TRIBE PRIZES BIG BELLIES, ONCE A YEAR
The Bodi tribe of southern Ethiopia holds a yearly festival in which the
man with the biggest belly is honored and rewarded. To prepare for this
big event, the men go on a grueling six-month fattening program.
Obesity and big bellies are usually seen as banes in modern life that not only have a negative impact on health but are also considered generally unattractive. However, in a remote area in southern Ethiopia, big bellies in men are considered impressive, even beautiful.
The Bodi, a tribe of farmers and cattle herders, celebrate their love of big bellies during a yearly festival called Ka’el, in which the man with the biggest belly is crowned “fat man of the year” and earns the respect of the entire tribe for life. But, in order to earn this honor, the men must go on a fattening diet of cow’s milk, yogurt, raw blood, and honey for several months before the festival.
Up to six months before Ka’el, the men of the Bodi tribe begin their fattening process by ceasing to do any physical activity and consuming only the most calorie-rich foods that they can get, which are usually cow’s milk and fresh blood.
Cows are sacred to the Bodi – they have more than 80 synonyms in their language describing their cows – so they do not kill them for blood. Instead, they puncture a vein with a spear, collect a pot of blood, and then seal the wound with clay.
During their fattening diet, the men abstain from almost any physical activities, spending their time in their huts, being fed by their women. The first bowl of milk and blood, containing about one to two liters, is served at sunrise, but the men have to consume several of them throughout the day if they want to have a chance during Ka’el. Some of them have a hard time holding down the protein-rich mixture and find themselves vomiting violently.
The men of the Bodi tribe are usually lean and muscular, but during their fattening process for Ka’el, some get so fat that they can barely move. However, that is a sacrifice they are willing to make in order to gain the respect of the tribe.
On the day of the Ka’el Festival, which usually takes place in June or July, the men cover themselves in clay and ashes and parade their fat bellies for everyone to see. The tribe votes for the one with the most protruding belly, and the winner is named the year’s fattest man. After the festival, within a few weeks, the men’s stomachs shrink back down to their normal size.
The only prize for winning the fattening contest is fame and respect, but this is such a high honor for the Bodi that winners are usually considered local heroes for the rest of their lives.
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