Competitors dig deep at Hungarian gravedigging contest
Thirty-eight competitors participated in a gravedigging contest in Nyergesujfalu, Hungary, to showcase the skills required for the trade. The event, organized by the Hungarian Association of Cemetery Maintainers and Operators, aims to reduce social taboos surrounding death.
Why it matters
The contest serves as a unique cultural event that professionalizes a niche trade while addressing societal discomfort with death.
A gravedigging contest in a Hungarian cemetery may sound like the opening line of a comedy sketch. It proved to be anything but as 38 competitors grabbed picks and shovels on Saturday.
The Hungarian Association of Cemetery Maintainers and Operators organises the contest to showcase the gravedigging trade and its skills, and shake off death-related taboos.
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