Customs of the Hamar people
Hamer or Hamar is the name of a semi-nomadic people who live in the fertile part of the Ethiopian Omo Valley. Once warriors, today they are dedicated to cultivating the land and raising livestock. They deeply believe that the land cannot be owned by an individual, but that it is free to cultivate and graze, just as fruits and berries are free to whoever gathers them. They are also known for the bizarre custom called "bull jumping", as the tourists called their rite of initiation of boys into men. To earn this status, he must run four times over the backs of a dozen coupled oxen without falling. But that's not all either. The initiation is preceded by the ritual whipping of women from the tribe, who voluntarily and proudly present themselves to their sympathizers with acacia whips in hand.
Jurica Galić, Croatia, Split
