In 2006, I traveled to the Omo River Valley in southwestern Ethiopia to witness the Bull Jumping Ceremony of the Hamer tribe. The ceremony is a coming-of-age ritual for young men that involves the initiate running across the backs of bulls that are held loosely in place by supporting tribesmen. The task is a difficult one with high stakes — success brings adulthood with all of its privileges and responsibilities, while failure could mean a life of poverty with a lesser chance of marriage. […]
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