This past weekend was held the events surrounding the 3rd anniversary of the Asunción Hash House Harriers (AH3). As part of the celebrations, three hashes were organised in the capital’s metropolitan area in the last couple of days. Hashers from countries nearby, such as Brazil and Uruguay, also joined the group during the weekend to participate in those walks. I participated in 14 hashes in Paraguay so far, including one on Friday night, and 1 in Canada, and I enjoy that a lot. Most of you have probably never heard of hashing or walking groups here in Paraguay, so let us dive into the topic to discover more about the AH3 and what the hashes are.
Hash House Harriers is an international group of non-competitive runners and walkers. The group is known as A Drinking Club With A Running Problem. The modern form of hashing started in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 1938 and was created by British businessmen living and working there. Based on the Hare and Hounds Game, one or two hares must prepare the trail in the morning or the day before. On hashing days, the hashers need to follow the marks to reach their final destination. It depends on the country, but most marks are drawn on poles, or flour is put on the ground when necessary. With washable materials, none of the marks are permanent.
Hashes, or walks if you prefer, as people nowadays prefer to do so, can range from 5 kilometres to more than 20, depending on the occasion. Here in Paraguay, for example, the average is 8 kilometres long. The price here to participate is 10K Guaraníes, but in Canada, for example, it costs 10$ CAD. It includes 2 or 3 “beer stops” along the route, which are either “despensa” or “bodega.” When the walk has been completed, hashers reunite in a circle to penalise in a friendly manner those who have not respected all the rules, and we sing about it. The beverages in the circle are paid with the money we gave at the beginning. Later on, if you participate often, you might be given a funny name based on your traits and behaviour, always in the spirit of camaraderie. When the circle is finished, it moves to the restaurant, as the end point of the hash is always a place to eat.
The kennel was created three years ago, and the first hash was walked on December 5, 2021, with nine people involved. The biggest hash in Paraguay was around a year ago, when at the end of November, they hash in Piquete Cue, outside of Asunción, with 34 hashers present. So far, there have been 86 hashes in Paraguay, and many more to come.
Last weekend, the hashes were in different parts of the metropolitan area. On Friday, it was held mainly in Barrio Las Mercedes. It was around 5 kilometres long, and since we are getting towards summer, it started at around 6:30 PM. Saturday’s one was organised in Mariano Roque Alonso, and the trail began at 3:30 PM while being around 7 kilometres long. Sunday one was in downtown Asunción, starting at the Palacio de López. The hash started at 5:30 PM and was slightly shorter than 5.5 kilometres.
I have organised four hashes so far, and I like to do the planning. Some were from “Point A” to “Point B,” others from A to A. It allows me to discover new areas of the city and new streets and sometimes connect with the people living around. When planning, like the other hares, I always try to find majestic places and areas you would not think of going to. There are a lot of zones in the city where you would not go alone but would go in groups, and it gives you a chance to see it. I like it when we are walking on the small wooden pedestrian bridges. A perfect beer stop is often nearby, with lovely people ready to show you their world and learn about yours. I remember one hash I organised in Barrio Tembetary and Barrio Recoleta, where we stopped at El Roro, THE bodega in the area. We were welcomed like we were extended family, and they made us feel at home. Hashing is a unique experience that opens the doors to seeing things you would not see by yourself. I highly recommend you join! Especially if you like to walk.
If you want to participate, have questions or want more information, you can contact the Asunción Hash House Harriers on their website, Instagram, or Facebook. You can also contact me if needed.
ON ON!
