Baby Jumping Festival – Spain
Every year in the village of Castrillo de Murcia, Spain, residents celebrate an eye-popping tradition known as “El Colacho”—where men dressed as devils leap over rows of babies. That’s right: actual infants, laid on mattresses in the street, are hurdled by brightly costumed men in a ritual that dates back to the 1600s. It’s believed this leap protects the babies from evil spirits, sin, and misfortune, effectively cleansing them for life. Locals swear by its power. Outsiders? Mostly stunned disbelief.
While it might look like an accident waiting to happen, the ritual is taken extremely seriously. The babies are carefully placed and watched over, and no injuries have been recorded. What really boggles minds is how something so bizarre could also be so meaningful to a community. It’s a potent reminder that cultural perspective makes all the difference between sacred tradition and WTF spectacle.
