From the age of 7, the boys on the island of Nias practice the ancient art of boulder jumping. As their age increases, so does the height of the boulders they dare defy.
For the young men of Nia’s tribes, the time would come when they would have to prove their courage and maturity as a warrior through a series of tests.
Warriors of Nias must first be strong. Next, they must be skilled in martial arts and trained in black magic. The last and final test for the warriors is to leap over massive stones, measuring as high as 2 meters without so much as touching the surface.
Stone jumping on Nias Island is referred to as HomboBatu or Fahombo and is a tradition that has been faithfully practic
ed and preserved for centuries.
The tradition of stone jumping first began during a time when inter-tribal wars were widespread across the islan
d. The tribes of Nias are a warring people, and every man a fighter.
Years of practice are very important for these boys to perform such challenging acts. Not only must the leap be effective, but the landing must also be perfect, because even a small miscalculation or mistake may result in serious injuries. This tradition is so symbolic and unique that the government had it printed on the Indonesia 1000 rupiah banknote in 1992!
Provoked by war, vengeance, border disputes, and slavery, every village fortified its territory with high stone walls, fringed with sharpened bamboo stakes across its top. It was through this, th
at Fahombo was born – the art whereby warriors could invade a rival village by means of nothing but pure muscle, strength, and skill.
In modern times, the Fahombo tradition is not done in preparation for war, but rather as a ritual and symbol of Nias Culture. Youths who successfully achieve this skill are considered to have reached maturity and crossed from childhood into adulthood.
Completing the Fahombo brings not only pride to both the youth and their families, but cause for great celebration and festivities as well.
This amazing art can be witnessed at several village
s across Nias Island, such as Bawomataluo in South Nias. Nias is an archipelago off the West coast of North Sumatra consisting of 131 islands. Pulau Nias is the largest of these islands, covering an area of about 5,000 square kilometers—slightly smaller than Bali.
Nias Island itself is approximately 125 km west of Sumatra. Nias’ numerous and varied attractions range from surfing some of the best waves in the world to exploring and discovering Nias’ ancient culture and megalithic relics.
Although there are no tribal wars today and people live peacefully in Nias, this jumping tradition has become a local tradition of manhood and remains an important step in adulthood.
