Global Team for Local Initiatives

Why the Hamar?

I’m often asked, “Why the Hamar?” Until today, I answered by relating my discovery journey and how I became intellectually challenged to discover what could be done to help the Hamar adapt to their changing environment. Today, I discovered the real answer: my personal mantra and lifetime goal (to be the unending source of Love, Peace and Harmony) is congruent with Barjo, the most important Hamar value.

Reading an excerpt from “Cultural Variations in the Concept of Face” by Ivo Strecker* triggered my 'aha!' moment. It says,

“Barjo exists wherever there is well-being, harmony, good fortune. When well-being disappears, barjo has disappeared. Therefore the physical and social health of a person is a direct expression of his or her barjo. According to the Hamar, without barjo no development and continued existence is possible.

In their eyes, false humility is the greatest enemy of equality, and this is why they encourage boasting and self-elevation. Everyone should think of herself/himself as great and capable and act accordingly. At the same time, if s/he fails, if for some reason s/he does not reach the intended goal, s/he should not feel guilty or despised. This is why the Hamar have no concept of sin, shame or honor. A person should not be inhibited by the fear of losing face if s/he fails. The consequence of failure should only be positive, that is, the person does not continue doing what s/he is not good at. In Hamar people always make a clear conceptual separation between what someone is and what s/he does.

The practice of calling barjo is closely related to this: by calling barjo people bless each other. They do this especially after conflicts have occurred among them. When a bad deed has been done, it is not the offender who is condemned, but the deed, and both the offender and the offended are subsequently blessed. No one speaks of loss of face, shame, or sin in such situations. What counts is the barjo of people, that is, their well-balanced and harmonic power to live. If your barjo is rich, you will act well. You will be socially competent and able both to assert your own sphere of action as well as to respect the interests of others.”

Thank you, Ivo Strecker, for articulating this concept so clearly. And, as always, I owe heartfelt thanks to my Hamar friends who continuously enrich my life.

Click here for the story of how the Hamar graced my unknowing misdeed with barjo, instead of condemnation.

* (1993) In: Multilingua, 12: 119-41.