strange tradition

For the Satere-Mawe tribe in the Amazon, South America, when a boy grows up, he is taken away to the forest with a physician and other boy his age.

They were asked to find and collect the bullet ants (Paraponera clavata). Bullet ants have a very strong poison and can paralyze their prey. The pain caused by these ant bulk bites is said to be larger than the Hymenoptera (other insect biological order).

After the ants are collected, these animals are inserted into gloves made of woven bamboo and inserted stingers in it.

The ants are then anesthetized using a traditional herb given by the physician. While the ants are not self-conscious because of the influence of drugs, the boy put their hands in the gloves.

When ants begin to realize, they find themselves trapped, then angry and aggressive. While the child must wear the glove for ten minutes, while dancing to divert the mind from pain.

However, the Satere-Mawe tribe boys had to bear this pain 20 times before they could prove they were the real men.