Letters and Time explores the tension between tradition and the change literacy brings to the youth of the Omo Valley, Ethiopia.

For the tribes in the Omo Valley, like the Suri, the introduction of "letters" is much more than imparting basic reading and writing skills. It signifies a break from their circular concept of time, which has been based on myths and rituals for generations.

The arrival of literacy introduces a linear, structured time shaped by written narratives, altering how history and knowledge are perceived. Becoming part of history comes with an irreversible cost, but being in the outside does as well.

Sergio's research, which examines the impact of literacy on tribal and rural communities in southern Ethiopia, provides valuable insight into this phenomenon. His focus on the transition from myth to logos and the transformation of traditional time within the context of modernity highlights the complex dynamics at play. Through his study, the limits and possibilities of integrating these communities into the contemporary world are explored, questioning how identity and knowledge come to terms at this cultural crossroad.