The Ukuli Bula Ceremony of the Hamar Tribe in Ethiopia

 

The Hamar tribe lies to the south of Addis Ababa (Capital of Ethiopia) and stretches all the way to Lake Turkana, formerly known as Lake Rudolph (during colonial times), which borders Kenya. Located among the bush covered hills in the eastern side of the Omo Valley in Southern Ethiopia, the Harmer tribe have unique culture and customs, one of them being the Ukuli Bula (a cattle-jumping ceremony where the beating of women takes place).

One of the most spectacular ceremonies in the lower Omo Valley is the Ukuli Bula of the Hamar tribal group. It is effectively a rite of passage from boy to manhood and marriage. To reach manhood, Hamar boys must undergo two rituals, thus, circumcision and a leap over bulls. This determines whether the Hamar boy is ready to make transition from youth to adulthood. After a successful bull-jump, the Hamar boy is now a Maz (a mature member of the society) and may get married.

A key element of the ceremony is the whipping of young women who are relatives of the boy undergoing the rite of passage at the heart of the ceremony. The women trumpet and sing extolling the virtues of the jumper, declaring their love for him and for their desire to be marked by the whip. The women coat their bodies with butter to lesson the effect of the whipping which is only carried out by Maze (those who have already gone through the right of passage).

Some of the whipping appear to be tender, and other more aggressive. The whipping goes on until their backs turn bloody. No screaming is permitted during the whipping, and the women do not flee the ceremony but rather beg the men to beat them over and over until blood flows. The women proudly show off their scars as proof of their courage and integrity.

The ceremony tends to unite the family and is a demonstration of the women capacity for love and a form of insurance policy. At every ceremony, around two hundred members of Hamar participate in this life-changing event.

By Kojo Hayford

Practicing Historian (Ghana, West Africa)

kojohayford24@gmail.com

 

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