In every culture of the world there are traditions that seem strange, unusual and even unacceptable to representatives of other cultures. For your judgment, a list of the most bizarre traditions that are observed in different countries of the world.
Tooth filing, Bali, Indonesia
This Hindu religious ceremony is an important process in the transition from puberty to adulthood. The ritual for men and women must be performed before marriage, and sometimes it is included in the marriage ceremony. There is a tradition in cutting fangs. It is believed that this way a person is freed from all invisible evil forces, because teeth are a symbol of lust, greed, anger, confusion and jealousy.
Tidong wedding procession, Indonesia
The Tidong wedding procession is unique. Perhaps most charmingly, the groom is not allowed to see the bride's face until he sings a few love songs to her. But the strangest thing is that the bride and groom are not allowed to bathe for three days and nights after the wedding. Tidongi believe that in this way good luck will come to a young family, and quarrels, infidelity and death of newborn children do not threaten them. It’s impossible to lie and run away to wash: several people are watching the couple, who, moreover, allow only certain amounts of food and drinks to be eaten.
Circumcision of fingers, Dani tribes, Western New Guinea
The Dani people (or Ndani) are an indigenous tribe inhabiting the fertile lands of the Baliem Valley in the western part of the island of New Guinea. Members of this tribe, in order to emphasize the depth of grief at funeral ceremonies, smear their faces with ashes and clay. But that's nothing. The second tradition is more terrible: when a person from a tribe dies, his relative cuts off his finger and buries the phalanx along with the corpse of a husband or wife, as a symbol of love. The finger represents the body and soul that will always live together with his/her spouse or relative. Some cut off their fingers until they are unable to do household chores effectively. 
Lamentation of Muharram, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and several other countries
This tradition plays an important role among the Shiites and is held in the first month of the Muslim calendar, one of the four forbidden months. The event marks the anniversary of the Battle of the Iraqi city of Karbala, when Imam Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, and the Shia Imam, the successor of the prophet, were killed by Yazid I. The event reaches its climax on the morning of the tenth day - in Ashura. Groups of Shiite Muslims beat themselves with special chains with razors and knives attached. This tradition is practiced among all age groups; in some regions, parents force their children to take part in a bloody ceremony. 
Ant gloves, Mave people, Brazil
This is a very painful ritual that is practiced by the Mawe tribe of the Amazon, but without it the young man will not be considered an adult. When a boy reaches a certain age, he goes out into the jungle with a local medicine man and other boys of his age to find and collect the so-called bullet ants, which have a very strong sting and poison. This name is not accidental: the bite of this ant can be compared in terms of pain with a bullet wound! The ants are placed in a large woven mitten, and the boy must put it on and hold his hand there for about ten minutes. To escape from the pain, the young men begin to dance a ritual dance. However, in order to prove that the sufferer is a real man, he is ready to endure this pain 20 times longer. 
Funeral rite of the Yanomamo people, Brazil and Venezuela
Ritual rites are very important for this tribe. When a member of the tribe dies, his body is burned, and the ashes are mixed into plantain soup, which is eaten by the family members of the deceased. It is believed that by eating the ashes of a dear person, relatives help the spirit to move into a new body. The body of the deceased must be completely burnt, because the representatives of the Yanomamo, the process of decay seems terrifying. Moreover, you need to burn the body as soon as possible, otherwise the soul can fly out of the body and pursue the living. 
Ritual of Famadihan, Madagascar
The traditional festival is celebrated in urban and rural areas of the country, and is especially popular among tribal communities. This burial tradition, known as "turning the bones", involves people bringing the bodies of their ancestors from the family crypts, wrapping them in fresh cloth, and then dancing with the corpses around the tomb to live music. The ritual is usually held once every seven years, and the whole family gathers for it. For Madagascarians, this is an occasion to pay homage to the dead. For the ceremony, the relatives of the deceased dress very smartly, sing traditional songs and dance. 
Jumping over babies, Spain
In a small community in northern Spain, residents participate in the El Colacho ceremony, which literally translates to "the devil's jump." Babies are laid on mattresses on the ground, and people dressed in a devil costume scatter and jump over the babies, thus protecting them from all sorts of troubles in the future. This tradition is at least 4 centuries old. 
Every nation that exists in our world has its own traditions, customs and rituals. And how many of these peoples, so many traditions - very different, unusual, funny, shocking, romantic. But whatever they are, they are honored and passed down from generation to generation.
