JUMPING THE BULL

Hamar Male Initation

Africa
Ethiopia

Photos

Portrait of the initiate
Portrait of the male initiate about to undergo
his Jumping of the Bull Ceremony.
Heralding with Trumpets
Hamar girls blow trumpets to herald the arrival
of the Maz – those Hamar males who have
already undergone this rite of passage.
Arrival of the Maz
Hamar men who have already undergone the
Jumping of the Bull ceremony, which marks the
initiation of young men into adulthood, are
called Maz, and process into the compound for
the beginning of the ceremony.
Pride of Appearence
At the time of the Jumping of the Bull
Ceremony, Hamar men and women pay great
attention to the styling and decoration of hair.
Hair styling enhances beauty and signifies
status, bravery and courage.
Clay Hair Buns
Clay hair buns are worn by Hamar men who have killed either an enemy or a dangerous animal. Symbolizing courage, the clay hair bun is usually remade every three to six months and can be worn for a period of up to one year after the kill. A small holder, made of macrame, is put into the front bun to display ostrich feathers for special occasions. The clay is plastered directly on to the head, the front part of the bun is covered in white chalk, the back bun is left a natural grey colour.
Ritual Coffee
A woman prepares ritual coffee over an open fire for the initiates at the Jumping of the Bull ceremony. Each recent initiate receives a calabash to drink.
Oiled Initiates
Each recently initiated boy will drink from a calabash filled with ritual coffee made from the husk of the coffee beans.
Rite of Rebirth
A secret rebirthing ceremony of recent initiates precedes the Jumping of the Bull ceremony. The initiates slip a wooden phallus(Boku) through eight iron rings representing conception and symbolizing his initiation rebirth.
Lining up the Bulls
Hamar initiates chase and line up bulls, holding them in position by their horns and tails. The long switches the men carry are used to ritually whip the female relatives of the new initiates, who beg to be beaten as a sign of their devotion.
The First Leap
The initate takes a running leap onto the back of the first bull using a small calf as a stair-step. He then charges across the backs of all others. He must repeat this four times in order to prove his manhood. If he falls off, he will be whipped and teased mercilessly by the women.
Seductive Attire
On the day after the Jumping of the Bull ceremony, women gather together, beautifully attired in their beaded skirts and iron jewelry. Their hair is rubbed with fat into small balls and covered with ocher. Courtship dances follow and continue for the following two days and nights.
Spoonbill Style
Two Hamar girls wear beaded skins and iron jewelry which proclaims their marital status. Over their foreheads they wear an aluminum plaque resembling a spoonbill.
Ochered Strands
Married women favour a hairstyle of long, twisted strands rubbed in ochre.
Puberty Aprons
Elaborately decorated puberty aprons and beaded bibs are designed to attract the male eye. These will be replaced with plainer ones after marriage.
Hamar Beauty
A young Hamar woman beautifies her skin and hair with a mixture of ocher and animal fat.
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