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Revenge plays a significant role in human history. From ancient times to the modern world, various customs have emerged based on the idea that injustice must be repaid with justice. In this piece, we explore some of the most unique and strange revenge rituals that have existed—whether they serve to exact vengeance or offer a means to avoid it.
10. Eradicating or Imprisoning Churels - India
The churel is a demon in South Asian folklore, especially prominent in Indian myth. Its origins are often seen as rooted in misogyny, as it is believed to be the vengeful spirit of a woman who died during pregnancy or within forty days after childbirth. Rather than being remembered with sympathy, the deceased is transformed into a feared and reviled entity.
The churel is said to be consumed by a thirst for vengeance against those who have wronged it. Forgiveness is rarely considered, with most male energy directed toward finding the most effective ritual to prevent the ghost’s revenge.
In Hindu tradition, cremation is the standard practice for the dead. However, for those considered high-risk candidates for becoming a churel, burial was thought to be a safer alternative. One common approach involved burying the woman in a grave filled with thorns, with a heavy stone placed on the coffin’s lid. This kept the vengeful spirit trapped, forcing it to remain as motionless as possible to avoid the sharp thorns.
In Gurdaspur, the burial ritual for a churel includes driving nails through the fingers of a woman. Her thumbs and big toes are bound with iron rings, and mustard seeds are scattered over her grave, as their scent is believed to calm the restless spirit.
9. The Nithing Pole - Iceland
The ancient religion of the Germanic peoples is rich with intriguing tales and rituals. One of their most unique and enduring methods of revenge is the nithing pole, a large post with the head of a horse mounted at the top—simple yet striking in its design.
To enhance its effect, the pole was often adorned with a curse written in runes, and the skin of a beheaded horse would sometimes be draped over it. This pole would then be planted into the ground, pointed directly at the person it was meant to condemn, often a Roman.
The tradition of the nithing pole still finds occasional use in Iceland. In 2006, after an Icelandic farmer’s puppy was run over, he erected a nithing pole with a note attached, vowing to seek justice for the driver, promising that he wouldn’t rest until the driver faced severe consequences.
Modern nithing poles often target politicians. In 2016, Icelandic Prime Minister Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson became the focus of one such pole. Instead of the usual horse heads, cod heads were used.
8. Karhunpeijaiset - Finland
Before Christianity took hold in Finnish culture, the country practiced its own form of paganism. A notable ritual, known as karhunpeijaiset, was held after a successful bear hunt.
Within the animistic pagan belief system, the bear was regarded as the living spirit of Finnish ancestors. The original term for bear was otso, which could not be uttered out of reverence. Instead, bears were referred to using indirect expressions like 'browed one' and 'the golden apple of the forest.' This led to the modern Finnish word for bear, karhu, meaning 'rough fur.'
It’s interesting to note that one of Finland’s most popular beer brands is named Karhu, meaning bear. As a result, images of the sacred bear are now seen throughout the cities, often in less-than-sacred contexts. Should undead bears rise from beyond the Wall and make their way to Helsinki, Finns might only have themselves to blame.
Ancient Finns feared the vengeful spirit of the dead bear so much that the karhunpeijaiset ceremony largely focused on reassuring the bear’s spirit that it had not been killed. This way, the bear had no reason to seek revenge on the hunters and could be reborn in the forest.
Thus, the ritual served as a way to absolve their past actions and quell the bear’s desire for vengeance—through complete denial. It was an early form of paranormal gaslighting—Finns truly mastered it.
7. Hanging The Matchmaker - Lithuania
Alcohol plays a central role in most wedding traditions, but Lithuanian weddings are a bit more extreme than the typical wine and cocktail gatherings you might be used to. It’s so ingrained in the ceremony that every guest is expected to get completely drunk as part of the tradition.
Throughout the celebration, guests chant, 'Bitter!' signaling that it’s time for couples to down a shot of vodka. Following the shot, they kiss, and the sweetness of the kiss is believed to neutralize the bitterness of the drink.
Bitterness also plays a role in one of the most unusual wedding rituals. In this tradition, the matchmaker (usually male) who arranged the marriage is revealed as a deceitful liar.
He has woven a complex web of lies about the bride’s wealth. She’s poor, and now everyone is aware of it. Revenge must be exacted, and the most fitting punishment is considered to be death by hanging. It may seem extreme, but it makes perfect sense when everyone is this intoxicated on vodka.
Before the matchmaker is actually hanged, the bride intervenes and an effigy representing him is hung instead.
6. Chickasaw Blood Revenge - North America
The Chickasaw are the indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands, with their territory spanning what is now Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. In the past, blood revenge was an integral part of their culture.
If someone was murdered, the killer had to die as well. This was essential to allow the murdered person's spirit to find peace. It also meant that the spirit would stop haunting those responsible for seeking revenge. Failing to pursue the murderer was seen as an act of cowardice. The Chickasaw believed the spirit of the deceased recognized this failure and deeply resented it.
More death was inevitable. If the murdered person’s family couldn’t directly avenge the killer for any reason, then a member of the killer’s family would take their place in the ritual. It was considered extremely dishonorable to refuse to offer yourself for execution, and doing so would bring spiritual misfortune. As a result, the revenge executions generally proceeded without issue.
