Unusual Cultural Customs Around the World

The world is full of unique cultures, each with its own peculiar and sometimes unimaginable customs. Let's explore before planning a trip to the countries below! It's also a way to avoid culture shock.

Taarof – Iran 

This gesture signifies importance in Iran, even though it is typically rejected. For instance, in some areas, sellers may refuse to accept money from customers with higher social status. However, the buyer will insist on paying, and the seller may refuse multiple times before accepting. This custom can be quite perplexing for first-time visitors.

Mano Po

This gesture demonstrates respect for the elderly. People bow their heads, hold the hand of the elderly, and press it against their forehead. This custom is mainly found in the Philippines, some areas of Malaysia, and Indonesia. Typically, this gesture is performed at family gatherings to guide children in seeking blessings from the elderly.

Bayanihan – Filipino

One distinctive aspect of Filipino culture is 'bayanihan' – the act of moving an entire house to a different location. Villagers gather, lift the house, and relocate it to a new spot to avoid floods, landslides, or simply to have better neighbors. 'Bayanihan' typically takes place in rural areas, where houses are made of lightweight materials like bamboo and wood.

Henna Art

Muslim weddings often feature traditions and rituals dating back hundreds of years. Two nights before the wedding, women in the bride's family will intricately paint patterns on the bride's hands, arms, and feet using Henna ink, symbolizing the woman's journey to maturity. These patterns are also believed to bring luck and fertility to the bride.

Mudra – India

Mudra is the symbolic hand gesture in Buddhist and Hindu cultures, primarily in India. Over 500 different meanings are conveyed through the movement of hands and fingers. These gestures allow the practitioner to control the flow of energy in the body and focus on a specific goal. Mudras appear in sculptures, paintings, dances, dramas, yoga, and meditation practices.

Lateness in South America

In many parts of the world, arriving late to social gatherings may be considered impolite, but not in South America. In Chile, if the host invites you for dinner at 8 PM, guests are expected to arrive at 8:15 or even 8:30. Being on time or early may catch the host unprepared, and the guest may be seen as too eager. In Ecuador, being 15-20 minutes late is considered being 'on time.'

Russian Drinking Etiquette

There are numerous rules for drinking in Russian culture, for instance: you must not place a half-empty glass back on the table after a toast, but rather finish the drink and turn the glass upside down. Being late means having to down a full glass. Additionally, if you hold an empty glass during a toast, you'll be penalized with finishing an entire bottle.

Tooth Fairy Traditions – Greece and Mauritania

In Greece and Mauritania, children don't place their lost teeth under the pillow for the Tooth Fairy; instead, they throw them forcefully onto the roof for good luck and health. In Malaysia, children bury their fallen teeth in the ground, believing that what is a part of the body should return to the earth. In Turkey, parents may use their children's baby teeth to express wishes for their future; for example, if they want their child to become a doctor, they might bury the tooth near a hospital.

Ritual of Seppuku

Seppuku is an integral part of the samurai code (bushido) – the law of the samurai; self-disembowelment is how warriors avoid falling into the hands of enemies and mitigate shame. Samurai could be ordered by powerful lords (daimyo) to perform self-disembowelment. Later, dishonored samurai were allowed to perform seppuku instead of facing conventional execution. As the main purpose of this ritual is to protect the honor of the samurai, those outside the samurai class will never undertake or be ordered to perform this ceremony. Female samurai only carry out self-disembowelment with permission.

Haka – Maori, New Zealand

This is a tradition of the Maori people in New Zealand. The movements include facial expressions, shouting, stomping, chest thumping, and tongue protrusion to intimidate opponents. Today, national athletes of New Zealand still perform this tradition, especially in rugby and softball teams.

According to Zing News

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