Stunning photos show the ancient tradition of honey hunting in Nepal

Everyday I wake up and quickly realize there is always something more to learn in this mysterious world. This morning was about Himalayan honey hunting in Central Nepal.

Twice each year, the Gurung tribespeople of Central Nepal risk their lives collecting wild honey from the world's largest hives high up on Himalayan cliffs. Travel photographer Andrew Newey recently spent two weeks capturing this ancient but dying art.

"For hundreds of years, the skills required to perform this dangerous task have been passed down through the generations" writes Newey, "but now both the bees and traditional honey hunters are in short supply."

To collect the honey, the hunters use nothing more than handmade rope ladders and long sticks called tangos. Smoke is used to drive thousands of angry Apis laboriosa — the largest honey bee in the world.

The autumn honey hunt requires three days and is preceded by a ceremony meant to placate the cliff gods.

You're a grown up adult in Nepal when you can eat the honey... with the bees around it.

Cool stuff, huh?

reply to post by St0rD


Dude---!
Those are some big damn bees man...

You would think a few bees that size would take a honey hunter by the scruff of the neck and shake him like a rag doll?

think I'll stick to honey hunting the old fashioned American way--- at the bar with offer of free drinks and cheesy pick-up lines

reply to post by HardCorps


Haha yeah these bees are pretty impressive.

I bet with a little coordination they could grab the honey hunter and make him fly around the Hymalayan cliff.

reply to post by St0rD


I have a friend, who lives out in the boonies, who raises bees and harvests honey. We do "shows" together and I like to tease her customers, telling them, "She's the lady who actually milks the bees to get the honey!" It's funny how many people believe me!

Anyway, great thread topic! Bookmarked! I'm going to show it to her next weekend, the first time she complains about her hard work! LOL!

reply to post by St0rD

Never heard of those bees before. And I thought I knew bees (noobie)…

imag es

getting me on those ropes hanging off cliff's would be a feat in itself never mind hanging there with millions of annoyed bees ill stick to supermarket honey

windword
reply to post by St0rD

 

I have a friend, who lives out in the boonies, who raises bees and harvests honey. We do "shows" together and I like to tease her customers, telling them, "She's the lady who actually milks the bees to get the honey!" It's funny how many people believe me!

Anyway, great thread topic! Bookmarked! I'm going to show it to her next weekend, the first time she complains about her hard work! LOL!

People can be so naive sometimes one just can't help but abuse this weakness. Thanks for the laugh mate.

Hi StOrd, here's a little more coolness for you. Just so happened that today I stumbled across this while browsing through youtube. Not only is it only about a half hour long but you can get a real feel of the courage that is required to do this type of honey harvesting. I love learning about other cultures and the countries they come from. Hope you enjoy this.

Ok, I guess you're just going to have to copy and paste this link www.youtube.com...

It appears that the create a link tab is not working properly for me.

I'm wrong it is working ughhhhhh

reply to post by 2manyholes


Very nice! Thanks for providing. I cannot edit the Op anymore so I'm going to add this below.

So, they say the honey being harvested from these people have natural psychoactive properties which can be use as a medicine or even a soft drug.
They have to be extremely cautious with it because they can easily overdose. In fact, the translator of the movie will overdose at one point and fall unconscious.