5. The Cunning Folk’s Voodoo Dolls - England
The voodoo doll is perhaps the most iconic supernatural object associated with revenge. While we often associate these dolls with the practice of voodoo, this isn’t entirely accurate. Waxed effigies, which were manipulated and destroyed to curse the victim, have been used throughout history in various ancient cultures, including Persia and Egypt.
In England, string-based effigies known as poppets were commonly used. These objects have been a part of witchcraft for centuries, often placed in chimneys so that the victim would experience the burning heat of the flames.
Early films helped shape the misconception of what the voodoo doll is and where it originated. One of the earliest uses of a small human effigy resembling the movie voodoo doll was by the English cunning folk, who would stick pins in it as a way to fight back against suspected black witches.
The cunning folk were also known to use 'witch bottles,' which were believed to lift curses. These bottles often contained concoctions made from body fluids, nail clippings, and hair from the afflicted, so it’s likely that this practice contributed to the modern image of what is needed to create a voodoo doll.
4. Angry Grave Thumping - Tamil Nadu, India
In Tamil Nadu, India, honor killings remain a significant issue. Between 2013 and early 2016, 81 honor killings were documented, though the actual number is likely much higher, with many being dismissed as suicides by the courts and quickly forgotten.
Revenge is deeply ingrained in traditional Tamil culture. When someone wrongs you, taking action to restore your honor is considered the rightful course of action.
Some Tamil revenge rituals remain mysterious to the rest of India. A recent example was when V.K. Sasikala angrily struck the memorial of the recently deceased Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, leaving many puzzled, as the two were believed to have been close friends.
It turns out that this act was part of an ancient Tamil practice called Vanjinam Uraithal, which roughly translates to 'Avenging.' In that moment, Sasikala was publicly vowing to seek revenge for the wrongs her friend had endured.
Traditionally, the Tamil would go even further in their revenge rituals. The remaining bones and ashes of the deceased would be gathered, and the vow would be made directly over them.
3. Rotting A Body To Anger The Spirit - Ifugao Province, Philippines
The Ifugao people of Luzon, Philippines, are agricultural pioneers. Their rice terraces, hand-carved into the mountains more than 2,000 years ago, were once considered among the most technologically advanced structures in the world.
In addition, the Ifugao Hudhud chant, performed during rice-sowing season, has earned a place on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, which honors practices that require urgent preservation due to their cultural significance.
However, some traditional Ifugao practices are harder for the global community to embrace. Head-hunting, which has largely faded with the spread of Christianity, was once a key part of their culture, driven by the belief that peace could not be attained by a murder victim until the killer was avenged.
The Ifugao and their neighboring tribes were locked in a cycle of vengeance for centuries, with each side killing in retaliation for a previous murder. It was customary for the deceased to be seated in a chair called the hangdil for several days, to make sure they didn’t suddenly come back to life. The bodies of those murdered were often left for even longer.
The body was placed facing the village believed responsible for the crime. Elders would gently rock the head back and forth, urging the spirit of the deceased to seek retribution on the killers. The process of decomposition was thought to anger the spirit, encouraging it to take action.
Once the spirit’s vengeance was believed to be achieved, a funeral procession would follow, accompanied by ceremonial gongs. The purpose of this was to drive away any evil spirits drawn to the act of murder, ensuring the safety of both the mourners and the deceased being laid to rest.
2. Pointing The Bone - Australia
Australian Aborigines traditionally believe that natural deaths are rare occurrences. Instead, death is usually seen as the result of evil forces or curses.
One of the most feared curses in Aboriginal culture is delivered through a ritual known as 'pointing the bone.' This is so named because mystical energy is believed to be stored inside a single bone—whether from a kangaroo, human, or emu—by chanting ancient curses.
A ritual executioner, called a kurdaitcha, then seeks out the person who is to be cursed. The element of surprise plays a key role in the process. The kurdaitcha sneaks up on the target, jumps into their line of sight, and points the enchanted bone in their direction.
Ideally, the victim is frozen with fear, giving the kurdaitcha the opportunity to inform them of their impending fate. It’s believed that the victim will then die within a month.
While it may sound far-fetched, there have been reports of fatalities linked to this practice. The scientific explanation suggests that the knowledge of the curse instills such intense fear that it leads to a psychosomatic breakdown of the body.
1. Khakhua Consumption - Papua New Guinea
While the Korowai people of Papua New Guinea are known for consuming their own tribesmen, they do not consider themselves cannibals. In their worldview, any corpse that is eaten is not seen as a true human body at all.
They hold the belief that a specific type of witch, known as a khakhua, has the power to consume someone's internal organs while they sleep and replace them with ash. The khakhua then kills the person by striking their heart with a magical arrow. These witches live amongst the tribe in human form. The Korowai identify a khakhua when a victim, shortly before death, experiences a vision revealing the attacker’s identity.
The Korowai act swiftly to take vengeance. The individual believed to be the khakhua is killed and eaten. This ritual is meant to eliminate the witch’s essence, thus safeguarding the integrity of the tribe.
When a traveling journalist inquired whether the Korowai ever engage in cannibalism for other reasons, a tribesman responded, 'Certainly not. We do not consume humans, we only eat khakhua.'
