March 3, 2008: Drinking Fish

xoxoxoBruce · 03-03-2008, 11:00 PM

Not drinking like a fish, drinking fish.... live fish.

Photo by Jock Fistick for the International Herald Tribune
From Belgium

Quote:

Van Acker, the senior Roman Catholic priest in this rural area of Flanders, is undertaking one of his more unusual pastoral duties: drinking live fish, washed down with red wine.

For centuries, thousands of revelers in this part of Belgium have celebrated the Krakelingen festival - named after the bread that will be thrown to the townspeople. The pageant, commemorating the onset of spring, combines pagan and Christian symbols and culminates in the consumption of tiny live fish immersed in red wine at a ceremony presided over by three men dressed as druids.

The ritual has aroused the fury of animal rights campaigners, who claim it is cruel and anachronistic and have succeeded in limiting the number of people who can down the fish to around two dozen a year. But so far, they have failed to get the practice banned altogether or to force the revelers to electrocute the fish before they are removed from their tanks.

Divisions between French speakers in the south and Flemish speakers in the north are eroding Belgium's national identity, even raising the prospect of the breakup of this fragile nation of 10 million people. Perhaps as a consequence, Belgian municipalities and regions cling ever harder to customs that set them apart from their neighbors.

I respect tradition, but I think I'd find a better tasting one.

LabRat · 03-04-2008, 10:35 AM

So, this is what Santa does in the off season...

Cloud · 03-04-2008, 11:14 AM

the interesting thing about this story to me is not the gross out factor, but that they've managed to retain this one little strange custom. If a true remnant of earlier paganism, that's quite an accomplishment in the face of the Christian church. And further, that they are still clinging to it stubbornly, even in light of its obvious absurdity.

Brianna · 03-04-2008, 12:01 PM

I like the Spanish tomato fight tradition better.

Cloud · 03-04-2008, 12:37 PM

or the shitting nativity scene participants

Shawnee123 · 03-04-2008, 01:50 PM

What I want to know, did dude shave off his eyebrows to make those sideburns?

shina · 03-04-2008, 01:56 PM

He won't get voted off the island.

Gravdigr · 03-04-2008, 02:36 PM

The crazy, stupid shit that people do in the name of religion hasn't amazed me in quite some time, unfortunately.

spudcon · 03-04-2008, 04:49 PM

There used to be a show on the Comedy Channel called The Man Show, with a champion beer guzzler named Fox. I think this is the same guy.

Aliantha · 03-04-2008, 05:29 PM

I wonder if they can feel the little fishies swiming around inside them for a while after they swallow them, or do they chew them up before they swallow...

HungLikeJesus · 03-04-2008, 06:21 PM

After being soaked in wine, the fish probably don't care what happens next.

BigV · 03-05-2008, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LabRat

So, this is what Santa does in the off season...

That's not Santa. That's the Winter Warlock!

Brianna · 03-05-2008, 05:17 PM

Doesn't the alcohol kill the fish? it is a poison; I don't think their tiny gills like it.

Freshness Dated · 03-06-2008, 05:37 PM

Figures the pic was taken by Jack Fishstick.

Shawnee123 · 03-06-2008, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freshness Dated

Figures the pic was taken by Jack Fishstick.

03-04-2008, 10:35 AM	#2
LabRat ______ Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 3,125	So, this is what Santa does in the off season... __________________ Strength does not come from how much weight you can lift, or how many miles you can run. It comes from knowing that you set a goal, and rose to the challenge. Strength comes from within.

03-04-2008, 11:14 AM	#3
Cloud still misses avatars Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: USA MTZ (GMT-7) Posts: 6,597	the interesting thing about this story to me is not the gross out factor, but that they've managed to retain this one little strange custom. If a true remnant of earlier paganism, that's quite an accomplishment in the face of the Christian church. And further, that they are still clinging to it stubbornly, even in light of its obvious absurdity. __________________ "I do not like the Cone of Shame." blog:www.piercedconsumer.com

03-04-2008, 12:37 PM	#5
Cloud still misses avatars Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: USA MTZ (GMT-7) Posts: 6,597	or the shitting nativity scene participants __________________ "I do not like the Cone of Shame." blog:www.piercedconsumer.com

03-04-2008, 01:50 PM	#6
Shawnee123 It's funny 'cause it's true! Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 16,578	What I want to know, did dude shave off his eyebrows to make those sideburns? __________________ A single lie destroys a whole reputation of integrity. Baltasar Gracian A liar begins with making falsehood appear like truth, and ends with making truth itself appear like falsehood. William Shenstone If you're ugly, stupid, dishonest, and lack social skills, the least you could do is pretend to be nice so as not to completely make others ill. Priscilla Radling

03-04-2008, 05:29 PM	#10
Aliantha isn't paying attention Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 11,276	I wonder if they can feel the little fishies swiming around inside them for a while after they swallow them, or do they chew them up before they swallow... __________________ Friendship is like pissing your pants, everyone can see it, but only you can feel the true warmth.

03-04-2008, 12:01 PM	#4
Brianna Out Of My Way! I'm a Keats Scholar! Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 10,645	I like the Spanish tomato fight tradition better.

03-04-2008, 01:56 PM	#7
shina Hopeful Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sammamish, WA Posts: 232	He won't get voted off the island.

03-04-2008, 02:36 PM	#8
Gravdigr Professor Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Central...KY that is Posts: 1,185	The crazy, stupid shit that people do in the name of religion hasn't amazed me in quite some time, unfortunately.

03-04-2008, 04:49 PM	#9
spudcon Beware of potatoes Join Date: May 2007 Location: Upstate NY, USA Posts: 1,376	There used to be a show on the Comedy Channel called The Man Show, with a champion beer guzzler named Fox. I think this is the same guy.

03-04-2008, 06:21 PM	#11
HungLikeJesus What makes you think I'm done playing with it? Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: above 7,000 feet Posts: 3,959	After being soaked in wine, the fish probably don't care what happens next. __________________ I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought, And with old woes new wail my dear time's waste SteveDallas's Random Thread Picker.

03-05-2008, 05:17 PM	#13
Brianna Out Of My Way! I'm a Keats Scholar! Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 10,645	Doesn't the alcohol kill the fish? it is a poison; I don't think their tiny gills like it.

03-06-2008, 05:37 PM	#14
Freshness Dated Writer of Platitudes Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 3	Figures the pic was taken by Jack Fishstick.

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