This world is filled with different people and their culture and customs. Thus, they all have different believes as well. Some of them are spiritual and others are to honouring a certain someone. We won’t go to a discussion whether it is valid or meaningless. But what we can do is sit back and enjoy knowing about them.
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10. Placenta Eating Ritual in China –
In Chinese age-old tradition, it’s more than normal that when you bring the baby you also brought home the baby’s placenta as well. Why do you ask? To cook it of course. It’s in Chinese people medicine practice for a very long time, the medical properties of the placenta are very good for the mother’s health. It’s so popular in China that some of the hospitals sell these at a very high price, illegally. This old tradition has become alive in the other area of the world as well, you can also check out placenta cooking recipes on the internet. It may sound like a bizarre thing but unlike other rituals, this one actually is good for your health.
9. Walking Dead of Indonesia –
If you have always wanted to see a zombie than visit Indonesia during one of these rituals. The Toraja people strongly believe in the afterlife, the death of the body isn’t final. When someone from a poorer family dies, they still are treated as if they are alive until they got enough money for a proper burial. The family members washed the corpse, have dinner, basically do all the daily activity with it. Sometimes, the bodies are kept in a tongokonan or in another room of their house. As long as all the family member are present at the funeral, the burial ritual doesn’t take place, so the burial can be delayed for quite longer.
8.Baby tossing in India –
Many couples aren’t lucky enough to have children of their own and here in India, they toss a baby from almost 30 ft. height just to complete their 700 years old ritual. This ruthless custom is present in Maharastra, in spite of bans implemented on this tradition. Although, not all village practice this but still some of the remote areas are still doing it, even after many child rights activist protests. And the reason behind doing is almost as selfish as it can be. Supposable, throwing a child off a really high rooftop is going to bring you a fortune. No matter how many people are on the ground holding a mere piece of cloth, just one mistake and the little one could die.
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7. Wearing Bullet Ant Gloves in Brazil –
Most cultures have a fun way of celebrating a teenager becoming a man or a woman. Like, a bar mitzvah, a quinceañera, a sweet sixteen party etc. But if you are a member of Sateré-Mawé tribesmen in Brazil, entering adulthood is an experience of a lifetime. Because they believe that going through pain is what makes a boy into a man. First of all, the young boy must gather the ants from the forest. Afterwards, the ants are being drugged, with the herbs. When they fell asleep, the tribesmen trapped them in the gloves. When those insects wake up they become angry and that is the time to put the young boy’s hands in them. This painful ritual is being performed 20 times, while other men perform a ritual dance to take their mind off of it. I can’t imagine it being helpful.
6. Ash Eating of Yanomamos in Amazon –
Yanomamos are the most well-known Indians living on Amazon. They are especially known for the fact they eat ashes of their dead loved ones. Why do they do it? Because they believe that death is not a natural incident. It is also believed that the rival tribe members sent an evil spirit to kill. This may sound bizarre but for them, it is a way to keep them alive forever. Let me clarify when a person dies in this tribe, the loved one of the dead consumes his or her burned ashes because he or she was a member of the kin group. However, the process is, the intention is noble.
4. Ikipalin, Dani Tribe Practices Finger Cutting –
Instead of mourning over the loss of their loved ones, Dani tribes of Indonesia choose to cut off their fingers. When a beloved member of the family dies, a female family member will have to cut off a part of her finger. It is not clear (and unfair) why only women participate in this ritual when the men don’t. Some older men of the family may take participant but the majority is for the female gender. The practice can even go down to a baby girl.
5. Greece’s Battle of Fire –
A church is a place to be at peace and to feel safe. But otherwise known as a peaceful place, some churches of Greece become a dangerous place to be, in Easter. Even though the origin is unclear but it is said to be practice from Ottoman era. What happens is, the parishioners of the two village’s churches throws hundreds of rocket at each other’s church. In an attempt to hit the church’s bell tower. Until one of them hit the bell, the fire war goes on no matter how much damage it occurs. Many houses have been damaged as well as people have died in this war, but nothing is tragic enough to stop this game of death.
3.Women in Uganda –
The girls of Sabiny tribes pay a heavy p
rice to stay faithful to their men. Not only in Uganda but this female circumcision is also followed in Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan and some places of India as well. When a girl enters womanhood, the women of the tribe cuts of their clitoris. Just because, they believe that if she can tolerate this pain she can endure any obstacles in her future. Also, this ritual makes sure that she stays faithful to her husband. The ritual is so strong that some of them feared that no one would marry them if they didn’t cut. The good news is, the battle to stop this horrible custom is on and almost gone from some places.
2. Hindu Festival of Piercing, Thaipusam –
Celebrated by the Tamil community in Sri Lanka, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Mauritius, Thaipusam is a way to show devotion to their god, Muruga. This painful festival takes place from January to February, thousands of devotees pierce themselves on the different part of their body every year. They celebrate this on the birthday of Lord Muruga and his killing of Soorapadma, with a spear. And most probably that’s why they pierce themselves in a different part of the body, such as chest, back, tongue etc.
1. Mournful Journey of Muharram –
Muharram is the first and said to be the most sacred month in Islamic calendar. Legend has it, Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Hazrat Muhammad and his friends and family were held hostage then deprived them of food and water in the desert for three days until they brutally murdered them. And to remember their death, Shia Muslims mourn by whipped themselves with razor chains. This is a tradition practised by all ages of men, even some parents force their little children to take part. They believe that it will bring peace to their soul.