As our reader could already guess, today we will introduce the most unusual greetings of the peoples of the world, as well as their traditions and customs.
customs
Samoa
Samoans sniff each other when they meet. For them, it is rather a tribute to their ancestors than a serious ritual. Once upon a time, in this way, the Samoans tried to find out where the person they greeted was from. The smell could tell how many people had walked through the jungle or when they had last eaten. But more often than not, a stranger was identified by smell.
New Zealand
In New Zealand, the indigenous people, the Maori, touch each other with their noses when they meet. This tradition goes back centuries. It is called "hongi" and symbolizes the breath of life - "ha", ascending to the gods themselves. After that, the Maori perceive the person as their friend, and not just as a visitor. This tradition is observed even at meetings at the "highest level", so do not be surprised if you see on TV how the president of a country rubs his nose with the representative of New Zealand. This is etiquette and should not be broken.
Andaman Islands
A native of the Andaman Islands sits down on another's knees, hugs his neck and cries. And do not think that he is complaining about his fate or wants to tell some tragic episode from his life. Thus he rejoices in meeting his friend, and tears are the sincerity with which he meets his fellow tribesman.
Kenya
The Maasai tribe is the oldest in Kenya and is famous for its ancient and unusual rituals. One of these rituals is the welcome dance to Adam. It is performed only by the men of the tribe, as a rule, these are wars. The dancers stand in a circle and begin to jump high. The higher he jumps, the brighter he will show his courage and courage. Since the Maasai are subsistence farmers, they often have to jump like this when hunting lions and other animals.
Tibet
In Tibet, when they meet, they show each other their tongue. This custom has been going on since the IX, when Tibet was ruled by the tyrant-king Landarma. He had a black tongue. So the Tibetans were afraid that the king, after his death, might settle in someone else, and therefore they decided to show their tongue in order to protect themselves from evil. If you want to follow this custom as well, make sure you don't eat anything that turns your tongue dark, or misunderstanding may occur. The arms are usually held crossed over the chest.
Traditions
In Japan
And not only in Japan, but everywhere in the East, you must be prepared for one of the main traditions of the peoples of the East - to immediately take off your shoes. In Japan, you will be offered slippers to cover the distance between the front door and the living room, where you will again have to remove your slippers before stepping onto the tatami (reed mat). Of course, you need to make sure that your socks are spotlessly clean. And when leaving the living room, be careful not to put on other people's slippers.
China or Japan
The chopsticks should be leaning against the dish and lifted up two-thirds. You should never spear chopsticks, cross each other on a plate, stack them on opposite sides of a dish, point chopsticks at people, use chopsticks to pull your dish closer or, worst of all, stick them into rice. This is exactly what the Japanese do at funerals, leaving rice with sticks vertically stuck in it near the deceased. The traditions of the people of Japan do not allow a frivolous attitude towards death.
Thailand
In those countries where the majority of the population professes Buddhism, the head of a person is considered a sacred repository of the soul, and touching it is considered a serious insult even for a baby. Another well-known gesture in the tradition of these peoples - pointing at some object with a finger - this is considered rude in Malaysia, for this purpose the Malaysians use a clenched fist with a protruding thumb to indicate the direction. The Filipinos are even more restrained and modest in pointing out an object or direction of movement, they are more likely to indicate the direction to you with the movement of their lips or eyes.
Funny wedding traditions of the peoples of the world
The wedding tradition of some regions may also seem unusual and even funny to us. India. The fact is that there are places in India (for example, the state of Punjab) where there is a ban on a third marriage. You can choose a wife twice, four times is also not forbidden, but three times you can’t. However, the prohibition applies only to marriage with a living person, and therefore those men who did not limit themselves to a second marriage marry ... a tree. Yes, on an ordinary tree, but with all the necessary ceremonies and honors (maybe, perhaps, a little more modestly). After the wedding celebration is completed, the guests help the happy groom to be "widowed" by simply cutting down this very tree. And now there are no obstacles to the third marriage!
A similar custom is used when the younger brother decides to marry before the elder does. In this situation, the older brother chooses a tree as his wife, and then just as easily frees himself from the bonds of marriage.
IN Greece the young wife is not at all afraid to seem incompetent, stepping on her husband's foot during the dance. On the contrary, this is exactly what she tries to do throughout the holiday. If the newlywed succeeds in this maneuver, it is believed that she has every chance of becoming the head of the family.
