Now, you are in Ethiopia!: April 2015

Hamar ሃመር (Hamer)

Hamar ሃመር (Hamer) are an Omotic community inhabiting Southwestern part of Ethiopia. They have their own district Hamar woreda,ሃመር ወረዳ, which is a fertile part of the Omo River valley, of the Debub Omo Zone (SNNPR , i.e., South Nations, Nationalities and People Regional State). They are one of the most known tribes in Southern Ethiopia.[1] The Hamar people are largely pastoralists and their culture places a high value on cattle.

They are a tribe with unique rituals such as a cattle-leaping ceremony that men go through in order to reach adulthood, whereupon young Hamar women get whipped to prove their love for their kinsmen.[2] This phenomenon of a traditional leaping ceremony (the jumping of bulls), is why, among other things, many tourists visit the Hamer.[3] The bull-jumping culture has a great meaning to them and it is a paradise to a spectator of it. If he falls and the test is unsuccessful, he will be beaten and ridiculed by the girls and he may try again after one year.[4] This is because it is the ceremony which determines whether a young Hamar man is ready to make the social jump from immature member of his society to responsibility of marriage and raising a family.[5]

The ceremony usually takes place between late February and early April or mid-August and September and is attended by tourists,[6] as it is usually held after harvest time.[7]

The traditional bull jumping is a rite of passage for men coming of age. The event lasts three days and involves only castrated cattle. The man must jump over a line of 10 to 30 bulls four times completely nude without falling. If this task is completed, the man joins the ranks of the Maza. Maza are other men that have successfully completed the bull jumping event. During this ceremony, the women of the tribe provoke the Maza to whip them on their bare backs. This is extremely painful and causes severe scaring on the women.

The scars are a symbol of devotion to the men and are encouraged by the tribe. Night dancing called Evangadi is also a Hamer tradition. The Hamer have unique huts that are made up of mud, wood and straw.]8]

The traditional bull jumping is a rite of passage for men coming of age. The event last three days and involves only castrated cattle. The man must jump over a line of 10 to 30 bulls four times completey nude without falling. If this task is complete, the man joins the ranks of the Maza. Maza are other men that have successfully completed the bull jumping event. During this ceremony, the women of the tribe provoke the maza to whip them on their bare backs. This is extrememly painful and causes severe scaring on the women. The scars are a symbol of devotion to the men and are encourged by the tribe. Night dancing called evangadi is also a hamer tradition.]9]

Many elements of their traditional religion are still practiced. For instance, they believe that natural objects (rocks, trees, etc.) have spirits. They also believe in jinns, or spiritsthat are capable of assuming human or animal form and exercising supernatural influence over people.[10]

Social System: The Hamer lives in camps that consist of several related families. The families live in tents arranged in a circle, and the cattle are brought into the center of the camp at night. When the campsite is being set up, beds for the women and young children are built first; then the tent frame is built around it. The tents are constructed with flexible poles set in the ground in a circular pattern. The poles are bent upward, joining at the top, then tied. The structures are covered with thatch during the dry season and canvas mats during the rainy season. Men and boys usually sleep on cots in the center of the camp, near the cattle. Herds belonging to the Hamer-Banna consist mainly of cattle, although there are some sheep and goats. Camels are used for riding and as pack animals.

One striking characteristic of the Hamer-Banna men and women is that they indulge in elaborate hair-dressing. They wear a clay "cap" that is painted and decorated with feathers and other ornaments. Much time is spent in preparing the hair, and care must be taken to protect it from damage. This is one reason the men often sleep on small, cushioned stools. The women use the butter for the perfect look maintenance of their hair-dressing. A well-dressed man will wear a toga-like cloth and carry a spear and a stool. Women also commonly wear colorful toga-like garments. Men may marry as many women as they like, but only within their own ethnicity. A "bride price" of cattle and other goods is provided by the prospective husband and his near relatives. A typical household consists of a woman, her children, and a male protector. A man may be the protector of more than one household, depending on the number of wives he has.

The maza are also responsible for a ritual whipping which precedes the main cattle jump. The village's women purposefully provoke the maza into lashing their bare backs with sticks which inflict raw, open wounds and scar them for life. However, these wounds are seen as the mark of a true Hamar woman, and the pain is worn with honor. Because the sister or relative was whipped at the man's ceremony and endured the pain for him she can later in life look to him for help if she falls on hard times because she has the scars from the whipping she received for him to prove his debt to her.

Women commonly end up as the heads of families because they marry men who are much older than themselves while they are young. When her husband dies she is left in control of the family's affairs and livestock. She is also in control of his younger brothers and their livestock if their parents are dead. Widows may not re-marry. Also, men are sometimes assigned the responsibility of protecting a divorced woman, a widow, or the wife of an absent husband (usually his brother). Marriage celebrations include feasting and dancing. Young girls as well as boys are circumcised.[11]

Evangadi Dancing

Evangadi, one of the other most attractive unique cultures of the Hamar, is a celebration in a form of dance at the night. It is a fascinating culture too worthy of experiencing it. The Evangadi dance is a courtship dance with the Hamar tribe.[12]

In the Evangadi, which is undertaken early in the evening, the young people will present the famous traditional dance.[13]

The Maza with their whips ready, observe the dance from their seats in the shade. So, one of the girls from the group positions herself in front of the seated or the Maza declaring her love for the Ukuli and also her desire to be whipped. The Maza choose their whips and check the branch has no sharp points or thorns, so as to leave a clean mark. When the Maza stands up, the girl follows him and places herself in front of him slightly jumping up and down with her right hand raised and her left hand down. The Maza strikes the girl so that the end of the whip hits her on the back. It is in this way the Hamar women can demonstrate the strength of their devotion to the boy. The more abundant and extensive the bleeding of their back from the whip. The deeper the girl’s affection to the boy who is about to became a man. From this moment on, the girls proudly stay with scar marks on their back as proof of their courage, integrity and capacity for love.[14]