Konso

Konso

The town of Konso is located in southwestern Ethiopia and is the capital of the Konso Zone of the new Southern Ethiopian Regional State. The town is located 20 km north of the Sagan River and has an altitude of 1650 meters above sea level. In 2011, the town and neighboring villages were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for their unique cultural traditions and importance to the Konso people. The cultural landscape of Konso is an arid area consisting of terraces with stone walls and fortified settlements. It is a spectacular example of over 400 years of cultural tradition and adaptation to an arid, hostile environment, and is a testament to the shared values, cohesion, and engineering skills of the local people. There are also anthropomorphic wooden sculptures depicting respected members of the community and particularly heroic events. They are an exceptional living testimony to a burial tradition that is on the brink of disappearing. North of the city, Strawberry Fields Eco-Lodge, a permaculture farm, was established in 2007 to grow food, promote ecotourism, and provide permaculture education in partnership with international volunteers and three local schools.