And in Greece, children appear on their wedding night. No kidding! There is a custom - in order for everything to be safe in the family, it is necessary to put children into their bed before the newlyweds. Let them run, jump on the bed - and then the young people will definitely have everything right.
IN Kenya It is customary to dress an accomplished husband in women's clothes, in which a man must walk for at least a month. It is believed that in this way the husband will be able to fully experience the difficult and difficult female lot and treat his young wife with more love in the future. By the way, this wedding custom is observed in Kenya quite strictly and no one objects. Especially the wife, who takes a photo of her husband with pleasure and saves the resulting photos in a family album.
IN Norway Since ancient times, the bride's porridge has been an obligatory treat of a wedding celebration - it was prepared from wheat with cream. Porridge was served after the bride took off her wedding attire and changed into a suit of a married woman. Many jokes and amusements have always been associated with porridge in Norway, a boiler with it could even be stolen and demanded a ransom.
On Nicobar Islands, for example, if a guy expressed a desire to marry a girl, he must become a "slave" in the girl's house, and this can last from 6 months to a year. During this time, the chosen one is determined whether she wants such a husband or not. If the girl agrees, the village council declares them husband and wife. Well, if not, the guy returns home.
IN Central Nigeria marriageable girls are placed in separate fattening huts. Only their mothers are allowed to visit them, who for many months, or even a whole year (depending on success) bring their daughters a huge amount of flour food so that they get fat. Fullness in their tribe is highly valued and is a guarantee of a successful marriage.
India
Let's start with a greeting. You can say hello by simply shaking hands, as we are used to. But there are some subtleties. It is considered bad manners to shake hands with someone you have never met before. In addition, women should not shake hands with Indians, as this may be considered an insult. The most respectful greeting among Indians is namaste - these are joined palms at chest level.
When meeting a Hindu, one must remember that their names consist of several parts. First is his own name, then the name of his father, then the name of the caste in which he belongs and the name of the locality of his residence. For women, the name contains her own name and the name of her spouse.
When saying goodbye, Indians raise their palms and wave only their fingers. We also sometimes use a similar gesture, only in India they say goodbye to a girl like that. If you say goodbye to a man - just raise your palm.
The following gestures should not be used:
* just like with us, it is considered impolite to point somewhere with the index finger;
* Don't wink at a pretty girl. This gesture is indecent and speaks of a specific proposal. If a man needs a representative of an ancient profession, he must point his index finger at the nostril;
* No need to snap your fingers to get someone's attention. This is taken as a challenge;
* vibration with fingers clenched into a bundle - a sign to the interlocutor that he is afraid;
*double clapping is a hint of a different orientation.
IN India exists animal cult. Some representatives of the animal world are elevated to the rank of sacred. Temples are built especially for monkeys. For example, the famous Palace of the Winds, where monkeys live in such numbers and are so aggressive that tourists are not even recommended to go there! Other sacred animals, cows, walk the streets of settlements. They live their own lives and die a natural death, as they are forbidden to be eaten.
Another animal is the peacock. They literally live in clover - they sing their noisy songs everywhere: in temples, on the streets and in the courtyards of private houses.
When visiting the temple, you must take off your shoes at the entrance and enter barefoot. It is better to exclude products made of genuine leather from your wardrobe altogether. This is considered blasphemy.
Japan
* When you're giving a gift, it's good to be humble again by saying something like, "I'm sorry it's such a trifle" or "You might not like the gift."
* When guests arrive, they are sure to be offered some kind of treat. Even if the person showed up unexpectedly, he will usually be offered a snack, even if it is just a cup of rice with pickled vegetables and tea. If you are invited to a Japanese-style restaurant, unforeseen situations may arise from which the invitee will be happy to help you find a decent way out. For example, tell you when and where to take off your shoes.
It is not necessary to sit in the Japanese manner with your legs tucked under you. Most Japanese, as well as Europeans, quickly get tired of this. Men are allowed to cross their legs, while women are subject to more stringent requirements: they must sit with their legs tucked under them, or, for convenience, moving them to one side. Sometimes a guest may be offered a low chair with a back. Stretching your legs forward is not accepted.
* When you are offered a drink, you need to raise the glass and wait until it is filled. It is recommended to render a return service to your neighbors.
