer to the older ones.” Reflective pause. “Today the elders need money or local beer.”
During two days of intensive interviews, Bologedung, the old Suri chief, told us that God spoke to him through dreams.

We gave him highly prized razor blades, an Adobe Photoshop cap and 100 birr. Appropriate gifts.

After carefully looking at the black hat and razor blades, the chief thanked us. “I wish you a good trip.”

Immediately, Bologedung’s son, Bardagu, objected. He was the oldest son, the next-in-line chief. He also had been sent to Holland courtesy of a reality TV show, given 10,000 birr with which he bought cattle and a new Kalashnikov. Now he wanted money from us.

“We came to talk with the chief. Not his son.”

Heated discussion. Did the people of Holland ask you for money? “No. But that’s not relevant here.” Then Bardagu rudely rebuked his father’s words of contentment with us. There was absolutely no respect for the elder, father or chief.

Finally I threw the son 50 birr.
But when he sat into our Land Cruiser for an assumed ride into Kibish town, I swallowed hard and squeaked something like, “There is no room.” Fortunately it sounded tougher when Ermias translated.
The surprised wannabe chief stepped down. (And best of all, he didn’t shoot us with the new Kalashnikov.)

As the Cruiser bounced over the rocky road to our camp, I wondered about Bardagu’s oldest son. That would be the following future chief. What is the nine-year-old learning from his grandfather and father. I reflected on the Suri cultural recorder Daniel’s words: “The old chiefs were different. They talked directly to God. Today the elders need money or local beer.”

This morning, Ras Amba Hotel bathroom, Addis Ababa, ants marched in squiggly lines on the blue tiled bathroom wall. Their main highway was the corner. Some made a perpendicular line towards the sink. Marching in opposite directions, they would touch each other while passing as if giving a greeting or message. At one point, one ant marching away from the sink touched one marching towards it. Just after the touch, the one going towards the sink did a U-turn. Entomologists tell us ants have limited cognitive capabilities. It’s strictly pheromones. The pheromone force.

??In mankind’s inexorable wanderings, do we operate on a pheromone force? Are we more intelligent than the evolutionary process that created us?

?Yes, seeing red cattle in a dream meant a good harvest.
Also, dreaming of people sharing raw (red) meat with each other means good harvest. The meat has to be raw. If it is cooked, means bad harvest.
When I asked why so many Konso stories have red, the elder replied, “the top of the sorghum is red when freshly harvested. It looks like raw meat.”

Several mentions of snake dreams. “If a big snake is chasing him when he is in the field, means good harvest.”

Why does the red snake dream mean it will rain?
“When the water goes through the field channel, it’s like a snake. The water is like a snake through the field.”

One story has a tribal chief born from a python.

Three different creation stories. The first two I had heard before and were confirmed by the Busso elders: First Man came from a termite (insect) hill; First man came from a calabash.
One chief mentioned that the first man came from an olive tree. No other elders or chiefs confirmed that story.

Waga is the Konso name for God. “No one has seen God. We don’t know what he looks like.”??

Rule 1: Give me birr. Kids, even adults, will swarm a faranji (foreigner) with their hands out. “Give me two birr.” (local money) “Give me Highland.” (plastic water bottle) “Give me pen.” To legitimize the plea, they add, “I am a student.” Yes, it’s true that you earn in one day what some Omoists earn in a year. But they are agriculturalists and can’t eat money. Besides two birr will not change their lives and doesn’t help them become self dependant.

Counter measure #1 to Rule 1:
If it looks as if the person approaching is a “Give Me” type, preemptively declare that you are a student and then ask for two birr or a highland or pen. This stuns the beggar. Continue the theme in good humor and everyone smiles at the ruse. This has never failed me in 5 trips to remote Africa. On this trip, Ryan and I have perfected a double-team approach.

Counter measure #2 to Rule 1:
Draw the Line. I accidently discovered this technique in Konso while waiting in the Land Cruiser. After using counter measure #1 with great fun for all, I realized fresh recruits kept appearing. I jumped out of the car, drew a line about a meter from the Cruiser door, and chastised any kid who stepped over the line. To my surprise, not only did the kids obey the line, soon the older kids were enforcing the line rule. I could sit back, relax, and teach the kids new English phrases or songs.

??The next day, Ryan and I used the Draw-the-Line counter measure very effectively. We wanted to photograph New York. No the Konso version, a massive Bryce-Canyon-look-alike erosion. Since it’s a major tourist destination, the “Give Me” crowd and sacred rock hawkers swarmed. We simply drew a line around the space from which we wanted to photograph. Again the line held. And again, the older kids would even enforce the line. One time, when I neglictied to draw a line, a kid did it for me.

Rule #2: Pay per Click. In the Omo, it is expected that photographers pay the subject for each photograph. O.K., that’s fair. In fact, the potential subject is likely counting on his/her fingers behind their back the number of times the shutter is clicked. Often there is a swarm of locals enforcing the cash register. Obviously the best solution is to negotiate and bargain hard.

Counter measure to Rule 2:
??Occasionally, when appropriate, I’ll use my patent pending Cough per Click technique.
I line up the shot, then cough when releasing the shutter. For example, I took this photograph of the women carrying the bundles of stalks on the road to New York using this technique despite being swarmed with locals.
1) I lined up the shot with my 80-200 at about 200mm.
2) Chose a point where the walking women would make the best composition.
3) Watched the bundle carriers with my perpherial vision.
4) Finally, clicked the cable release five times while talking and coughing with the women around me.
We all had a good time. Ryan knowingly asked about my persistent cough. My thought is that if we are all having fun in a public place, its fair to take the photo.

Signs of the Times
Driving through Addis on the way to Simien National Park, we saw the following signs within a 5 minute period: (spellings as seen)
Deluxe Furniture
Savemore Supermarket
Gift Real Estate
Victory Liquor
Wow International
Software Gallery
CPU College

My all time favorite business sign was in Arba Minch:
Wisdom School

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Ryan had been feeling a bit under the weather with stomach problems, probably the usual tourista stuff. Since no western-style doctor was available for hundreds of kilometers, we did what the locals do. We went to the wizard, Gamara Moida. His title translates to god thief.

This visit was by very special arrangement. It seems that Ryan was the first foranji (foreigner) that the medicine man had ever treated.

The witch doctor put on special clothes for the treatment. There was one patient ahead of Ryan, the Konso Culture Minister.

Then it was Ryan’s turn. He sat down stiff as a board. The wizard said something. Someone translated. “He wants you to relax.”

The wizard emitted some deep guttural sounds, fingered his turquoise-colored beads, felt Ryan’s stomach, threw some water on Ryan, then turned to walk away. When he returned, he jammed his index and thumb deep into Ryan’s stomach area just below the solar plexis. He dug around. He seemed to be searching for something. Slowly he pulled out his fingers holding something. It looked like raw meat, or intestine. Obviously,
this was the problem.

Time will tell if the wizard’s cure worked.