Bhangra for the shoveling season

December 18, 2016 10:05 AM

The Maritime Bhangra Group, based in Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, takes the drudgery out of shoveling snow. Their other routines include Mannequin challenge, M.O.P., and Bhangra at Peggy's Cove.
posted by mandolin conspiracy (45 comments total)

Holy cow! I literally just crafted a post about this very video and then your post came up!

This video delighted me so much I watched it about five times in a row. I just love these guys.

Bhangra + snow shovels = joy
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 10:12 AM on December 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

the urban turban
posted by thelonius at 10:13 AM on December 18, 2016

I definitely agree that the best way to make shoveling snow more enjoyable is to not shovel any of the snow
posted by key lime guy at 10:15 AM on December 18, 2016 [23 favorites]

The Northern Lights College video is even better. This is my new winter holiday.

Happy Bhangranukkaazamastivus!
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 10:26 AM on December 18, 2016 [2 favorites]

Haha! Me three! Literally just coming here to post this...

Snow Shoveler Bhangra by the Maritime Bhangra a performance group in Nova Scotia known for dancing in front of many landmarks in and around their hometown of Halifax such as Peggy's Cove, South Shore Liverpool, Port of Sydney, Point Pleasant Park and Citadel Hill. Also: Minions! [via]

"The group aims to use the popularity of their videos to encourage people to give back to their communities. In their most recent video post, they encourage people to donate to the ALS Society of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.... 'Whatever we learn, whatever we do is from this community, so we have to give back.'"
posted by jessamyn at 10:29 AM on December 18, 2016 [5 favorites]

I have serious beard envy of the guy in the center.
posted by Dip Flash at 10:31 AM on December 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

So I've been travelling a long way from Canada, and just got an attack of homesickness and this video is the best antidote I've seen.

I've heard a story that the CBC many years ago asked listeners to a national talk show what the Canadian equivalent of "as American as apple pie"; the winner was "as Canadian as... possible under the circumstances". I might nominate these guys.
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 10:39 AM on December 18, 2016 [19 favorites]

Dang it. Forgot the "n": Happy Bhangranukkaanzamastivus!
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 10:46 AM on December 18, 2016 [2 favorites]

I had no idea the there was a name for the way I clear my driveway.

Thanks, Maritime Bhangra guys!!
posted by wenestvedt at 10:52 AM on December 18, 2016 [2 favorites]

I nearly posted this today as well.


This is literally the most Canadian thing I have ever seen. And I've seen a moose attack an RCMP car.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 10:59 AM on December 18, 2016 [24 favorites]

I've seen two raccoons fighting over an abandoned shawarma outside of a curling rink.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:01 AM on December 18, 2016 [22 favorites]

I've seen a guy on snowshoes apologize to a Canada goose.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:03 AM on December 18, 2016 [15 favorites]

I really hope the last few comments from The White Skull aren't his way of telling us that it's time for him to die.
posted by maudlin at 11:06 AM on December 18, 2016 [10 favorites]

I've seen an Anne of Green Gables impersonator put le Bonhomme into the boards at a pick-up hockey game.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:07 AM on December 18, 2016 [14 favorites]

All these things will be lost in time, like snowbanks on the side of a parking lot (in six months).
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:08 AM on December 18, 2016 [16 favorites]

I really hope the last few comments from The White Skull aren't his way of telling us that it's time for him to die.

He sounds like he's going all Colonel Kurtz on us. "This is my dream. This is my nightmare...."
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 11:09 AM on December 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

What do you call it when the hosers accuse the hoser?
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:18 AM on December 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

although really if the weather lets you be outside in t-shirts, the snow is probably going to melt on its own.

A quote in one of the articles (the Northern Lights College one) explained that you get very warm when you're dancing. It's -7 C in that video (about 19 F) but some of the students are in T shirts.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 11:20 AM on December 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

Also, even if it's warm enough for the snow to start getting slushy, it might still go below freezing overnight, so now you're stuck with a driveway/parking lot/sidewalk that's icy AF, but that ice is all bumpy and ankle-twistingly uneven while also being slippery.

So you kinda need to to preemptively shovel away the melting snow before it becomes an ice-chipping job, which is way less fun than shoveling.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 11:25 AM on December 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

I have to admit that I find the kind of male dance movements that come from the general area of the Indian subcontinent very appealing. Like, it's a form of dance that is utterly male and very confident and is stylish and sexy and fully inhabits the male body in a way that seems to be foreign to a lot of males in Western civilization, US and UK and Europe, etc.

As someone who was shovelled off to the motherland for college, right after high school, thus experiencing the prime ages of 17 to 25 on the subcontinent, I can attest to the ..um..visceral impact of vigorous masculine dancing as attempts to attract teh attention of nearby nubile females. Yes, hmm, I remember once... hmm... yes well... where was I? oh yes, 50 and frozen in snowbound Finland.

