Festival Fishing

Festival Fishing

(Nigeria)

Festival fishing (Argungu Fishing Festival) is held in March in Arungu (Argungu) eponymous emirate. It attracts fishermen from all over Nigeria in the hope to catch the biggest fish. Each village sends one or more representatives. Despite the fact that the river of Rome, which is held catching that looked pretty skinny fish in it than anywhere else in Africa. This happens because fishing in the river is forbidden, except for the festival.

The luckiest fisherman relies prize of $ 7,500 and a souvenir in the form of a cup or a bicycle. Luck was mentioned a reason, because 30,000th crowd (ie as fishermen at the same time go into the water) is unrealistic to show skills in fishing. At the festival, fishing takes place exclusively luck.

Argungu Festival - it's not just fish. The first three days of the festival Nigerians dancing, dance, sing. Each village in Nigeria - a separate tribe with individual national characteristics, so three days pass in a very different performances. On the fourth day is done for the sake of that and going to the fishermen from across the country, often by extreme deprivation. After all, Nigeria - a country of poor and even travel in their own country for their expensive.

Festival fishing is as follows - special signal all participants throw themselves into the water and using hand nets and try to catch the biggest Nile perch. To fish is given exactly one hour, and then the participants with their trophies are in a long queue to the scales, where the winner is determined. Smaller fish put in a hollow calabash gourd-it in the prize draw is not involved. Record bass was caught in 2005, he weighed 75 pounds on the scale and it threw four people.

The festival was founded in 1934 as a sign of the end of the war between the Sokoto Caliphate and the Kingdom of Cubby. They would still fighting, if they were not pacified by the British.

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Brutal Boxing People Hausa

Debe Brutal Boxing People Hausa

(Nigeria-Chad)

Box called Dembe (Dembe) engaged young people Africans House (Hausa) in West Africa - mostly Nigeria and Chad. There is also a more civilized version of the sport called Kokava (Kokawa), distributed in more than fifteen countries in Africa, but the rules in it are very different from Debe. If Kokava more like a Japanese sumo wrestler, the Debe - almost pure boxing with a much more severe rules.

Dembe is considered the most lethal kind of boxing, which is not surprising, because the lack of soft boxing gloves greatly increases the possibility of deep knockout, and a kick to the head may send a second opponent to the hereafter. What often happens? However, officially declare the number killed in Nigerian rings, no one can, because their view of the extremely difficult due to the fact that the Debe - underground boxing fights occur spontaneously chaotic and representatives of the National Boxing League nobody invites.

All special equipment boxers - a cord wound on his right fist. They say that some applied on top of the glue and sprinkle sand or ground glass, but this information is unconfirmed and most likely taken from Hollywood movies. Although it is possible that amateur fights somewhere in the outback can actually carried out by tightening the rules. But we are talking about the championship by Debe, which attracts fans of boxing from all over Nigeria and Chad, and in this tournament at least some, but there are rules. The winner is awarded a valuable prize of one hundred dollars and a TV. Sum though small, but when you consider that the average Nigerian family spends a week on food and a half dollar, a hundred dollars for it - this state.

A few words about the rules of boxing. Despite the fact that there are no weight classes, selected opponents yet approximately the same height and weight. However, only in the qualifying battle in the finals contenders can meet very different for these parameters. Fight lasts three rounds, it is unlimited in time. Round can stop for three reasons - at the request of a fighter or his representatives, in the absence of action in the ring and if the boxer touched his knee, hand or body to the ground.

The latter is assumed to defeat an opponent. The fighting continued until complete victory. As I mentioned, you can not only beat his fists, and feet. Since quite painful blows, the fighters before the meeting consume drugs, which significantly reduces the pain threshold.

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Dancing with the Bulls

"Savik" Dancing with the Bulls

(Madagascar)

Nobody remembers when this kind of "sport" was invented, but we know for sure that from time immemorial, it is used as a rite of passage into adulthood of young men from the people betsileo.

This does not restrict the use of "Sawicki" in a more prosaic events - weddings, baptisms or just a great holiday. In such cases, the "dance" with the bull can be anyone, and all passed the ordeal are well respected in the community as people to prove their masculinity.

In addition to respect, in some cases the participants a kind of "Rodeo" rewarded commonplace money signs that in the heat of passion thrown on the "dance floor" spectators. Bulls may unknowingly trample money in the ground, where they then have, but anything can do for extra stuff in your pocket, especially if it's empty.

Another feature that is widely used in "Savic" - is the impact on the weaker sex. It is believed that single men can easily conquer the lady bull in her mind, because women are so fond of bold and daring!

In games "Savik" that Madagascar popularity of any sport, inclusive football and boxing, except the person participates kind of bull - zebu. He still found in Africa and India, and the external data is no different from its "normal" cousins, except for the hump on his back. This hump and used to hold the body of a bull. 

Begins "Savik" with bulls. Guys with sticks running from wall to wall, trying to hit the zebu, from which they come into a rage and slightly lose their orientation. At this time, the potential "riders" serving special drink liqueurs, "strengthen the spirit and the courage to step-up", and then they are ready for a meeting with the evil and stimulated by zebu.

