This traditional ceremony of the 'Hamar'-tribe is one of the most impressive celebrations I have ever seen. The tribe is celebrating the step towards adulthood of a young teenager with singing, dancing, trinking alcohol and two unbelievable happenings. First, the voluntarily whipping of young women with branches and the highlight: the 'Bull Jumping'.
Young males, already did the 'Bull jumping', are permitted to be the whippers on this ceremony. In the right hand he is carrying the branches. Each of them can be used only once. Because of that limited amount of branches the girls are so enthusiastic to be whipped with one of them.
The woman is asking the young male to be whipped. If he isn't hitting her hard enough, she will laugh at him and will challenge his manhood.
After being whipped the wounds are rubbed in with butter, so the scars becoming bigger because of an infection.
The next jumper is introduced to the procedure.
In honour of the Jumper a goat is offered as a sacrifice.
The man of the day just seconds before his jumping. Obviously very nervous he is looking around.
The bulls are prepared for the jump.
Three times he has to jump over the back of around six or sevens bulls. If he can, he will be a man. If not, all will laugh at him and his attractiveness for women will be gone. So there's a lot to loose.
Traditional hair cut.
Mission accomplished!
