The Nias Stone Jump

Island of Nias, a province of North Sumatra

The Island of Nias is famous for its megaliths, and its animist rituals. An ancient rite is preserved here – of jumping over a stone – the Nias Stone Jump. 

By tradition, if a young man wants to marry, he should be able to vault over a huge stone, more than two metres high. Usually this stone will be made of composite pieces of rock, and then topped with sharp bamboo spikes on its upper part. Nowadays they don't put the bamboo spikes on the stone any longer, and the jumping is mainly performed for tourists. Even so, it's a very strenuous activity which needs daily training to be able to accomplish.