Indonesian Villagers Beat Each Other with Rattan Brooms in the Name of Brotherhood and Friendship
Every year, a week after the end of Ramadan, the Indonesian villages of Morella and Mamala hold Pukul Sapu, a unique ritual that has men from the two villages beating each other across their bare backs with rattan broomsticks. There’s nothing like a good beating to strengthen the bond between members of a community, at according to […]
Scala di Santa Maria del Monte – Probably the World’s Most Beautifully Decorated Staircase
Located in the Sicilian town of Caltagirone, La Scala di Santa Maria del Monte is an old 142-step staircase, each of which are decorated with a different ceramic pattern. It’s a wonder to behold, but during the Spring and Summer seasons it becomes even more breathtaking as locals adorn it with potted flowers and lanterns, […]
Pucker Up and Sing – The World Whistling Championship
Every year, the world’s most passionate whistlers gather in Louisburg, North Carolina, to compete in the annual World Whistling Championship. Whistlers, young and old, are judged on resonance, intonation and stage presence as they interpret some of the most famous concertos and sonatas. In 1970, Allen De Hart, director of public affairs at Louisburg College, founded […]
Danza de los Zancos – The Whirling Stilt Dancers of Anguiano
Walking on stilts is a daunting task for most people, but for the skilled “danzatores” of Anguiano, Spain, it’s a regular walk in the park. During the annual Danza de los Zancos celebration they take to the streets on wooden stilts measuring some 50 centimeters, and spin rapidly down the town’s steepest alleyways. They risk breaking […]
Physical Deformities in the Name of Tradition – The Cullatori of Nola
La Festa dei Gigli, or The Festival of Lilies, is held every year in the Italian town of Nola. In celebration of St. Paulinus, who in 410 AD saved his people from the invading Visigoths, local man carry heavy wooden obelisks on their shoulders through the streets of Nola, which in time causes them to […]
The Amazing Stone Jumpers of Nias Island
Hombo Batu or Stone Jumping is an ancient ritual of Nias Island, North Sumatra, with young men leaping over stone walls over two-meters tall. The tradition was born out of inter-tribal conflicts and was once potentially deadly as the walls were covered with spikes and sharpened bamboo sticks. Centuries ago, Nias Island was divided into several […]
Japan’s Hand Canon Fireworks Look Insanely Dangerous
Out of all the impressive fireworks celebrations held annually all around Japan, Tezutsu Hanabi is by far the most eye-catching. Experienced masters hold large bamboo tubes filled with black powder in their arms as flames gush out towards the sky. Did I mention they explode at the end? Tezutsu hand cannons are believed to have originated […]
Red Bull 400 – The Toughest 400-Meter Race in the World
Even if you’re not a professional athlete, completing a 400-meter race doesn’t sound like that big of a challenge, right? But what if that relatively short distance had to be covered up the steepest ski jumping hill in Europe? That certainly complicates things a bit, doesn’t it? The Red Bull 400 uphill race is the […]
Revelers Throw Dead Rats at Each Other as Part of Bizarre Spanish Festival
Having a dead rat thrown straight in the face might not be everyone’s idea of a good time, but for the people of El Puig, the yearly Battle of the Rats is an eagerly awaited event. During the bizarre celebration, people pick up frozen rat corpses and throw them at each other in the name […]
Only in the Philippines: Riding on Wooden Scooters at 50 Kilometers Per Hour
The municipality of Banaue, in the Philippines, is widely known for its spectacular rice terraces, but few people know it’s also the setting of a traditional race that has daredevils riding wooden scooters downhill at speeds of up to 50 kph, without any kind of protection. The wooden scooter has long been the preferred means […]
England’s Shin-Kicking Championship Is a Painful Affair
Sometimes described as an English martial art, shin kicking is a centuries-old combat sport in which two participants kick each other in the shins until one of them falls down. Needless to say there is a lot of pain involved. The origins of shin kicking are lost in the mists of time, but some experts […]
Look But Don’t Bite – China’s Mouthwatering Stone Food Banquets
Petrified pasta, juicy braised pork, rocky dried fruits and many other delicious-looking dishes are all part of China’s rare stone food banquets. The spread is nice to look at, but trying to sneak a bite will cost you a few teeth. People in the mountainous regions of China know how to appreciate beautiful rocks, and […]
Executive Boxing Takes Corporate Rivalry to a New Level
The gloves were on at the second ever Executive Fight Night, in Tokyo, last week, as 14 corporate executives from seven different countries went into the boxing ring for some good, clean fun and settling rivalries between companies. “To usher in a new era of fitness amongst stressed-out Tokyo executives and stage a safe, professional […]
Extreme Barbie Jeep Racing Is No Child’s Play
Every years since 2010, the guys at Busted Knuckle Films have engaged in one of the most fun-yet-dangerous off-road sports in the world – the Extreme Barbie Jeep Race. Don’t let the name fool you though, it’s serious business. The concept behind this unique extreme sport is pretty simple. All you need is one of […]
Making See-Through Wood at Japan’s Unique Planing Competition
Every year, wood planing experts from all over Japan meet up for a very unique competition in which everyone tries to shave off the thinnest piece of wood possible. I don’t know how skilled you are with a hand plane, but these guys can actually peel off see-through slices of wood that are measured in […]