Description

Thanks to the variety of plants in its forests, Dawro, a mountainous province southwest of Addis Ababa, is an ideal area for producing quality honey. Beekeeping is an important source of income for the Kullu Konta, who belong to the larger Welayta ethnic group. The traditional hives (kafò), made from woven bamboo, are dried over a fire of aromatic shrubs, acquiring an intense aroma that attracts the bees. The hives are covered with false banana bark placed in the trees. When the honey is ready, the hives are closed and taken to the beekeepers’ houses. The first harvest, in November and December, is the most abundant and is obtained from a range of flowers, including wanza (Cordia africana) and coffee (Coffea arabica). The second harvest, in April and May, is mostly from eucalyptus and fruit trees, such as docomo (wild plum).