Cucannia (cucaña) is a game for daring people. “It’s like an extreme sport,” said one of the participants jokingly, but it is indeed very difficult to get from one bank of the river to the other walking on a greasy tree trunk.
Walking is not the only option accepted in the rules: crawling, sliding, jumping, almost anything is permitted. All kinds of oily substances can be used to grease the beam and make the crossing more difficult as well: grease, lard, vegetal oil, and what have you.
The goal in this traditional game is to reach the opposite end and grab the flag that goes to the winner. One after another, men do their best not to fall into the Undoso River, in the municipality of Sagua la Grande, where many cucannia challenges are organized several times in the year. The flags are the medals in this game. Some of the best in the area treasure as many as seven.
