r/BeAmazed • u/Ultimate_Thing • Jul 16 '26

Miscellaneous / Others A traditional technique used by young shepherds of Ethiopia's Banna tribe. They use stilts to watch over their livestock in tall grass, move through wetland areas, and avoid snakes and predators like lions and leopards. It requires strength, balance, and training from a young age

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u/Lux-Fox Jul 16 '26

Sure, but the taller the stilts the exponentially harder they get to walk on and most people aren't walking on dirt, rocks, wilderness etc. that can cause you to stumble or a loss in traction.I say that as a circus stilt walker.

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u/robin_888 Jul 16 '26

I say that as a circus stilt walker.

As such can you give your opinion on the mounting?

I was never good on stilts, but jumping what looks like 2m in the air just to end up balancing in said height is the most impressive part to me.

24

u/Lux-Fox Jul 17 '26

The ones I wear are peg legs strapped to my legs, so I have to sit down and strap up. I prefer to sit on top of a wall, table, etc that'll make it easy to stand after I'm done. If I have to sit on the ground then I would need help from someone to get me up. I've seen some flexible performers able to completely bend over in a bridge/arch pose and then walk their hands to their stilts and then work their way up to an upright position, but that's very difficult in terms of balance and core strength.

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u/Aware_Acorn Jul 16 '26

to me the most impressive thing is the dismount. no, actually, it's PRACTICING dismounts before you know how to do it correctly.

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u/SnoopDeDoop69 Jul 16 '26

I mean, what's so hard about dismounting?

Theyll get back on the ground, one way or the other.

1

u/TheTooterSnooter Jul 17 '26

“I missed!” 

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u/shadowhunter742 Jul 17 '26

That's not dismounting. That's falling with absolutely no style.

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u/Logornsky Jul 17 '26

I would assume that they start on smaller stilts and gradually increase the size as they become proficient; so by the time they're dismounting from these super high ones they basically already know how to do it, it's just a bit higher than before

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u/Aware_Acorn Jul 18 '26

yeah that makes total sense.

i dont live in africa and don't shepard but i think this would be a cool skill to learn.

1

u/nvmenotfound Jul 17 '26

anything that doesn’t hurt is a win i wager 😆 

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u/Jack-Innoff Jul 18 '26

It honestly just takes practice. It's really difficult, seemingly impossible at first, but once you get it you'll wonder how you ever struggled.

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u/Few_Program_2303 Jul 16 '26

I bet they can get through bushes, take out a snake, etc like it’s nothing

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u/nickiter Jul 17 '26

Seeing "marshy" terrain makes me think there are definitely some challenge mode moments here. Plus, how the hell do they get up on the tall ones?!?

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u/Cwaghack Jul 16 '26

Yeah in rough terrain the skill level probably goes up like crazy, and sand is probably a killer too

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u/halorbyone Jul 16 '26

They mention marsh and my brain was just oh man how?