Le Bon Voyage is a powerful portrait series created by African-born musician, film director, and photographer Tabi Bonney. During the Spring of 2018, Bonney took a trip to Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee. His intention was to learn more about the beverage, as he is currently harvesting coffee beans from his own farms in Togo, West Africa. The trip quickly became much more as he grew inspired by the beauty and pride of the men, women, and children during his journey.

This collection takes you on Le Bon Voyage (the good trip) through the eyes of Bonney and serves to celebrate and highlight the Suri (Surma) people located in Southern Ethiopia’s Omo Valley. The Suri people are known for their elaborate body paint, scarification, and impressive lip discs, a sign of beauty and status, particularly for women. By nature, they are semi-nomadic cattle herders who live by the Omo River, in the southern part of the country. They are considered “disappearing tribes” as their culture and way of life may not survive another 10 years.  Tabi Bonney is using his photography as a medium to highlight individual personalities, generational traditions, fashion, and connection to native land.