Among the Hamar people of southern Ethiopia, the whipping ceremony is part of a man’s rite of passage into adulthood. During the ritual, female relatives voluntarily step forward to be whipped with flexible branches, showing loyalty and support for the initiate. Enduring the lashes without retreat is seen as courage and devotion, and the scars that remain are worn with pride. For the Hamar, the ceremony is a powerful expression of family bonds, endurance, and the responsibilities of manhood. #cu