* In both a Japanese home and a conference room, the place of honor is usually located further away from the door next to the tokonoma (wall niche with a scroll and other decorations). A guest may, out of modesty, refuse to take a seat of honor. Even if this causes a slight hitch, it is better to do so that later you will not be spoken of as an indiscreet person. Before you sit down, you have to wait until the guest of honor sits down. If he is delayed, then everyone rises upon his arrival.
* Before the start of the meal, an oshibori is served - a hot, damp towel, they wipe their face and hands. Meals begin with the word "Itadakimas!" and bow slightly, this is said by everyone who sits at the table and takes part in the meal. This word has many meanings, in this case it means: "I'm starting to eat with your permission!". The first to start the meal is the host or the one who, say, invites you to a restaurant. As a rule, soup and rice are served first. Rice is generally served with all dishes. If you need to rearrange cups or plates yourself, use both hands to rearrange them.
Vietnam
The Vietnamese never make eye contact when talking. Perhaps because of their inherent shyness. But the main reason is that, following tradition, they do not look into the eyes of those who are respected, or who have a higher rank.
Vietnamese smiles can often cause foreigners to misunderstand and even lead to embarrassing situations. The fact is that in many eastern countries a smile is also a sign of grief, anxiety or awkwardness. Smiling in Vietnam is often an expression of politeness, but it can also be a sign of skepticism, misunderstanding, or rejection of a misjudgment.
Loud arguments and heated discussions are frowned upon and are rare among the Vietnamese. Well-educated Vietnamese are well-trained in terms of self-discipline as well. Therefore, the loud voices of Europeans are often perceived with disapproval.
In a conversation, the Vietnamese very rarely go straight to the goal. To do so is to show a lack of tact and delicacy. Straightforwardness is highly valued in the Western world, but not in Vietnam. The Vietnamese do not like to say "no" and often answer "yes" when the answer should be no.
There are many different taboos in the daily life of the Vietnamese. For example, the following:
* Do not praise a newborn child, as evil spirits are nearby and may steal the child because of its value.
* Going to work or on business, avoid seeing the first woman. If the first thing you see when you walk out the door is a woman, go back and postpone the event.
* Mirrors are often hung on the front doors from the outside. If the dragon wants to get into the house, he will see his own reflection and think that there is already another dragon there.
* Do not put one bowl of rice and one pair of chopsticks on the table. Be sure to put at least two. One bowl is for the dead.
* Don't let your chopsticks touch other chopsticks and don't make noise with them unnecessarily. Don't leave chopsticks in your food.
* Do not give anyone a toothpick.
* Never buy one pillow and one mattress, always buy two. * Do not use your relatives' towels.
* Do not turn musical instruments upside down or hit both sides of the drum at the same time.
* Do not cut your nails at night.
* In a restaurant with a Vietnamese, it is not customary to pay "in half". Let him pay, or pay the bill yourself. The person of higher rank always pays.
Gifts for the bride and groom are always given as a couple. One gift symbolizes the imminent end of marriage. Two cheap gifts are always preferable to one expensive one.
* Educated people and all who are not peasants do not do manual labor. To do so is to take away a job from a poor peasant and is considered unworthy.
Thailand
The head of any person in Thailand, regardless of age, gender and social status, is considered sacred. According to centuries-old Thai belief, the spirit of a person who guards his life is located in the head. Therefore, stroking the head, ruffling the hair, or simply touching the head of a person is perceived as a real insult.
In principle, Thai women should not be touched without their consent, since most of them hold conservative views, and may also take this gesture as an insult.
You should not point at anything, and even more so at someone with your foot, the lower part of the body, which is considered “despicable” here.
For the same reason, in no case should you sit cross-legged with your feet pointing towards the Buddha statue. Thais honor every image of him, so beware of climbing or leaning on statues to take pictures.
According to the traditions in Thailand, before entering a temple or a Thai dwelling, you should take off your shoes, even if the hosts hospitably assure you that you can keep your shoes on.
In communication, a restrained, calm, friendly tone and an unchanging smile are welcome. Avoid familiarities and raising your voice.
superstition
Lunar eclipses- special days when the evil spirit Rahukin-chan ("Rahu - eating the moon") eats the moon. Sleeping on such a night is not recommended, but you need to go outside and make a lot of noise to drive the bastard away from the home. At the same time, good spirits are called for help, which must fight with Rahukin-chan. Pregnant women should definitely stick a needle into their shirt to protect the unborn child from harm.
