01x03 - Rites of Passage

[bunniefuu]

We all know why we're here, lads.

We trained bloody hard for this all week.

We know our roles.

We know the shape we're gonna play.

Every single minute,

keep your head in the game.

Every single moment,

stay in the moment. Okay?

[players yelling]

[Idris Elba] Playing games is a crucial

way to show our strength, our skill,

and ultimately,

prove we are worthy of becoming an adult.

But starting early isn't just about

getting as much training as possible.

[cheering and yelling]

[uplifting music playing]

[Elba] In all our cultures,

mastering a game also marks the moment

we grow from a child to an adult,

a girl into a woman,

a boy into a man.

[yelling]

[Elba] Sometimes,

these rites of passage are brutal.

Sometimes, they are dangerous.

But these games set us up for life.

They send us into a world,

ready to defend ourselves.

These playgrounds help us

learn about our bodies,

our strengths, and our weaknesses.

Birth is a lottery.

We don't get to choose

the culture we're born into

which means we don't get to choose

the games we play either.

Here in Madagascar,

every newborn male

must one day play a very special game.

One that will shape who he is

and decide his standing in the village.

[beating drum]

[Elba] These people

call themselves the Betsileo,

"the invincible ones."

They are gathering to celebrate

the start of their annual contest,

a festival of manhood.

The week of celebration begins

with a painful procedure

for one of the youngest members

of the village.

The man in the white coat

is here to circumcise him.

[in Malagasy]

Receive all the best, God almighty boy.

You will be successful.

God will bless you with good health.

[speaking indistinctly]

[child screaming]

[crowd chanting]

[chanting]

[singing in Malagasy]

[Elba, in English]

To mark his coming of age,

the boy's grandfather eats the foreskin

with the aid of a banana.

With the ceremony over,

the real games can begin.

Today these young men will undertake

the ultimate rite of passage.

Mbola is warming up to face his fears

in a game of Savika,

a deadly mix of a bull fight and a rodeo.

[player, in Malagasy] Help him

Don't leave him alone like that.

[Mbola] It's dangerous.

Here are the results of Savika.

And on my leg.

[atmospheric music playing]

If it's not your day and you play,

you can die.

[medicine man]

During the game, be good, keep calm.

Make sure that bulls with bad intentions

cannot enter this field.

[Elba, in English]

The medicine man places a spell

at the entrance of the playground.

Magic rituals are a big part of the game,

and the young men drink potions

to protect themselves

from evil demons and witchcraft.

[crowd chanting]

[Mbola, in Malagasy] I am famous

in the field of Savika

and many do not like me for that.

Some people know how to perform witchcraft

and I'm afraid of being targeted.

I do not practice witchcraft.

It's the only thing that scares me

besides the Savika itself.

[percussive music playing]

[Elba, in English] It's simple, really.

Whichever young fighter holds

onto the bull's hump the longest

has the best chance of winning

and finding the prettiest wife.

It sounds pretty old-fashioned,

but on the flip side,

it's the women who are in charge

while the men risk their lives.

[ominous music playing]

[Elba] Clinging onto a wild bull

until it surrenders

is much easier said than done.

Many Betsileo boys have died

right there in the bull pit.

[ominous music rising]

[Mbola, in Malagasy]

My heart does not stop beating

seeing the zebu.

Maybe my heart will behave differently

when I get older.

- [indistinct chatter]

- [moans in pain]

[indistinct chatter]

[crowd cheering]

[Elba, in English]

In the chaos of the bullfight,

Mbola has found the moment

he's been waiting for.

This is his chance to grab the bull.

The next couple of seconds are dangerous

as he dances a deadly dance

with the mighty zebu.

In this game, only one of them can win.

[bull grunting]

[Elba] Fortunately, Mbola tamed the bull

and came out unharmed.

He has survived his rite of passage,

and he isn't short of admirers.

Mbola can now call himself a man.

[in Malagasy] I hope that my offspring

will play Savika like me.

I would like them

to follow in my footsteps.

[Elba, in English]

In many cultures, overcoming fear,

showing strength and skill,

are all ways of proving you are worthy

of being taken seriously as an adult.

To grow into skilled adults

with great abilities,

some cultures believe they must separate

children from their parents.

[children yelling]

For them, this is the only way to learn

the skills they need for adulthood.

[children yelling]

[child yelling]

[group yelling]

[Elba] Deep in the heart of China

lies the Shaolin Monastery,

the cradle of Shaolin kung fu.

Here, over 27,000 children

study this martial art

for ten months a year.

It's a way to improve

their physical and mental strength

and learn discipline.

Which is why it's mainly

the naughty ones who end up here.

[yelling]

[instructor, in Mandarin]

I've been teaching for over 11 years.

To carry kung fu forward

and let the world know about it.

[bang]

Close the door. Don't come in. Go out.

[boy] I need to go to the class.

Go from the other side.

And tell the rest

not to come out this way.

[door closes]

Come back.

[yelling]

[instructor] Good. Keep your breath.

One, two, three.

