Belly-fat men worshiped in Ethiopia

(Baonghean) - While most men in the world want to have an attractive waistline with six-pack abs, in Ethiopia, there is a tribe that especially worships men with big bellies. That is the Bodi tribe (also known as Me'en) living in the Omo Valley, Southern Ethiopia.

Here, men will participate in the belly fat competition in the Ka'el festival (usually held in June); the person with the biggest waistline selected in the festival will be the one worshiped and respected by the people of the tribe for the rest of his life. Therefore, the fattest man in the tribe with a big round belly is always the dream model of every Bodi boy.

The man with the giant waist is worshiped in the Bodi tribe.

To prepare for the competition, each family in the tribe will nominate an unmarried man as a candidate. This young man is exempt from work and has time to rest. The food to "fatten" them is a mixture of cow's blood and milk. Normally, they have to drink 2 liters of this mixture every day, but this is not an "easy" drink for everyone.

During the ceremony, the men would walk for hours around a sacred tree while women wiped away the sweat from their bodies. Villagers and men who did not participate stood outside to judge. The fattest man in the contest did not receive any valuable prizes, but he would be treated with respect and considered a hero for the rest of his life. It became a source of pride and motivation for any boy in the tribe to wish for a giant waist.

An Nhien

(Synthetic)