Of Age

• Prize
  Bronze in People/Culture
• Photographer
  Mike Dexter
• Technical Info
  1/1250, f/4.5, ISO 6400
• Photo Date
  26 February 2023

A young Hamar man runs across the backs of bulls during the bull-jumping ceremony, an ancient rite of passage in Ethiopia’s Omo Valley. Successfully completing the challenge marks his transition from boyhood to manhood. The event is accompanied by controversial whipping rituals and deep cultural symbolism that binds generations.