Nude model jailed for Egyptian temple outrage walks naked with remote Ethiopian tribe

Belgian model Marisa Papen describes herself as a "free-spirited and wild hearted expressionist"

Marisa Papen shared the stunning pictures taken by Australian photographer Jesse Walker (Image: CEN/Jesse Walker-Marisa Papen)

 The nude model who caused a worldwide stir after a secret photoshoot inside one of Egypt's most ancient temples landed her in jail has now appeared naked among one of Africa's painted tribes.
Marisa Papen was at the centre of a worldwide controversy after she was imprisoned for posing nude in the vast temple complex of Karnak, near the city of Luxor earlier this month.

The Belgian model has now shared stunning pictures taken by Australian photographer Jesse Walker from their African trip that saw her walk naked among the members of an isolated Ethiopian tribe.

She also spoke out about the remarkable stories she heard during her time their and about how beauty and nudity is seen by tribe members.

The Belgian model travelled to Africa to walk naked among the members of an isolated Ethiopian tribe (Image: CEN/Jesse Walker-Marisa Papen) 

 

(Image: CEN/Jesse Walker-Marisa Papen)

Papen, who describes herself as a "free-spirited and wild hearted expressionist", said: "They have their own customs and beliefs, their own beauty-standards, their own religion, living life in harmony with nature and the spirit world. "You may say, they are totally different then we are. But to me they are, what we once were. In touch with nature, a part of nature, immensely grateful and respectful towards it."
Papen travelled with Walker to the isolated Omo Valley in south-western Ethiopia, where she lived for a week with the Surma tribe.

Papen travelled with Walker to the isolated Omo Valley in south-western Ethiopia (Image: CEN/Jesse Walker-Marisa Papen)

The model lived for a week with the isolated Surma tribe (Image: CEN/Jesse Walker-Marisa Papen)

Papen said: "What we claim to call beautiful in our Western world isn’t quite the same how the Surma tribe pursues beauty.
"Both Surma men and woman pierce their ears, some woman stretch their lower lip with a plate. They scar their bodies by making little cuts repetitively.
"Isn’t it funny we invented all these creams, lasers and other treatments to get rid of ours."
The Surma have a long history of body painting and use pulverised minerals they create drawings and patterns, something which Papen tried on her own body.
"Not only is it an expression of emotion and art, there’s also a more practical reason behind it," Papen said.
"Different colours are used for different rituals, to prevent illness, to attract the opposite sex or to relate to family members or certain animals."

The Surma have a long history of body painting (Image: CEN/Jesse Walker-Marisa Papen)

Marisa Papen was at the centre of a worldwide controversy after she was imprisoned for posing nude in the vast temple complex of Karnak (Image: CEN)

Papen explained that during the first day she did not take the camera out as she wanted first to mingle among the tribe and not to be perceived as a tourist.
She said: "As intrigued as I was by their appearance, they were [also intrigued] by me. A month before this trip I decided to shave my head. I figured I’d look less like a stranger, having the same haircut as they do.
"It worked. Until they touched it. The different texture of my millimetred hair compared to theirs entertained them for a full hour, maybe even longer. At that exact moment their pure energy became truly palpable to me. I literally felt vibrations when some of them were rubbing my head. It was pure magic."

Papen said that about once or twice a year Western tourists visit the tribe and she thinks that globalisation might change some of their unique characteristics in the future (Image: CEN)

Papen added that her admiration grew every day as she observed the cultural differences between the Surma and her world.
Papen said: "One time I was resting in the shade of a sculptural tree and I was watching two men and a woman from a distance, they were just sitting in the grass, playing with some leaves and collecting some stones. I was trying to go back in my memory and imagine that same exact situation happening in our 'civilised' world - I couldn’t."
Walker, who had photographed Ethiopia's Omo Valley before, had arranged for a guide who speaks Amharic and Oromo, although the Surma have their own distinct vocabulary.
Papen said: "I communicated with them through sign language and tried to mimic their sounds. It was actually not that hard to understand each other because life is so simple there."

Papen added that her admiration grew every day as she observed the cultural differences between the Surma and her world (Image: CEN)

Another difference which Papen noted was how the Surma look at nudity in general.
Papen explained that the tribe members dress according to preference or the situation they are in. If they are in big groups, they usually cover their genitals, but when they are washing or painting themselves everyone is naked.
Only if they go hunting or go for long hikes through forested areas do they wear a cape as a protective measure.
Another remarkable difference, according to Papen, is how breastfeeding is seen by the Surma as something natural, which can be done in the open.
Papen said that about once or twice a year Western tourists visit the tribe and she thinks that globalisation might change some of their unique characteristics in the future.
"Sometimes tourists leave behind Western clothes, and because for them [the Surma] it is of course something exotic so they wear it with lots of pride," she said.
"Personally I found that a shame to see, but I fear there is no way back when it comes to this."