Fear of falling stars due to the legend of the spirit phiphungtai, who thus tries to return to our world. This spirit is a collective image of all the dead who are trying to return through unborn children. Pregnant women should not look at shooting stars and should not even talk about it.
Wednesday is the worst day when evil spirits come into our world. You can’t start business, you can’t travel and even go to the hairdresser. Away from major cities on Wednesday, many do not work, so as not to bring trouble.
You can't drive nails into your home floor your stomach will hurt.
Thais don't like owls, considering them harbingers of misfortune. Well, if the owl somehow already flew past the dwelling, then only monks can avert trouble, who should be invited into the house and treated well.
Sand accidentally found in the house brings good luck.
You can not play the pipe in the house, it irritates evil spirits.
Cross the threshold of the house so as not to offend the good spirits.
Tanzania
One of the most important rules of conduct for visitors is the ban on smoking in public places. Smoking is allowed only in hotel rooms and in a number of restaurants in a special area. On the street, in clubs, cinemas, beaches, smoking is strictly prohibited, up to several hours of arrest.
The island of Zanzibar is known for its strictest conservation law, one of the points of this law is the ban on the use of plastic bags. All goods here are issued in paper.
In most hotels, even in the most expensive rooms, there will be kerosene lamps - power outages are the main trouble of modern Tanzania.
Despite sometimes even too courteous treatment of foreigners, the local population has an unspoken tradition of making fun of them. You should not ask the first person you meet for directions, smiling sweetly, he will show you a completely wrong path. Experienced tourists recommend introducing yourself as a journalist in such situations, English is well understood here, then the chance of deception decreases.
Greeting etiquette is very important. The type of greeting depends on the status of the person and his age. A common greeting among Swahili tribes among well-known people is “Khujambo, habari gani” (“How are you?”, “What's the news?”) Or simply “Jambo!”. A group of people are greeted with the word "hatujambo". The word "shikamu" is used to greet respected people. Young children are taught to greet their elders by kissing their hands or kneeling before them. Friends who meet after a long separation usually shake hands and kiss each other on both cheeks. In communicating with foreigners, they often use a handshake and the traditional English “hello”.
In Tanzania, as in many other parts of Africa, the right hand is considered "clean" and the left hand is considered "dirty." Therefore, the right hand is used for eating or for exchanging gifts. The polite way to receive a gift is to first touch the gift with the right hand, and then the right hand of the giver.
Behavior at the table is also determined by many norms. Usually a traditional meal is held on mats on the floor, food is placed on low tables. But in many continental families, the meal is held in a European way - at the table. You can take food from a common plate with your hands and put it on your own plate, or you can eat from a common dish. The main thing is to ensure that food crumbs do not fall into a common dish and onto other people's plates. In Zanzibar, it is customary to give guests fresh clove shoots to flavor the mouth before eating. The sequence of dishes is traditional for East African countries - soup is served first, and then appetizers and hot dishes. Lunch ends with coffee and sweets. Light snacks and greens are usually on the table for the entire lunch.
You can not bypass the worshipers in front. Shoes should be removed when entering mosques and houses.
The general lifestyle of Tanzanians can be characterized by two phrases - “hakuna matata” (“no problem”) and “field-field” (“calmly”, “slowly”). These phrases can describe the attitude of Tanzanians to everything around them. Service in a restaurant or travel agency is extremely slow. If a Tanzanian said "one second", then it could mean 15 minutes or half an hour. At the same time, local residents smile radiantly at all attempts to hurry them up and continue to act at a leisurely pace. It is useless to somehow influence this, you just need to put up with it and try to live in this rhythm yourself.
Spanish customs
To express their admiration, the people of Spain fold three fingers, press them to their lips and play the sound of a kiss.
Spaniards express a sign of disdain with a hand that is waved away from themselves at chest level.
Touching the earlobe is regarded by the Spaniard as an insult.
To show someone the door, the Spaniards use a gesture quite similar to our snapping fingers.
The appeal to "you" is used by them in most situations, even students in schools often refer to their teachers this way. This is an ordinary story. But the appeal to “You” can even offend a person from time to time.
