Ear pull

Ear pull match at the 2008 World Eskimo Indian Olympics

The ear pull is a traditional Inuit game which tests the competitors' ability to endure pain.[1] In the ear pull, two competitors sit facing each other, their legs straddled and interlocked. A two-foot-long loop of string, similar to a thick, waxed dental floss, is looped behind their ears, connecting right ear to right ear, or left to left.[1] The competitors then pull upon the opposing ear using their own ear until the cord comes free or one player quits from the pain.[1] The game has been omitted from some Arctic sports competitions due to safety concerns and the squeamishness of spectators;[2][3] the event can cause bleeding and competitors sometimes require stitches.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Eskimo-Indian Olympics Capture Native Traditions : NPR
  2. ↑ Salon Wanderlust | The Inuit Olympics
  3. ↑ Ear-pull hoopla - CBC Archives

External links