HASHING IN THE FACE OF TOURISM -1
Hashing is an interesting past time that connects hashers to the beauty of beer drinking and non-competitive running, usually flavoured by interesting activities at beer-stops and wrapped up circle-sessions of unique songs, dancing and general liveliness. In view of the history of hash and hashing, an obvious body of traditions guide what hashers do world wide. Notwithstanding, hash kennels are unique in their own right. More than anything else, I am excited by what hash leaders do and seek to do around beer, non-competitive running, and event packaging with an eye for touristic advantages.
As a poet, writer and promoter of culture and tourism, my inquisitive eyes deliberately look beyond drinking and running for a total memorable experience that’s capable of inviting hashers to keep cumming. In this regard, I seek for well-managed events that promote our cultural background and the beauty of our essence as a people like the popular annual Iri – Iji (new yam festival) run organised by Heartland Hash House Harriers, Owerri, Nigeria. Because the word Iri-iji resonates with the people of the community, it is capable of attracting more hashers to cum year in year out for a taste of what the run has to offer.
Enchanted by nature and its innumerable gifts, I settle for events with inviting destinations that may have large body of water, hills, mountains, caves, forests, etc. In this regard, I have experienced the “shigg-ies” of Ikeja H3, the hills of Abuja H3, the beautiful sea mouth of Forcados via Ogunu H3, a walk across No 2 River beach of Freetown H3 and the beauties of Long beach CA, US H3. For the mentioned and others, I have poetic documentation for posterity.
An hash event that’s well packaged will sell itself to the world in such a way that hashers, irrespective of location would plan well in advance to attend. Consequently, a well packaged Special Run might be as national as it can be, and in readiness for the world.
Overall, hashing comes with the challenge of not only satisfying our taste in beer and non-competitive running, it tasks hash leaders to broadly see every event as an opportunity to promote the event’s location. In this regard, a deliberate attempt at showcasing our best areas matter. Which brings us to the aesthetics around our hash gears and the environment. Even though every environment has its allures, the world has eyes for good things and packaging wins in all. “The Star in us determines how we circumvent the world of beers” and leaders will ultimately be judged by the way a hash event was handled.
Talking about hashing and tourism, “sometimes, we cross tempting boundaries and fall in wells of open stories” that many would fall for. Consequently, as crazy as hashing may seem, it is as decent as it can be. Therefore, when hashers cross limits of tolerable decency by exhibiting bad attitudes, it speaks badly of a people. Who wants to come to an event where it was reported that hashers were openly fighting over nothing? One terrible act could give a bad name to a well organised event, which is not good for networking and tourism.
Written by: Dick Shakespeare