Jakarta –
The Bodi tribe has a unique festival, the Ka’el Festival. At the festival, the most handsome man is sought, the winner is the man with the fattest belly and the fattest belly.
The Bodi or Me’en people live in the Omo Valley, Ethiopia. The most handsome man in the contest is selected through a ‘bodybuilding’ event during the Bodi New Year or Ka’el ceremony. The men compete by showing off their bodies on stage.
Quoted from CNNthe candidate who has the fattest body will be crowned the most handsome man in a tribe and will be respected by members of the tribe for the rest of his life.
However, to receive this honor, the men had to be put on a fattening diet of only cow’s milk or yogurt, raw blood, and honey for several months before the festival.
Up to six months before the festival, the men of the Bodi tribe begin their fattening process by giving up any physical activity. They are also not allowed to have sex or leave the house.
The first bowl of milk and blood containing about 1 to 2 liters is served at sunrise. However, men will have to consume several of them throughout the day if they are to stand a chance during Ka’el. Unfortunately, some of them had a predicament that made them vomit.
Bodi tribal men are usually thin and muscular. However, during the fattening process for the Ka’el Festival, some became so fat they could barely move. It is considered a sacrifice they are willing to make to gain the respect of the tribe.
On the day of the Ka’el Festival, which usually takes place in June or July, men cover themselves in clay and ashes, then expose their potbellied bellies for all to see.
Tribal members will vote for the one with the most protruding belly, and the winner is named ‘fat man of the year’. After the festival, men’s stomachs shrink back to their normal size within a few weeks.
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This article also appeared on CNN Indonesia. For more, click on here.
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