The most painful tribal initiation in the world

In the Amazon tribe Satere Mawe, at the moment of puberty a boy has to pass an initiation ceremony to become a man. It involves wearing gloves filled with bullet ants. Bullet ants can sting multiple times per second and are so named because the pain is like that of a bullet wound. It has been described as the most painful experience in the world and is ranked top of the Schmidt sting pain index.

Australian comedian Hamish Blake (pictured) was left hospitalised after he attempted the ritual for a TV program.