In Ethiopia's Omo Valley, the Banna tribe—despite its population of less than 50,000—has a captivating tradition of teaching stilt-walking to its children. [question mark]
Essentially, these stilts are two wooden poles that the kids maneuver while wearing sandals. Some of the younger ones are obvious beginners, with stilts barely off the ground.
But for the older kids, their stilts reach heights of up to six feet, allowing them to step right over a person's head and maintain balance across both flat dirt and rolling hillsides. They make it look easy!
Reportedly, the tradition of stilt-walking in the tribe goes back centuries, originally developed for survival.
Gaining height protected them from wild animals and helped them traverse challenging terrain, giving them an "ancient-tech exoskeleton" advantage.
Today, stilt-walking has also become a customary performance, showcased in festivals and celebrations, but likely also used to attract tourism.
One thing remains a mystery: how do these uniquely shaped stilts not stab into the soles of their feet?
