His last interview took place back in 2014, where 80-year-old Iranian man Amou Haji admitted that he hadn’t bathed in over 60 years – and he doesn’t seem to be any closer to changing his mind on the matter. He may be dirty and matted, but the locals in the Dejgah village still come to check on this strange (and presumably smelly) individual who claims he feels “free as a bird”. Here are 5 bizarre facts about Amou Haji, the man who hasn’t bathed in 65 years. 

1. He Sleeps in a Hole in the Ground

Apparently having undergone some “emotional setbacks” at a young age, Haji made an executive decision to leave his village and live a nomadic life. Currently living on the outskirts of the Dejgah village in southern Iran, Haji usually retires for slumber in a shallow divot in the ground. The lovely villagers took pity on him and built him a rundown shack to use as a home, where he resides the other half of the time that he isn’t using his hole. 

2. He Smokes Cigarettes…and Animal Poo

Amou Haji loves cigarettes so much that he’ll often smoke them 5 at a time. That is, when gracious passersby bestow him with such charity, as clearly, he is not employed. When he doesn’t have cigarettes it’s no problem for Haji though – he just loads up his rickety old pipe with dried animal dung and puffs away. There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason surrounding this. Just another odd quirk of an odd man. 

3. His Dinner is Disgusting

Living off the land is one thing (and an admirable skill to be certain), but like everything Haji does he gets a little carried away. Haji survives off the carcasses of animals left to die from natural causes, or roadkill, meaning the raw meat he eats isn’t even remotely fresh (like that would make it better). He maintains that his favourite is porcupine, but not if it’s cooked. One might suppose if you’re already smoking animal feces this isn’t the hugest cry from normal. 

4. He Will Lose it if You Ask Him About Bathing

Not only does Haji not partake in any sort of bathing ritual, he is adamantly opposed to the idea. He truly believes the cleanliness is responsible for illness, and if you question him, he is known to grow exceedingly angry. Apparently after one of his tirades its common for him to fall utterly silent. 

5. But He Believes in the Importance of Drinking Water

He may refuse to put the stuff anywhere near his skin, but he is in full support of drinking lots of water every day to achieve longevity. The clincher is that not even the water Haji drinks is clean – he consumes approximately two litres a day out of a designated rusty can. None of his methods to live a long life are backed by science, but hey, they seem to be working for him so far.