When they meet, they greet each other noisily and cheerfully. The most common greeting is "Hola" - "Hi". When meeting and parting, they press cheek to cheek, imitating a kiss and embrace. For Spaniards, a short communication distance means that you are a pleasant conversationalist for him. But if you, for example, as in Germany, keep an arm's length distance while talking, then the Spaniard will understand this as a sign of disdain.
Everything always happens later than planned. There is no fixed time for breakfast, it all depends on when the Spaniard comes to work. They do not have the habit of having breakfast at home, except for a cup of coffee, because the 2nd cup, together with a sandwich, will be drunk at the beginning of the working day. Soon it will be time for lunch.
Here it is necessary to emphasize such a paradox as the Spanish siesta. It starts at 1pm and lasts until 5pm. At this time, all the shops are closed, office staff crawling home for lunch and afternoon naps. Not every tourist is able to understand this, standing in front of the closed doors of the gift shop. He is surprised, upset and even angry, but... Siesta!
For the Spaniards, there are certain topics - taboo. They prefer not to talk about death, not to ask people their age. It is also not customary to talk about money, especially when you have it. No one says: “I earn a lot” or “I get enough”. Instead, you will hear: “I can’t complain” or “I live small.” On other topics, the Spaniards talk a lot and, as foreigners say, too loudly.
For them, it is absolutely not necessary to know a person well in order to chat with him for hours. And from time to time it happens that a long conversation is over, and the name of the interlocutor remains unknown ... These are Spaniards.
Some of the customs below may seem funny and interesting to you, while others, in turn, are quite strange and cruel. Today you will learn about the ten strangest traditions, one way or another connected with children.
10. Bathing newborns in boiling milk
Karaha Puzhan is a strange rite that is practiced in a number of areas of India. According to him, the father must bathe the newborn son in boiling milk. The ritual is usually performed in Hindu temples. The whole ceremony is accompanied by the recitation of mantras by Hindu priests. Milk is usually boiled in clay pots, and as soon as it boils, the father puts the child in a pot of boiling milk and pours it from another pot on top. But the ritual does not end there, after dousing the baby, it is the turn of his father. According to the followers of this tradition, its main goal is to propitiate the gods so that the child grows up happy.
Source 9Babies sleeping on the streets in sub-zero temperatures
For the people of Sweden, it is quite common to leave their children to sleep outside, even in sub-zero temperatures. While this may seem like a risky proposition to you and me, many Swedish parents will disagree with us. On the contrary, they believe that the habit of cold temperatures will harden their children and protect them from many diseases. Moreover, sleeping outdoors is considered healthier and more restful. This habit is not unique to parents, many childcare centers also practice this activity.
8. Before the age of three months, babies should not touch the ground.
In Bali, Indonesia, there is a strange custom according to which babies under the age of three months are forbidden to touch the ground. The reason lies in the fact that the locals believe that all this time the child is inextricably linked with the spirit, and touching the ground will surely defile him. Many people in Bali consider this rule sacred. All the first three months of life, children spend in the arms of the whole family. Moreover, often the whole village helps a young family to bear this heavy burden.
7. Preservation of the umbilical cord
In Japanese culture, the umbilical cord is of great importance. It is so large that mothers here keep their babies' umbilical cords in special boxes called Kotobuki Bako. According to ancient legend, this custom originated when the first women wanted to keep something for themselves in memory of childbirth. Inside the box is usually a doll dressed in a kimono, symbolizing a child, and the umbilical cord is usually hidden inside the doll.
6. Bathing in cold water
In Guatemala, bathing children in cold water is quite common. Mothers believe that it will benefit their children. Such baths usually help get rid of the rash and make babies sleep better. Despite all the advantages of this method, it is probably not very to the liking of the objects of care themselves.
5. Children predict their own future
In Armenia, you can often find a rather eccentric ritual called (Agra Hadig). It is usually done when a child has their first tooth. The child is placed on the table, on which there are already many items, such as books, knives, scissors and others. It is believed that the first object that the baby will reach for will determine his future. For example, if a child touches a knife, then he can grow up to be a surgeon, if books, then a priest or pastor, and if money, then a banker. Only women participate in the ritual, and in its process only sweets are served on the table.
