Bawomataluo

Bawomataluo is a traditional hilltop village renowned for its preserved architecture and megalithic culture. The village is laid out around a large stone-paved central plaza, lined with imposing wooden houses (omo hada) raised on massive pillars. It is best known for the stone-jumping ritual, once a test of warrior strength, in which young men leap over a two-metre-high stone wall.
Dating back several centuries, Bawomataluo also features megalithic monuments, ancestral statues, and ceremonial spaces that reflect the island’s rich cultural traditions. Now a UNESCO-listed cultural heritage site (tentative), it offers visitors a rare glimpse into a living megalithic society.