Archaic Festivals

Ashbourne, England, is home to one of the oldest and most dangerous games on the planet. Divided into two teams by the river that runs through the middle of town, over 7,000 hardy players join in this two-day medieval football game every year.

For over 500 years, an epic battle has raged between the Spanish towns of Guadix and Baza over a statue of the Virgin Mary. Each year one man from Guadix attempts the impossible mission of reclaiming the statue from the grasp of 10,000 Bastetanos.

This religious festival has been celebrated for 1,200 years, making it the oldest in Japan. Trees weighing as much as 9,000kg are brought from the mountains of Suwa to Shinto temples in a two-month celebration of unity, but it's not without danger.

Once a year, gauchos from all over the country gather in Argentina to show off their equestrian skills in a week-long festival dating back to 1939. The Gaucho Games are the main attraction at the Jineteada, the Argentine version of a rodeo.

Being between the ancient and the modern, the Ifugao people of the Philippines continue their Gotad Ad Kiangan festival to preserve their fading heritage. It's a celebration of singing, dancing, and racing that culminates in a wrestling tournament.

Each year descendants of the ancient Easter Island native tribes continue the proud tradition of the Tapati Rapa Nui, a competition of strength, endurance, and bravery. Winning garners only pride, but the dangers in the challenges are very real.