*deep vigorous sigh*
posted by infini at 11:53 AM on December 18, 2016 [7 favorites]

I didn't see anyone in just a t-shirt. Those looked like serious weather undergarments, A little bare skin.
I'm not saying they're not cold, but sometimes here just getting to +° (F) seems like spring. Happened to me Thursday afternoon.
(not the dancing, though- that will take practice)
posted by MtDewd at 11:58 AM on December 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

> He sounds like he's going all Colonel Kurtz on us.

I'm waiting for his account of seeing a drunk guy in a Maple Leafs jersey and toque stumble into and apologize to a lifesize cardboard cutout of Don Cherry in a Tim Horton's before ordering a double double and a glazed.
posted by ardgedee at 12:48 PM on December 18, 2016 [4 favorites]

I have to admit that I find the kind of male dance movements that come from the general area of the Indian subcontinent very appealing. Like, it's a form of dance that is utterly male and very confident and is stylish and sexy and fully inhabits the male body in a way that seems to be foreign to a lot of males in Western civilization, US and UK and Europe, etc.


Completely agreed. I sometimes get this sense too with some Russian folk dancing -- though more of the "utterly male" part and not so much the "stylish and sexy."
posted by DLWM at 1:08 PM on December 18, 2016

I'm Canadian by birth but was whisked away at an early age. Is there a chance this power lives inside of me?
posted by maxwelton at 1:08 PM on December 18, 2016 [5 favorites]

I saw the ghost of Louis Riel order curry haggis poutine at 3AM in Saskatoon. His hair was perfect.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 1:09 PM on December 18, 2016 [9 favorites]

He's a heavy-mittened gent who's run amok in Brent. And lately he's been overheard in Iqaluit.*


* I swear to the sled dogs that scans as a line.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 1:24 PM on December 18, 2016 [2 favorites]

I've seen two raccoons fighting over an abandoned shawarma outside of a curling rink.

I would pay good money (the cost of a shawarma, at least) for someone with drawing skills to illustrate this.
posted by atropos at 2:05 PM on December 18, 2016

Meanwhile, here in Britain. Oh yes!
posted by vacapinta at 2:11 PM on December 18, 2016

All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in freezing rain. Time to move to Florida.
posted by sebastienbailard at 2:22 PM on December 18, 2016

*waits sadly for TheWhiteSkull to release the loon he's holding*
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 2:42 PM on December 18, 2016 [5 favorites]

Pretty sure it will be a gray jay in the remake.
posted by sebastienbailard at 2:51 PM on December 18, 2016 [3 favorites]

Vacapinta, I love the one you posted with Santa and the elves!

This is making me miss my old exercise class--it's not offered here anymore but it was like Zumba except with elements of Bhangra dancing among other things. It was a lot of fun.

*runs off to see if anyone in town offers Bhangra classes*
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 3:00 PM on December 18, 2016

This is so great, and you people with your Canada jokes.
posted by LobsterMitten at 3:36 PM on December 18, 2016

[sorry]
posted by ardgedee at 4:36 PM on December 18, 2016 [3 favorites]

Hippybear and anyone else who enjoys the stylish masculinity of bhangra, I do recommend checking out West African dance as well. Particularly sabar.(I'd link but I'm on my phone.) I have my biases bc I've been doing those styles for almost 15 years, but in their sheer joy of putting the human form into flight, they rival bhangra.
posted by gusandrews at 5:03 PM on December 18, 2016 [4 favorites]

I play the Maritime Bhangra Group's videos for my 2 year old. He gets up and dances with them and I will too, although he looks much better doing it than I do.

He doesn't seem to enjoy generic bhangra videos though, just these guys, so I'm always waiting for them to post more. My one wish is that they posted longer videos.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 5:24 PM on December 18, 2016

They're not very good at the actual shovelling, though, are they? I mean, there was more snow on the road than when they started.
posted by Joe in Australia at 5:28 PM on December 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

Again, as a friend posted this on FB, I'm proud to be a PR in this country when I see this, especially given the horror show of back home.
posted by Kitteh at 5:33 PM on December 18, 2016

some Russian folk dancing

Make sure to stick around for the accordion ballet.
posted by ostro at 8:04 PM on December 18, 2016

I do recommend checking out West African dance as well. Particularly sabar.'

This is friggin awesome!! Thanks :)
posted by DLWM at 12:31 AM on December 19, 2016

Well, since no one else has done it . . .
Sikh dance moves!
posted by Bee'sWing at 6:19 AM on December 19, 2016 [3 favorites]

If anyone should happen to come back you this thread, this is by far one of the best-produced dance videos I've ever seen, and it beautifully captures the explosive grace of sabar.
posted by gusandrews at 8:47 PM on January 4, 2017 [3 favorites]

If anyone should happen to come back you this thread, this is by far one of the best-produced dance videos I've ever seen, and it beautifully captures the explosive grace of sabar.

Holy shit. That's awesome. Thanks!
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 7:34 PM on January 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

Late seasonal update: Christmas Bhangra.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 7:44 PM on January 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

This existing makes me happy in many ways. I mean, mix bhangra with anything, yes. this particular combination of things? many yes.
posted by not_on_display at 9:05 PM on January 9, 2017