GENERAL NEWSNews Africa

The Hamer ritual of jumping castrated bulls to get married

A Hamer tribe woman observing the bull jumping ceremony/Photo Credit: www.j-pics.info

Eligible bachelors of the Hamer tribe of Ethiopia must excel at an age-old tradition of running over castrated bulls to get a bride. The bull jumping ceremony is marked from late September till after crop harvest in October each year.

A successful candidate is seen as being capable of providing for the home and owning cattle, and it is required by custom that the eldest child in the Hamer community undertakes this ritual before any of his other siblings.

The initiation begins when a boy’s father gives him a piece of wood called Boko, according to Aman Ethiopia.

The young boy must find a girl who is supposed to kiss the Boko three times as a way of invoking blessings on him.

The next assignment is for the young boy to pass by the house of relatives to invite them as spectators of his performance. Strips of bark are given to invited guests to countdown to the day of the ceremony.

Among the cheering crowds on the day are young women who dress in traditional clothes, and adorn their hair with a special pomade made of butter and clay. The young boy’s hair is shaved and his body smeared with a kind of sand to cleanse him of his sins. The bulls are also smeared with substances to make them slippery.

Guests at the passage ceremony are served locally brewed alcoholic beverages made from sorghum. A bride price of 36 goats and 20 cows are paid by the young boy to appease the girl he selects as his prospective wife.

Should the boy jump all the bulls successfully, he will be presented to the elders and unmarried young men of both his family, and those of the bride’s family. Each of the unmarried men gives him a ring as a token of his acceptance into their family and to avow their loyalty to him.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD PRESS RADIOMOBILE APP

To cap it all, the fair of wild animal is placed around the neck of the boy to signify his newly attained manhood status.

Source: face2faceafrica.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

Related Articles

Back to top button