4. Forcing children to cry
The Japanese Nakizumo Festival is held every April at Senso-ji Temple in Tokyo. During this holiday, competitions for crying among children are organized. The parents of the participating children believe that this ritual will give them health in the future and drive away evil spirits. The competition consists in the fact that two sumo wrestlers enter the ring, each of them is given a child. The first one to make the baby cry is the winner. If the children start crying at the same time, then the winner is the one whose child screams louder.
3. Spitting at children
Usually, at the sight of a baby, everyone starts to lisp and admire him, but in Bulgaria things are different. After the welcome praises, a real spit awaits the children here. This is a kind of ceremony of protection from the evil eye, when they try to denigrate the baby by all means so that no one can jinx him.
2. Jumping over children
All parents want the best for their children, but few dare to risk their lives for it. But in the Spanish village of Castrillo de Murcia, they think differently, many parents are involved here.
Ah, this wedding...!
Every self-respecting Andalusian before his wedding is obliged to jump from a cliff head down. According to the ancient customs of Andalusia, it is believed that only a man with a strong skull can marry. The paradox itself is that the more relatives a wife has, the higher the rock should be.
The wedding ceremony of the Navajo Indians amazes outsiders with its cruelty: before marriage, the bride cuts off her tongue, and the groom .... Perhaps that is why wives are famous for their silence, and husbands for their extraordinary constancy.
The natives of the Solomon Islands solve the issue of infidelity of married couples in this way: under the leadership of a shaman, they sit in a circle and eat the half accused of treason. If the meat is bitter, then it is considered guilty, if not, the second half is eaten. In the event that both halves turn out to be innocent, legends form about their fidelity.
When a young Chinese turns exactly one year old, he is placed on a yellow silk mat with black dragons embroidered by old masters and beaten on the head with a hammer. If at the same time the sound "Zen" is heard, then the child is given to a Zen-Buddhist monastery, if the sound "Bam" is heard, he is considered an ordinary Chinese.
Only once in the entire history of China, during such a ceremony, a strange sound “kon-fu” was heard, it was emitted by the head of a child who later became Confucius.
Since the feudal period in Japan, there has been a special caste of people who are popularly called samurai. Near each higher educational institution where human anatomy is studied, special rooms (bonzaiki) were built, in which the samurai live, earning their living with hara-kiri.
Bride for everyone. One of the wildest wedding traditions exists in the islands of Polynesia. The newlyweds should spend the first wedding night not alone, but together with friends. And not celebrating the wedding at all ... The newly-made wife should lie on the floor, resting her head on her husband's knees, and the male guests, starting with the oldest, have sexual intercourse with her. The groom is allowed to the body of the bride in the very last turn. All the while the female guests sing and dance around. This tradition is explained by the fact that among many peoples, the blood released during defloration is considered dirty and saturated with demons. Therefore, men, starting with the oldest and most respected, thus purify the bride from demons.
First fight, then love. The laws of the Bahutu tribe forbid newlyweds from having sex immediately after the wedding. On their wedding night, the newlyweds go to the husband's house, where the young wife begins to beat her husband with everything that comes to hand. In the morning she goes home, and in the evening she returns and everything repeats. Such beatings continue for a week, after which the long-awaited act of love happens. This tradition is explained by the fact that before making love, the newlyweds must get used to each other, and the fight helps a lot in this.
Family life for 3 days. Young girls of one of the peoples of India get married for only three days. After these days, the young spouse must leave the house of his wife forever and never again come across her eyes. After that, the girl begins a happy life: she has every right to have as many lovers as she wants and not deny herself anything.
Bride: The thicker the better. In Central Nigeria, tribal elders decide when it is time for a girl to get married. And that's not the worst. After the decision is made, the girl is locked up in a special hut for several months, or even for a whole year, and fattened. She should not do anything, only eat as much fatty and high-calorie food as possible all day long in order to gain weight faster. It is believed that the fatter the bride, the more beautiful she is.
Among the ancient Arabs, the law ordered the son, in the form of a special privilege, to become a husband to his widowed mother.
A traditional Bedouin wedding dish is a roasted camel, inside of which is a roasted ram stuffed with boiled chickens stuffed with fish and the fish stuffed with eggs.
To be considered a bride and groom in Bulgaria, a guy just needs to throw an apple at his beloved girl. And after the wedding night, the groom informed everyone present at the wedding about a successful outcome with a shot from a gun.
Australian Aborigines shared their wives within the same clan. The only condition was that this man liked the owner. In this case, refusing sexual services meant an insult and disrespect to the family.
