[2] Oral traditions of the Konso people suggest that they migrated to the region roughly 400 years ago, which is supported by the number of generations (21) noted since the first ritual chief.
[3] Inside the paletas, the Konso live in individual compounds consisting of several thatched structures, including granaries, houses, and cattle kraals.
[3]The Konso people maintain a unique tradition of erecting generation marking stones, called daga-hela, which are quarried and transported through a ritual process.
Philip Briggs suggests that the present-day town "might prosaically be described as a traffic circle of comically vast dimensions, surrounded by a solitary petrol station and a scattering of local hotels.
"[8] According to the SNNPR's Bureau of Finance and Economic Development, as of 2003[update] Konso's amenities include digital telephone access, postal service, electricity provided by a generator, and a branch of a microfinance organization.
[citation needed] There is an ongoing conflict and land dispute with many civilians killed and hundreds of thousands of IDPs caught in the violence.
[12] UN warned that Konso was a priority hot spot area in 2022, due to the continuous conflict and the issue of adverse weather that exacerbated the existing humanitarian crisis in the Zone.