The topography is located in a dry and hilly area at the edge of the Rift Valley in southern Ethiopia. It has always been a relatively isolated area of the country, where life has remained largely unchanged for at least 400 years. The people live in closely-packed communities of wood-and-mud built, thatched dwellings from which they travel out to their fields of millet on a daily basis. The local chief’s hill top Palace comprises a collection of dome-shaped thatched rooms, with covered meeting and work areas, all surrounded by a heavy wooden stockade with narrow gates. In nearby forest clearings, collections of anthropomorphic statues are maintained, one group of them kept under a pagoda-style shelter. Konso houses are tightly-packed and bear small raised gardens and narrow stone-walled paths.

The erection of stones and poles is part of the Konso tradition. A generation pole is raised every 18 years, marking the start of a new generation. The age of a village can be determined by how many poles are standing. Carved wooden statues are also used to mark the grave of a famous Konso tribal member. The marker, called a Waga is placed above the grave and smaller statues are then placed around the larger one representing his wives and conquered enemies.

These people keep their tradition and the way of life with gathering in different villages. Each village has its own enclosure and holds till fifty families and it has hall whereby youngsters get together and spend the night in order to secure the villagers from thieves, fire or any other danger. Besides the meeting hall there is an accumulation of a generation stick which are tied together.

This people practice a unique terracing system because of their hilly landscape which is registered in UNESCO Album as one of world heritage.

Although the Konso people have many customs dating back hundreds of years, it is not uncommon for them to be seen wearing western clothing. As newer generations grow, their traditional attire has gradually changed to modern societies.