Ethiopia: Harar
Harar is the fourth holiest city in Islam and the scene of the nightly hyena-feeding ritual. Five hundred kilometres east of Addis Ababa, on a high escarpment overlooking the surrounding plains, strong medieval walls encircle Harar, a city of mosques, minarets, and markets, and a centre of Muslim learning. Once, it struck its own currency; it retains its unique language.
The city has a reputation for its textiles and bound manuscripts, its distinctive traditional houses, and the unique nightly ritual of attracting hyenas to the city and feeding them with meat held in the 'hyena man's' mouth.
Photograph courtesy of: Ariadne Van Zandbergen