Look at me.

When you finish that action,

the look in your eyes

and this move.

Watch where to put your hands.

Look at my arms. Tighten up.

And when you move your feet,

do it at once and fast.

Then step forward.

Shaolin kung fu,

it's the most intense form

of martial arts combat.

They should have a sense of perseverance.

They shouldn't be afraid

of hardship and fatigue.

Kung fu is hard and comes from life.

Learning it is a very difficult

and demanding journey.

[yelling]

[continues yelling]

[atmospheric music playing]

[yelling]

[Elba, in English] Bruce Lee once said

that kung fu

is the art of becoming shapeless

like water.

Water in a cup becomes the cup.

Water in a teapot becomes the teapot.

Water can flow or it can crash.

Be like water.

At this highly advanced level,

the students work under a strict regime.

It's not just about

being physically tough.

You have to be mentally strong too.

[yells]

[Elba] Some kids enter the school

when they are just five years old.

[applauding rhythmically]

[Elba] This is Gao.

He has lived here longer than he has lived

at home with his parents.

He is now 11 years old.

[Gao, in Mandarin] When I was five,

I was too naughty at home.

They said that they would send me here.

I thought they were kidding,

but then they really did.

[Gao's mother over phone] Hello.

Can you hear me?

How are you doing?

[Gao] Hmm.

It's fine.

Fine?

You must work harder

in both literacy class and martial arts.

Work very hard, understand?

Yes, I got it.

Okay, fine.

You need to eat more.

You need it to grow up.

If you don't eat enough,

you will grow slowly.

Your training needs physical strength.

Don't be picky,

and eat whatever they give you.

You're growing.

[Gao] Okay.

- Understood?

- Okay.

- Bye-bye.

- Bye-bye.

Bye-bye.

[phone beeps]

[reflective music playing]

[Elba, in English]

Today, Gao is about to take part

in the most important event of the year.

A performance for the headmaster

and government staff.

He's trained for months,

and his grades depend on it.

If he performs well, his parents

and his teachers will be proud.

Failure is not an option.

[traditional music playing]

[yelling]

[percussive music plays]

[yelling]

[yelling]

[yelling]

[Elba] Gao excelled today.

His mother can be proud.

He stood out as one of the most

skilled students of the academy.

[yelling]

[Elba] But this playground isn't about

cultivating individual talents.

It's about becoming

part of a larger whole.

When these boys grow up,

they will enter the world

knowing discipline,

focus,

and commitment.

They are small cogs in a big machine,

each playing a part.

It's a transformation on a massive scale,

one that helps China run

with amazing efficiency.

Across the ocean in Japan,

martial arts are also used

as an ancient rite of passage.

But the end goal

couldn't be more different.

[woman, in Japanese] Have a meal, guys!

[child] The biggest one is for Hayato.

[Elba, in English] Just like in China,

these boys enter a strict training regime

when they're very young.

But instead of honing

their balance, speed, and agility,

sumo is about brute physical strength.

The bigger you are, the better.

[in Japanese] For breakfast, I eat rice.

For lunch,

well,

I often eat rice.

I think I might eat

a bit more than other children eat.

[Elba, in English] This is Hayato.

He's prepping for class at the heya,

a prestigious sumo training stable.

Young boys arrive here

to be turned into men.

For well over a thousand years,

schools like this one

have created rikishis,

professional sumo wrestlers.

This rite of passage is so old,

nobody questions it.

[yelling]

[Elba] It's every generation's

responsibility to keep it alive.

[grunting]

[grunting]

[Elba] Tomorrow, Hayato takes part

in Japan's biggest junior sumo event,

a crucial moment in his development.

[speaking Japanese]

[Elba] Today is his last chance to train.

[grunting]

[grunting]

[speaking indistinctly in Japanese]

[panting, speaks Japanese]

[indistinct]

[cries]

[sobbing]

[Elba] As games go,

it looks anything but fun.

But the students must find

their inner and outer strength.

Only then will they prove

to their teachers

that they have what it takes

to be sumo men.

[Hayato, in Japanese] During sumo training

if my coaches scold me,

or they are very strict with me,

I sometimes feel like quitting.

But the reason why I still play

is because my family will be pleased

if I win a match.

[instructing in Japanese]

[Hayato] Sumo has a long history,

but I don't know it very well.

The reason why I started

was because my grandfather

told me to try this.

Well, this is the one he won last year,

in Heisei, 29th July.

[children chattering indistinctly]

[indistinct chatter]

[Elba, in English] The 54 professional

sumo stables go to great lengths

to recruit these overweight teenagers.

The fighters prepare meals

that are jammed with calories.

The life expectancy

of a professional sumo wrestler

is ten years shorter

than the average Japanese man.

[reflective music playing]

Diabetes, heart attacks, and injuries

are the result of deliberate obesity.

Despite this, sumo is still seen

as the ultimate game

for a traditional Japanese upbringing.

The big day has finally come.

The most talented sumo boys

from all over Japan

are coming to the Wanpaku tournament

to go head-to-head.

