In pictures: An Ethiopian king

Guyyoo Gobbaa is a 36-year-old cattle farmer from a remote region of southern Ethiopia. He has also just been named king of one million people from the Borana group. (All pictures: Anita Powell)

These children are the new king's offspring - one will inherit his title. The coronation ceremony is shrouded in secrecy - anyone witnessing the transfer of power is said to spit blood, and then die.

The coronation after-party continues for days, with elders travelling from distant villages to pay their respects.

The king comes to power at a difficult time for the Borana, traditionally a nomadic, cattle-herding people. Precious resources such as water are in short supply.

In recent weeks fighters from a group in Ethiopia's Somali region made incursions into Borana land, and the Borana defended their territory with ferocity.

As many as 100,000 people are thought to have been displaced by the fighting, and 300 people killed. Such clashes - over cattle and water - are fairly common in this remote, drought-prone area.

The new king told the BBC that the Somali group was trying to steal his people's land. "Of course if someone tries to snatch my things, I have to stop him," he said.

The new king also faces a huge task to get more services from the national government, while maintaining his people's unique nomadic way of life.