TARGET 081203 Argungu International Fishing and Cultural Festival

The Argungu Fishing Festival is an annual festival at Argungu in north-western Nigeria state of Kebbi. The Argungu festival usually lasts for four days and on the final day, a competition is held in which thousands of fishermen (both men and women) from the country and the neighbouring countries are lined up along the river and at the sound of a gun shot, all of them jump into the river and have to catch the largest fish, with the winner can taking home thousand of Dollars. The fishermen are only allowed to use traditional fishing tools and many prefer to catch fish entirely by hand.

Fishermen during the 2005 Grand Fishing Competition. The pots, made from the Calabash gourd, serve as flotation devices for the fishermen where the water is deep, and also as kreels to keep their fish in. You wouldn't think that there would be any fish to catch with the water so full of people. The Matan Fada river is small, but it is well stocked. Fishermen only come here once a year on the day of the festival.

When the last day of the festival begins, the participants of the fishing contest line up and wait for the sound of the starting gun. When it sounds, they rush into the water, with their gourds and nets, eager for the catch.

The competitors stagger up the stone steps to the judging area and then wait in line to have their fish tagged and weighed. At stake is a brand new bus and one million naira ($7,500, £4,000). This year's winning fish weighed 75kg (165 pounds). Four men were needed to hoist it onto the scales.

FEEDBACK MAP

If you gained information in your session which was not covered in the feedback, please take a look at these sites: More info for the Fishing Festival Many thanks to Ray McClure for suggesting this target