
The competition is on between tribesmen in a remote valley in Ethiopa - to get as fat as they can in the space of six months.

For half a year members of the Bodi tribe will drink nothing but fresh milk and blood from cows in order to pile on the pounds.

During this time they are not allowed to have sex, or even leave their hut.

For six months one unmarried man from each family is confined to a hut, drinking milk and cow's blood, in a competition to see who can gain the most weight

For half a year members of the Bodi tribe will drink nothing but fresh milk and blood from cows in order to pile on the pounds

The winner of the competition each year gets the kudos of tribal respect, having spent six months putting on weight by drinking milk and cow's blood

Becoming a fat man is the dream of young members of the tribe, and huge respect is afforded to the winner each year

Women and girls deliver milk and blood each morning in pots or bamboos. Although there is no prize for becoming the biggest competitor, there is a lot of pride up for grabs, and a large waistline is considered attractive by women in the tribe.

The contest forms part of the Ka'el ritual, held to mark the new year. Every family is allowed to present an unmarried man for the challenge, who, after being chosen, retires to his hut and must not move or have sex for the duration.

Photographer Eric Lafforgue, who took the pictures, said: 'The cows are sacred to the Bodi tribe so they are not killed. The blood is taken by making a hole in a vein with a spear or an axe, and after that, they close it with clay.'

For six months, competitors drink cow's milk and blood in their effort to put on the most weight and win the traditional contest

It is not unusual for competitors to lose their balance because of the amount of weight they put on to compete

On the day of the ceremony, the men cover their bodies with clay and ashes before emerging from their huts

He continued: 'The fat men drink milk and blood all day long,' he says. 'The first bowl of blood is drunk at sunrise. The place is invaded by flies. The man must drink it quickly before it coagulates but some cannot drink everything and vomit it.'

On the day of the ceremony, the men cover their bodies with clay and ashes before emerging from their huts.

Sadly, the Ka'el ritual and the Bodi's traditional way of life is under threat from the Ethiopian government, which plans to resettle 300,000 people from all over the country on their lands.

For now, the tribe continue as they always have, and still celebrate Ka'el in traditional style each June.

Every family is allowed to present an unmarried man for the challenge, who, after being chosen, retires to his hut and must not move or have sex for the duration

Milk and cow's blood is delivered to men who are competing to become the largest by women from the tribe each day

In the Bodi tribal culture in Ethiopia, becoming one of the fat men is considered very attractive to women and carries a lot of kudos