A Hamar woman gladly displaying her wounds. [Photo/gossipmill.com]
Love is a complex topic. It even becomes rocket science if you factor in the sensitive cultural aspect as the Hamar community in Ethiopia proves it.
In this tribe, women endure whips to prove their loving potential. The more scars one has, the more love is demonstrated and the lady gets a right to ask for help from her husband when the going becomes tougher in future.
The ceremony is a boys’ rite of passage as Gossipmill reports. Photographer, Jeremy Hunter captured the Ukuli Bula at its usual venue, Omo River Valley. Women publicly declare their love for young men as they are whipped by men.
Those who participate are relatives or family members of the boys that are going through the rite of passage. They sing and trumpet as they encourage the men to whip them as a way of showcasing their long-lasting love. However, some butter is used to reduce the whipping effect which is done by Maza, those who have already honored this tradition.
The ceremony is also used to unite family members. It also gives the girls a right to ask for help in case they are widowed. The man who whipped her must honor the request for help as long as the scars are there.