Bamboo pole climbing competition at the Nagaland Hornbill Festival 2015

Bamboo pole climbing competition at the Nagaland Hornbill Festival 2015. Bamboo pole climbing competition is a traditional game played at the annual Nagaland Hornbill Festival 2015. To increase the challenge, the bamboo poles are greased with pork fat apparently. Participants have to apply their own ways and means to climb to the top using mud dust, wiping off the fat on the way up. 

A participant climbing bamboo pole in the competition

The bamboo poles are greased with fat, so participants have to try several time before they can actually reach the top, using their clothes, sacks, mud to increase the grip on the poles.

A climber slides down due to the slippery pole as the crowd enjoy with laughter.

One of the winners

A tourist attempted in climbing the greased bamboo pole and succeeds!

The winner lifted by his tribesmen in celebration after winning the bamboo pole climbing competition.

Check out a video of the bamboo pole climbing competition here.

About Hornbill Festival Nagaland:
Nagaland is a hilly state in the North East of India and is home to several tribes (Officially 16 recognized tribes). Each tribe have their own distinct festivals. Most of these festival are argiculture and harvest related as most Nagas depend on argiculture.

Organized by the State Tourism and Art & Culture Departments, Hornbill Festival is held every year in the first week of December, which was lately extended to 10 days starting from 1st December. Hornbill Festival is held at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama which is about 12 Km from Kohima where each Naga tribe have their "Morungs" (traditional huts) setup where visitors witness mélange of cultural displays all under one roof, an opportunity to experience the food, songs, dances and customs of Nagaland. The aim of the festival is to revive and protect the rich culture of Nagaland and display its extravaganza and traditions.

Festival highlights include the Traditional Naga Morungs Exhibition, folk dances, folk songs, traditional practices demonstrations, sale of Arts and Crafts, Food Stalls,  Flower shows and sales, Fashion shows, Beauty Contest, Naga wrestling, Indigenous Games, and Hornbill International Rock concert. During the festival, Night Carnivals are organized in several places around Kohima and Dimapur where people can enjoy street food, outing with kids, and shop.