10 strange traditions (3)

(1) The Maonan people live in mountains of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region located in the south of China. They call themselves Anan or "local people". On the 15th day of the first lunar month local people organize the Bird Flying Festival. People prepare Sweet Flag (Calamus) leaves.

On the New Year Eve these leaves are used to "knit" different birds like swallows, partridges or cormorants. Inside the stomach of each bird people put sticky rice, beans, and sesame. The birds are then steamed.

After steaming they are fastened to a sugar cane and leaved hanged in front of burning incense. These birds are kind of delicacy for children. The women who recently gave birth to a child traditionally visit their mothers who give them birds for their children.

(2) Marostica is a small town located northeast of Vicenza, Italy. Our story about this unusual tradition starts in 1451. Taddeo Parisio the Lord of the Marostica castle had a daughter Lionora. Two local knights Rinaldo D'Angarano and Vieri da Vallonara were in love with her. In order to decide who is going to marry his daughter, Taddeo Parision organized a duel.

He did not want to have a classic one to avoid the bloodshed. So, he invited two knights to play a game of chess in the town square. But this would not be an ordinary game. All the figures in this game were human beings. The winner of game would get a hand of Lionora and the looser the hand of Leonora's younger sister Oldrada.

Chess game in Marostica, Italy

Both knights were very passionate to win the game. Lionora secretly had an affair with one of knights so she watched the game with great interest. Her wish come true. Her lover Vieri won the game.

In memory of this romantic game of chess people of Marostica organize a special game of chess with human figures. The game is played on the second weekend of September. The event includes more than 500 people and lasts two hours.

(3) Bog Snorkeling is a strange competition held each year near Llanwrtyd Wells in mid Wales. The tradition was started in 1976. World championship has been held in the same town since 1985. More than 200 people competes in the event.

Bog snorkeling

Few details about the competition. The competitor wearing snorkels and flippers has to pass two consecutive lengths of a 50 meters (60 yards) water filled trench cut through a peat bog. Classic swimming moves are not allowed. Just move your flippers as fast as possible.

(4) People of town Cieza (Murcia) in the southeast of Spain organize the Olive pit spitting competition. Each year, on the 28th of August, there are two competitions - one for children and one for the adults. The only so to say "tool" during competition is mouth. No additional tools are allowed.

Olive pits

Ten best competitors after first round will progress in the second round. There they'll have two more spittings. Three best competitors will be declared winners. Only “Oliva Chafá” variety of olives grown in Cieza can be used in the competition.

The best result, recognized by the Guinness Book of Records, is 21.32 m. The competitor who manages to break the record will be declared “caballero predilecto de la Orden de los Lanzadores de Huesos” (Venerated Knight of the Fellowship of the Olive Spitting Knights).

(5) Manganeses de la Polvorosa is a small village of 812 (2004) people located in Spanish province of Zamora, Castile and León. It is famous for its rather bizarre event called Goat Tossing Festival. It is organized every year on the fourth Sunday in January in honour of St Vincent de Paul, local patron saint.