Hamar women of the Lower Omo
Valley, Southern Ethiopia willingly submit themselves to be whipped
during the ceremony of Ukuli Bula
The ceremony is believed to be a
demonstration of the women's capacity for love, and in later life -
perhaps when they've become widowed - they will look to the boys who
whipped them years before to request help. The scars on her back are
said to be proof of her sacrifice for the man, and it is therefore
impossible for the man to refuse her needs in hard times or emergencies
To reach manhood, Hamar boys
must undergo two rituals: circumcision and a leap over the bulls. This
determines whether the young Hamar male is ready to make the social jump
from youth to adulthood. After a successful bull-jump - always naked -
the Hamar boy, now a Maz - a mature member of the society - may get
married. During this, he is expected to walk over 15 cows
Men can make the transition to
manhood if they can successfully complete a bull jump, carried out why
naked. They are required to walk over 15 cattle in the ceremony, after
which they are allowed to marry
Some whipping appears to be
tender, others more aggressive. Women coat their bodies with butter to
lessen the effect of the whipping which is only carried out by Maza -
those who have already undergone this Rite-of-Passage
Hamar women are some of the most
elaborately dressed of the region - with goatskin skirts decorated with
glass beads, whilst their hair is covered with a mixture of grease and
red ochre. Elaborate scarification of the body is also the custom of the
Hamar
For Hamar women, beatings are
not just part of an initiation ritual - they are daily life until at
least two children have been born. Under Hamar rules, a man need not
explain why he's delivering a beating. It is his prerogative to mete out
as he sees fit
The majority of the 20,000
strong Hamar people live in the Omo River Valley, a fertile part of the
vast Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region of south-west
Ethiopia, which is bordered by Kenya and South Sudan. Most still live in
traditional villages, although growing numbers are migrating to the
region's cities and towns as well as the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa
Cattle form the axis around
which the Hamar's world revolves, evidenced by the fact that there are
27 different words to describe the colour of a cow in the local language
No screaming is permitted by the
men wielding the canes but the women don't care. Instead of fleeing,
they beg the men to do it again and again until blood flows, dripping
into the gritty red dust of the Omo River Valley
A woman's body carries the
injuries from the whipping, carried out by a Maza from the tribe, and he
scars are said to demonstrate her capacity for love. The brutal
tradition happens at Rite of Passage ceremonies for tribal men
The women trumpet and sing,
extolling the virtues of the young man at the heart of the ceremony,
declaring their love for him and for their desire to be marked by the
whip
A Hamar woman shows off her
carefully braided hair and treasure trove of bright beads, shells and
metal bangles. Most still live in traditional villages, although growing
numbers are migrating to the region's cities and towns as well as the
Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa
For
men, male decoration is simpler with the exception of their facial
painting which denote status and progression up the social ladder.
A
key element of the ceremony is the whipping of young women who are
family members or relatives of the boy undertaking the Rite-of-Passage.
The women trumpet and sing, extolling the virtues of the Jumper,
declaring their love for him and for their desire to be marked by the
whip. They coat their bodies with butter to lessen the effect of the
whipping which is only carried out by Maza - those who have already
undergone this Rite-of-Passage.
Some
whipping appears to be tender, others more aggressive. But once whipped,
the girls proudly show off their scars - as proof of their courage and
integrity. Itís a kind of Insurance Policy. The ceremony tends to unite
the family and is a demonstration of the womenís capacity for love, and
in later life - perhaps when they've become widowed - they will look to
the boys who whipped them years before to request help.The scars on her
back are said to be proof of her sacrifice for the man, and it is
therefore impossible for the man to refuse her needs in hard times or
emergencies.
Hamar women of the Lower
Omo Valley, Southern Ethiopia willingly submit themselves to be whipped
during the ceremony of Ukuli Bula . It indicates their courage and
capacity for love, and is a form of insurance policy. Should they fall
on hard times in later life, they will look to the boy who whipped them
to request help.
To
the south of Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, lies the tribal animist
area. It stretches from Addis all the way to Lake Turkana, formerly
known during colonial times as Lake Rudolph, which borders Kenya.
The
italian historian Carlo Conti Rossini has described this part of
Ethiopia to be a Museum of Peopleís as there are at least eight major
tribal groups living here - numbering around 200,000,
who
until recently were largely untouched by outside influences. But change
is on the way, not least the impact of global phone technology - and
the development of the countryís mineral resources by the Chinese.
The
annual flooding of the Omo River has been the life-support for the
tribal people of this region. For centuries the powerful flow and huge
rise and fall of the river have provided up to three harvests a year for
the indigenous peopleís staple crop - the highly nutritious SORGHUM
But
in 2006 President Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia commissioned the
construction of the tallest hydro-electric dam in Africa. The project
was never put to tender, the tribal groups never consulted,
and
conservation groups today believe that the dam will destroy an already
fragile environment as well as the livelihoods of the tribes, which are
closely linked to the river and its annual flood.
One
of the most spectacular ceremonies in the Lower Omo Valley is the UKULI
BULA ceremony of the Hamar tribal group; itís effectively a
Rite-of-Passage from boy to manhood. And marriage.
To
reach manhood, Hamar boys must undergo two rituals: circumcision and a
leap over the bulls. This determines whether the young Hamar male is
ready to make the social jump from youth to adulthood.
After a successful bull-jump - always naked - the Hamar boy, now a Maz - a mature member of the society - may get married.
At every ceremony around two hundred members of the Hamar (also spelt Hamer) participate in this life-changing event.
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