The Honey Hunters of Nepal

I always thought collecting honey was such a dangerous task. Poking your way through their stingers to get to their precious sweet gold must not be easy. Yet it’s been a common practice of many ancient cultures for thousands of years. Today, honey hunting is still a traditional practice for Nepali culture.

Home to the biggest honey bee on the planet, the Apis Laboriosa, Nepal depends on honey hunting as a way of life. Bees build their hives on the cliffs of the country’s foothills which makes honey hunting a seemingly daunting task. They have to use rope ladders and baskets to get to the combs once the bees have been flushed out with smoke after lighting a fire underneath their hives. They then cut off the honey treasure from the comb while fighting off territorial bees. The harvesting takes place once a year and starts off with a harvest ritual which varies from town to town usually beginning with a prayer and then a sacrifice of flowers, rice and fruits. The process takes two to three hours depending on the hives location and size. This Nepali part of culture is definitely a sight to see. Tourists can come to witness the bravery of the honey hunters, the fascination of the Nepali landscape and the beautiful homes of the honey bees.

Via