Dereje, a doctoral student of mine working on ethnic conflict and integration in Gambella (see, in the meantime, Dereje 2003), explains that the Nuer and the Anywaa have now split the local Mekane Yesus Church into the Nuer Mekane Yesus Church and the Anywaa one. Religion or church organisation reproduces ethnic divisions.
There is a degree of missionary actitivity by the Ethiopian Monophysite Church. There is a (leading business) man with a Greek father and an Oromo mother who perceives both the Greek and the Ethiopian church as "Orthodox". This business man, whose surname is George, is married to an Anywaa woman. Some Anywaa have been converted by him. Most Anywaa regard Ethiopian Monophysite Christianity as too complicated: too many holidays, funny costumes.
During our first walk through Gambella, I took the following photographs:
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