10 STRANGE Customs You’ll Only Find In Specific Cultures

 Every place is filled with its own unique customs and cultures.

Over time, these traditions and customs have spread across the world. While some are easy to adopt and delightful, other have proven to be shocking. Here is a peak into 10 customs from different cultures.

1. Taarof

image source-TAP Persia

Coming from Iran, Taro of is a hand gesture of respect and deference. It is general knowledge that a gesture of this sort should be refused. Like for example, in certain places, it is considered the polite norm for a shopkeeper to refuse to accept a payment from a customer of a higher societal rank. The correct response to a gesture like this is for the customer to insist on paying. Usually, the shopkeep will refuse several times before he accepts the payment. This confuses a lot of international customers.

Taarof is sometimes also extended to social invitations. In Iranian culture, an invitation to one’s home is a mere formality however enthusiastic it may sound. If the invitee accepts such an invitation, it might put their host in an uncomfortable position.

2. Mano Po

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Pagmamano is a common gesture used to symbolise respect for one’s elders. It is similar to bowing, and it includes taking an elder’s hand and pressing it to your forehead. This custom is found widely in the Philippines and some parts of Malaysia and Indonesia. It is believed to have come from China centuries ago. It is extremely common for children to ask for blessings from their elders at family gatherings.

When speaking to an elder, they also have a custom of using the words “po” and “opo”. Like for example, “Ano yun?” (“What is that?”) would be correct if you were talking to a friend. However, when the same thing is said to an elder or someone of higher status a po is added, “Ano po yun?”. When questioned by an elder, the word “opo” should be used rather than “oo” – the Filipino word for “yes”.

The words “po” and “opo” are also used as words of endearment when talking to someone of equal status.

 

3. Bayanihan

Bayanihan is another practice that comes from the Philippines. It refers to the practice of literally moving your entire house to a new location. Traditionally, villagers come together to carry the structure over a distance. In most cases Bayanihan is done to avoid damage from floods or landslides however it is also done to simply oblige a good neighbour.

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This custom usually occurs only in rural areas since houses are made of material like bamboo and nipa palm wood that are light and easy to carry. Although it does happen in urban areas, it is restricted to items like hardware, playground contraptions like swings, slides, and basketball courts.

4. Henna Weddings And The Blackening

Islamic weddings follow traditions and rituals passed down over the centuries. Thursday’s are auspicious days for the wedding ceremony to take place since the Muslims consider Friday to be their holy day. Two nights before the wedding it is a custom to have a mehndi or “henna” night. All the women on the bride’s side of the family come and paint henna designs on the arms, hands and feet of the bride. This is done to symbolise the start of her womanhood. Some of the symbols painted on her body are meant to attract luck and fertility.

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While henna night is a beautiful custom, another custom that comes from Scotland called “the blackening” is the exact opposite. In the blackening, all the friends of the bride and groom tie the couple together in bathtubs, large crates or trucks and parade them through the streets while passerby’s throw disgusting things like feathers, soot, rotten eggs, curry, show polish, mud, etc. at the couple. This is done in order to ward off evil spirits. It is also a symbol of the hardships the couple will have to endure and conquer during their life together.

5. Mudras

Mudras are gestures that come from India. They are unique to Hindu and Buddhist cultures. According to the mudras, there are 500 different meanings that can be expressed just by the movements of a persons hands or fingers. It is believed that these movements allow a person to control the flow of their life energy in order to focus on a particular goal. The different mudras are portrayed in statues, paintings, dances, yoga and several meditative techniques.

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The most popular mudra is the gyana mudra and is used for meditation. It is believed to control mental clarity and calmness. For this mujra, your thumb and index finger touch while the other fingers extend away from the palm. Similarly, the agni mujra (thumb touching the middle finger while the other three fingers extend away from your palm) is said to help with digestion and is a symbol of fire.

6. Arriving Late

In several places all over the world, coming to a social gathering late is considered rude and unacceptable. However in Chile, if the host invites you home for dinner at 8 pm, the guest are expected to arrive only around 8.15pm or 8.30pm. Arriving at the time specified is looked up an being too eager for a meal and can catch the host unprepared. Similarly in Ecuador, you are considered to be on time if you arrive 15-20 minutes late and in Brazil, meeting times are considered elastic with people showing up whenever they please.

The large population of immigrants in the United States has led to these customs being practiced in the States as well. In Miami, it is very common for dinner to be served late and guests to arrive late as compared to other parts of the country.

7. Alcohol And The Devil

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Putting stereotypes aside, Russia happens to be one of the highest ranked countries in the world for alcohol consumption. Their love for vodka also happens to be a large factor affecting death in the country due to liver disease, alcohol poisoning, accidents, etc.

A lot of Russian etiquette is based on their love for drinking. Like for example, after a toast, it is wrong to place your glass back on the table without emptying it; arriving late for dinner involves consuming an entire glass of vodka because you are expected to catch up with the other guests; no interruptions are allowed between the first and second shots; and if you make the mistake of raising a toast with an empty glass, you will be made to drink the entire bottle.

Swearing is also an integral part of Russian culture. However, this custom of theirs is covered in superstition. Like for example, if you happen to curse the health of another person, you are expected to spit over your left shoulder three times. This is an act that symbolises spitting in the eye of the devil in order to prevent bad omens. If the curse happens to be written, the person should write down the sounds “Tfu, tfu, tfu!”

8. Pearly Whites And The Tooth Fairy

Different places have their own variations in the tale of the tooth fairy. The tooth fairy is called Tann Feen in Denmark. Several cultures believe the mythical figure is actually a mouse. In France, it is known as La Petite Souris, in Spain as Ratoncito Perez, and in Colombia as El Raton Miguelito.

In Greece and Mauritania, children are made to throw their tooth as high as they can towards the roofs of their houses. In Greece, this is known to bring good luck and strong teeth. If a rooster crows at daybreak in Mauritania, he could keep the tooth.

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In Jamaica, children are told to put the tooth in a can and shake it otherwise a calf will come to take the child away. The sound of the tooth in the can will drive the calf away. In Malaysia, children bury their lost teeth. This is because they believe it was a part of their body and hence, it has to be returned to the Earth. Turkish parents use lost teeth as a means to express their expectations of their children. Like for example, if they want their child to grow up and be a doctor, the tooth will be buried near a hospital.

9. Bushido and Seppuku

Bushido is known as the warrior code of Japan and is a symbol of strength, loyalty and integrity. Several analysts have to recommend using  Bushido in business. To carry out business that is inspired by bushido means to work effectively and honestly.

Seppuku is the custom of suicide when a samurai has no other alternative to defeat or has a bad reputation. This was especially carried out during the second World War when Japanese soldiers carried out Seppuku as an alternative to surrendering. This practice is still carried out in several parts of Asia.

Korean’s feel extremely guilty or shameful when there is a great tragedy and they see no option but to end their lives. Like for example, when the MV Sewol sunk in 2014 and hundreds of students died, the vice principal expressed his guilt by committing suicide.The Haka

10. The Haka

Haka is a tradition that comes from the Maori people of New Zealand. This involves a series of facial expressions, growling, howling, chanting and stopping in order to scare the opponents of the tribe. Today it is seen when performed by the national teams of New Zealand. Like for example during the FIBA tournament in 2014, the New Zealand basketball team did the haka against their American opposition.

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It is more than just a dance of war or a challenge to fight. It can also involve poetry that spreads the great history of the tribe from one generation to the next, it is used to communicate peace, as a sign of welcome and to show respect.