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Fatima Siad is a high-fashion, Somalian supermodel that has worked with major brands ranging from Aveda to BCBG Max Azria to fashion magazines like Harper’s Bazaar. Below is her strutting Ralph Lauren style on his runway.

Ralph Lauren - Runway - Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring Summer 2014

Source: Victor VIRGILE / Getty

However, if you head to her Instagram, you’ll see that for FW16, instead of stomping runways and being photographed at events, she chose to spend some time with National Geographic in Ethiopia. She’s educating her fans, followers, and supporters on Ethiopian heritage, sharing her journey through beautiful imagery and giving us a lesson in culture.

She has been in Ethiopia hanging with Dorze and Banna Tribes. Authentic as ever, this wonderful journey has further increased not only her natural physical beauty but also her inner beauty.

In Omo Valley Ethiopia, Fatima rocks a wrist watch necklace and cheeses with a Banna Tribe whipper.

Realizing the importance and impact of this trip, she shared the experience with her family, inviting her little brother, Sadam Siad. He came to lend a hand to work out the kinks from Fatima’s tour through Omo Valley.

Dorze Tribe woman shows Fatima a thing or two about spinning cotton by hand, to use for weaving.

In Omo Valley, Fatima poses with a woman with a ceramic plate inserted into her lower lip. This custom dates back a few centuries, in which the tribe had to deface their women so that they wouldn’t be stolen for slave trade.

Just being the overall dope woman she is, Fatima is quite comfortable and enjoying East African traditions. Below, she is pictured chewing qat. Qat is a shrub native East Africa. It’s an herbal, natural stimulant that has been compared to coffee. However, it was banned by the UK as it’s viewed as a mild drug. In Somalia, people drink this as tea.

#TeamBeautiful loves how Fatima has constantly and consistently embraced her culture and always shed light on not only Somalia, but also all of East Africa. This woman is all about her spirit and her people! Can’t wait to see what she is drumming up with National Geographic.

4th Annual Solstice Presented By amfAR's generationCURE

Source: Jemal Countess / Getty

The grand return of the Melanin Awards amplifies and honors the finest Black-owned beauty brands with honest reviews, and discusses the evolution of beauty in Hip-Hop culture.