Scouts from all the major sumo stables

are present.

[announcer speaking in Japanese]

[in Japanese]

[announcers' voices overlapping]

[children yelling]

[Elba, in English]

The boys are divided by age,

not by weight classes.

This means your opponent can turn out

to be someone double your size.

In this game, it's go big or go home.

[crowd cheering]

[percussive music playing]

[cheering]

[applause]

[crowd reacts]

[yells]

[crowd reacts]

[Elba] Sometimes,

it only takes a few seconds

for the young boys' dreams

to be shattered.

[crowd reacts]

[Elba] Hayato is on a winning streak.

If he wins the next fight,

he'll be in the finals,

which means he'll secure a place

in one of Tokyo's top sumo teams.

[announcer speaking in Japanese]

[tense music playing]

[crowd reacts]

[Elba] These boys don't have a choice.

They're told this game is their destiny,

and they must act with honor

whether they win or lose.

Hayato has to train and eat

for another year

before he'll be the big, strong man

that society here celebrates.

For him, sumo is not just a game.

It's his ikigai,

his reason for being.

It's all he knows.

And to succeed,

he must face his fears and fight on.

[reflective music playing]

[Elba] Parents have used games

to help their children overcome fear

since the dawn of time.

In the north of Finland, on Lake Inari,

a father and his sons are

on their way to feed the animals

that play a starring role

in this next playground.

Marco and his sons descend

from the earliest settlers

in this icy northernmost part of Europe.

They're called the Sámi.

These people have lived

in this harsh climate

for thousands of years,

surviving with the help of reindeer.

No one can remember quite how it happened,

but almost as soon as they tamed them,

they created the ultimate game.

Reindeer racing.

[Pekka's father, in Finnish]

Winter is my favorite season.

Of course,

that's because of reindeer racing.

It's somehow such a liberating feeling

when you ride with the reindeer.

It's amazing.

When you can control

a half-wild animal in the field.

[evocative music playing]

[Elba, in English] The Sámi survived here

by drinking the reindeer's milk,

clothing themselves with the fur,

and feeding on the meat.

Their entire lives are based

on their relationship

with this magnificent beast.

And the skills and knowledge need

to be passed down the generations,

especially when it comes to racing them.

[Pekka's father, in Finnish] I hope that

my sons are left with the same feeling

towards the reindeer.

It's still a little bit too wild.

Always when you go to feed it,

it's running around this tree.

Just like the black-eared one.

They are sensitive animals

and very unpredictable.

You have to be calm when you start

to play with them.

But after my first try,

I knew I wanted to do reindeer racing.

I want to be as good as my dad.

[Elba, in English]

Proving you can handle a reindeer

is the only rite of passage

for young adults around here.

Tomorrow, Pekka will take part

in his first reindeer race.

[Pekka's father, in Finnish] Tomorrow,

we'll race in this year's only race.

Are you nervous?

Yes, a little bit.

[Pekka's father] I was nervous

when I first started.

I think we have the same start.

We'll get to go against each other.

[evocative music playing]

[Elba, in English]

Sámi from all corners of the North

have traveled long distances

with their reindeers

to gather here to race.

[father, in Finnish] It's important

that there is one sport that unites

the reindeer shepherds together.

It is important

that the tradition is kept.

Next time, you should eat more bread.

Let's raise these a little bit too.

[announcer] First race begins soon.

The reindeer are in their cages now.

[Pekka's father]

The reindeer is the main character.

The reindeer has

the natural instinct to complete.

The reindeer rider is there

mostly to enjoy.

[Elba, in English] It's time for

father and son to race side-by-side.

Two generations ready to hold on tight

and enjoy the ride.

[in Finnish] Drive!

[exciting music playing]

[Elba, in English] It takes balance,

strength, and skill to stay on your feet.

And Pekka is hoping to impress his father

with his performance.

[exciting music continues]

[Elba] Pekka has won the race.

The younger generation beats the older.

[Pekka, in Finnish] It really

didn't want to go next to the reindeer.

Jumped there

between the ropes at the start.

It went well.

[Elba, in English] Pekka's fate

was to live with reindeer.

He has now proved

that he can master this awesome animal.

He has come of age.

[Pekka's father, in Finnish]

Now it's only 30 years of this for you.

Or more like me.

The best thing that

a man can do with pants on.

[Elba, in English] Pekka is lucky.

His rite of passage

not only keeps his heritage alive,

it helps him bond with his dad,

who is there by his side the whole time.

[reflective music playing]

[Elba] Many kids don't get a choice.

Their rite of passage is laid out

for them the moment they're born.

Their only option is

to tread their path the best they can,

hope they can find strength,

conquer fear, please the older generation,

find love or adulation.

Most of us, however,

must find our own rite of passage.

Modern life doesn't give us a clear path.

We need to seek our own obstacles,

face different fears,

find ways to make ourselves stronger.

What's certain is if we want to grow

to the best version of ourselves,

testing our limits

is the best way to do it.

[closing theme music playing]