221 Curious Customs Practices and Traditions Around the World

Bayanihan is a custom practised in the Philippines. Do you know: The word ‘Bayanihan’ means being a ‘bayan’ which means town or community. The concept of Bayanihan helps the Filipinos as a community accomplishes incredible feats. The custom is more prevalent in rural areas where houses are made of bamboo and palm wood. According to […]

Pagmamano is a Filipino custom that has withstood foreign influences. Do you know: The custom requires one to actually say, ‘Mano Po’, meaning your hands please, to an elder. Pagmamano is a custom where a younger person greets someone elder to him/her, usually his parent, grandparent, relative, etc. by asking for his hand. Then he

T’aarof is a custom followed by the Persians and the Iranians, andis a form of civility highlighting deference and social rank. Do you know: While T’aarof exists as a form of social behaviour, it appears less when the two parties share a close relationship. There are various types and styles of negotiations that are prevalent

The Masai tribe of Kenya is known for its bright colourful attire and stretched earlobes. Do you know: Stretching the earlobe in the Masai customs is a sign of wisdom. The Masaitribe, particularly the women, pierce their ears with a knife or twig. After the piercing, they usually use animal bone or an elephant’s tusk

The Sati Custom is a banned Hindu custom that was widespread in India. Do you know: While the name Sati itself may have religious origins, the practice may have originated from Scythian invaders in India. Known to have social origins, this custom was long prevalent amongst various Hindu sects. The custom called for the wife

The Giraffe Women are of the Kayan tribe, native to Myanmar. Do you know: The coils around a woman’s neck do not actually elongate her neck itself. The Giraffe women along with their tribe are economic refugees in Thailand. These women wear coils weighing 25 pounds that compress their chests and shoulders, giving them the

Skull Binding was an ancient custom that predates written history and was present amongst various tribes irrespective of the geographic diversity. Do you know: While this practice is largely extinct now, it is still practised in a few places, like Vanuatu. The earliest examples of cranial deformation date back, to the ninth millennium BC. Newborn

Teeth Chiselling is considered an enhancement of one’s beauty in certain tribes of Indonesia. Do you know: Only the women are subject to this custom so as to help them balance their souls with their bodies and also enhance their appearance. Various tribes in Indonesia, including the Mantawaian tribe, believe that women must undergo a

The Masai tribe from Kenya and Tanzania has numerous Spitting Customs. Do you know: For a Masai, spitting into his hand before offering it fora handshake to an elder is a sign of respect. For the Masais, many of their customs revolve around spitting. However, this is not any ordinary spitting. When the Masais greet

The Ainu tribe, which reside in the parts of Russia and Japan, practises the Iyomante Ritual. Do you know: This ritual, which involves killing a bear as it hibernates in its cave, evolved from the fact that they worshipped Nature. The Ainu tribe believes that by killing the bear, they send its soul to heaven

There are a number of pregnancy customs that are a part of Chinese tradition. Do you know: The Chinese believe that to ward off evil spirits knives are to be placed under the bed of the pregnant lady as she sleeps. Pregnancy in the Chinese culture has many customs surrounding it. Some of them include,

The Torajan are an ethnic group, practising unique burial rituals living in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Do you know: The Torajan create an effigy of the departed and place it in the mouth of the cave where the deceased is placed, looking outward. For the Torajan people, funerals are an important aspect of their life. Until

In India, amongst the Hindus the Aghoris are a sect that practise cannibalism. Do you know: For the Aghoris, their temple and place of stay are cremation grounds. The Aghoris believe in Lord Shiva. Their belief is that Lord Shiva created everything; hence nothing is taboo–not meat, not alcohol, not even drugs. This sect resides

Feeding the Dead is an ancient Roman tradition that was uncovered recently. Do you know: It was only the recent discoveries in the Vatican that uncovered this long forgotten tradition. Many Roman graves, found not only in the Vatican but also in England, contained pipes that lead to the outside of the grave. Through these

Morris Dancing is an ancient form of dancing that is part of the English culture. Do you know: This dance is related to the word Moorish, as many of the dancers would paint their faces black. With origins deep rooted in druidic traditions, the revival of this dance style had begun with various folklorists. While