Approximation to it threatens serious injuries, which often happens, but the tradition has lived and will live in spite of all the laws of self-preservation on the famous reasons. By the way - if anyone can suffer during the "dance", it is not a bull, Madagascans are particularly proud of this fact, indicating that they are not any there Spaniards killing animals under a standing ovation (the island of Madagascar in loyalty to the bulls do not alone - the Portuguese also respected tradition bloodless ).

Actually, killing Zebu "for fun" Madagascar - this event is absolutely incredible because bulls is the most valuable, that only may be a local resident, even better than the cost of a house or a car.

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Africa Burn 2012 Festival

Africa Burn 2012 Festival of Radical Self-expression

If it so happened that you are traveling through the desert, met aliens on stilts, with pink wings, the whole body is splashed with fluorescent dyes, and on his head a traditional Indian headdress - do not think that you are overheated in the hot African sun. Most likely, you just accidentally hit on the festival Afrika Burn (abbreviated AB), which was held this year in the desert Karoo in South Africa. This annual event is a creative for the fifth time. 5000 participants are ready to build, sing, dance, play and self-developing around what you can and cannot imagine.

Each year, built a temporary city called Tankva, basically it consists of tents of various sizes, cars, trailers and crafts festival participants, often enormous size and the most incredible view. This year's theme for fantasy was "Mirage", and won the award Mariella Rossi future study:

 “Mirage - a natural optical phenomenon in which light rays are bent to create the illusion of water, people or objects.

What is it? What is reality? And that - pure fantasy?

Is it a mirror of ourselves?

Flickering reflection. Temporary and transitory.

We going to live on line, where the hot earth meets the sky, we will dance, sing, and rejoice.

But come quickly, because if you wait too long, by the time you get here, we can leave. "

Website explains that AB no separate audience. There are all present - and artists and the audience at the same time. You can get anywhere on the stool and start my speech - and, quite possibly, in a minute you will be cheering crowd. It all depends on the talent and personal qualities.

This year the festival was held from 25 to 30 April. In addition to the most incredible costumes and architectural facts, participants exercised in the creation of unique vehicles.

The only restriction for them was the maximum speed of 6 miles per hour, which is justified by the high population density in Tankve. By hands "Bjorner" transports also differed variety of shapes and designs.

The key phenomenon of the festival is, of course, the music, which contributed to the emancipation of internal participants and create an atmosphere of creativity and creation.

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The Lost World (Ethiopia)

The Lost World Surma tribe (Ethiopia)

 In a place where touching the border of Kenya, Ethiopia and Sudan, on a plateau, which is separated from all sides by mountains of the world, lives a tribe Surma, being one of the most mysterious among the nations. To get to this region is very difficult, because there are practically no roads in the rainy season becomes loose soil to mush, which it is impossible to even walk.

But even in good weather, difficult to move, even hardy mules on dry trails, which in some places are rising almost ninety degrees. But members of the tribe Surma not confuse the fact that they are fenced off from civilization, they are enough of those material goods to which they are accustomed. Their delight herds of animals, some simple thatched huts, as well as the most basic things you need for your stay.

Tribesmen are proud that no masters over them that they are free to have enough land and pastures. Their children never run for tourists, begging money. Surma tribe members willing to pose for the camera lenses, but the achievements of civilization are lightly. Many tourists, in turn, dream c photographed members of this mysterious tribe.

 

Residents Surma cleverly paint his body, using only two colors: orange, red and white.

Before applying the pattern aborigines dip into the water, where divorced crushed chalk. After this kind of"priming" dries up, and Surma draw the body wet finger, creating masterpieces. Red is the most in demand, it can carry out its color, women and children, and the last are not used to save, so the children of painted from head to toe.

The limit of perfection residents Surma - completely shaven head, while so go not only men but also women and children. On the head constructed intricate patterns of living and dried flowers, feathers, leaves and sticks.

But still the main feature of these Aboriginal is that twenty girls pierced lower lip, inserting a clay disk, the size of which was gradually increased. What was so great decoration, the beautiful girl was considered more valuable for it gave the ransom at marriage. In neighboring Ethiopia, lives a tribe Mursi with a similar tradition.

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Whale Festival Show (South Africa)

Whale Festival in bright Show Giant Animals

(South Africa)

In the small town of Hermanus is located on the coast of South Africa, east of Cape Town, is held annually in September Festival whales. Since the middle of the summer and until October, dozens of whales come into the bay, which is close to Hermanus. This phenomenon is considered to be a natural landmark bright edge, many tourists come here to see how whales live here and raise their young.

During the festival, almost all the rocks that surround the bay of Walker Bay, busy curious observers, because the whales during this period swim very close to the shore, and they put on a show, bobbing on the waves and releasing water fountains.

Often during this period, tourists lined up along the coast in the chain, which reaches a length of five kilometers. To take the best place to watch, you need to get up early, because in the morning and people on the shore is not much, and whales at dawn come very close to the shore. For festival participants who had not managed to take a favorable disposition, organizers arrange cruises on the ocean.

It should be noted that the tourists at the festival can not only admire the whales, but also listen to interesting lectures about the life and habits of these majestic animals, see the musical and theatrical performances, take part in sports marathons.

Without attention will not remain here and children, they are organized various competitions and exhibitions. Festival participant’s whales can visit artists' studios and watch them work.

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