Honey Hunting in Nepal

The practice of hunting honey is very ancient art and still exists in many parts of Hindukush (HKH) region. More than 50% of honey produced in HKH region is harvested and gathered by honey hunters. Traditional value of this practice is an important element of lifestyle of Razis and Kurumbas in Nepal and India respectively. In Nepal, there is a collective-ownership system on Apis laboriosa colonies, which means that colonies belong to the village, which has either land ownership or common property rights on the cliff. However, during last two decades, cliff ownership system is transforming and government control over them is strengthening (Forest Act, 1992, 2049 B.S.).

Most of the tools and equipment used in the honey hunting evolved locally and is made of local materials like mountain bamboo and bamboo-based fiber materials. Each area has its own distinctive style of honey hunting to suit local resources and bees. The basic method of lighting fire under the bee cliffs to smoke the bees from the combs appears to be universal. However, socio-cultural and spiritual practices carried out prior to hunting honey are quite different from community to community.

A group of about a dozen men-with ropes, ladders, poles, baskets and pots proceed to the cliff. First, a worship and sacrifice is performed and cliff god is offered with flowers, fruits and rice grains. At the base of the rock a fire is made from wood and foliage, so that the smoke rise to disperse the bees upwards from the lower edges of their combs, leaving the brood and honey sections of the combs clearly visible. A ladder is suspended from the top of the cliff, tightly secured to trees at both upper and lower ends. Honey hunter is fastened to the ladder by a rope and descends the rope ladder while others at the top of the cliff make sure that the rope is held securely. Two to three persons are responsible for checking, raising and lowering the rope to send items down from above and pull items up from the floor as necessary. One person, who perches on overhanging tree, looks the event carefully and gives signals to others. Near the ladder a large woven collecting basket is lowered to the nest site through another rope. When the honey hunter gets near the nest to be harvested, he uses a long stick to balance the collecting basket exactly under the comb. Its base is guided by a rope held by the people at the base of the cliff. First the brood portion of the comb is separated. The honey hunter uses a bamboo stick to pierce a hole in the brood comb area of the colony to be harvested. By piercing the comb and attaching hook to the comb, honey hunter cuts the brood portion of the comb safely. After that, wooden or iron sickles fixed to the bamboo stick cut honeycombs. Basket is guided to catch the chunks of honey as they drop down. When full, the basket is lowered down to the ground, emptied and used again. The whole operation from start to finish is very delicate. It may take 2-3 hours or more just to harvest one of the many colonies.[ICIMOD]

Photo credit-http://www.thehoneygatherers.com/html/photoli…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp_kevGjp…