Buzz
After the popularity of our earlier compilations showcasing peculiar human rituals across history (some still practiced today), we’ve curated a fresh list. This collection features entirely new entries, omitting any previously mentioned traditions like Tibetan Sky Burial or Thaipusam. We suggest exploring our earlier lists, such as Top 10 Bizarre Traditions, Top 10 Bizarre Festivals, and Top 10 Weird Religious Practices, before diving into this one.
10. Iyomante Ceremony
The Ainu, an indigenous group from regions of Japan and Russia, are an ethnic minority with animist beliefs. Their reverence for nature led to the creation of a ritual where bears are sacrificed to send their spirits to the heavens, blessing humanity. Known as Iyomante, this practice involves killing a hibernating mother bear in her den. Her cubs are raised for two years before being ritually strangled or speared in a sacred ceremony. Villagers consume the bear’s blood and meat, and its skull is mounted on a spear wrapped in its skin, creating a revered totem. The Ainu regard bears as divine beings living among humans. Sadly, due to legal changes in Japan, this ritual has resurfaced in certain areas.
9. Living With the Dead
For the Torajan people, an ethnic group in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, funerals are a vital part of life. It often takes families months to gather enough money to cover the costs of the elaborate ceremonies. During this time, the deceased’s body is preserved in cloth and stored beneath the family’s house. The Torajans hold the belief that the soul of the departed stays with them until the burial. Their funerals are extravagant events, often including the ritual sacrifice of buffaloes—the more significant the person, the more buffaloes are slaughtered. Once the final burial occurs, the coffin is typically placed in a cave, with an effigy of the deceased positioned at the entrance, facing outward, as depicted in the image above.
8. Masai Spitting
This isn’t your everyday spitting. The Masai tribe, an ethnic group from Kenya and Tanzania, have a unique way of greeting: they spit on each other. Additionally, when a child is born, Masai men spit on the newborn and declare it ‘bad,’ believing that praising the child would bring it misfortune. When greeting elders, a warrior spits into his hand before offering a handshake as a gesture of respect. The Masai are also widely recognized for their tradition of stretching their earlobes.
7. Feeding The Dead
Recent discoveries in Vatican burial sites have revealed a long-forgotten Roman tradition: dining with and feeding the deceased. Many graves contained pipes leading from the surface to the body, used to pour honey, wine, and other foods into the tomb. Similar pipes have been found in Roman graves in England. The ancient Romans often held picnics at gravesites, believing they were nourishing the souls of their departed loved ones. The inscription on the grave above even directs mourners to a nearby food shop to purchase offerings for the dead or themselves.
6. Yanomamö Ash Eating
The Yanomamö, a large indigenous tribe spanning Venezuela and Brazil, have preserved many ancient traditions due to their isolation from modern society. One such custom involves their treatment of the deceased. According to their religious beliefs, no part of a dead body can be retained. When a Yanomamö dies, their body is cremated, and the bones are ground into ash. The ashes are then distributed among family members and consumed. To ensure no remnants remain, the container holding the ashes is destroyed. The tribe believes that death is caused by evil spirits sent by shamans or rival tribes, leading to frequent conflicts and battles.
5. Hanging Coffins
In the limestone caves near Sagada, Philippines, the dead are laid to rest in a unique manner. While many are buried within the caves, a longstanding tradition also involves suspending coffins from the cliffs. This practice isn’t exclusive to the Philippines; it’s also found in regions like China, where the nearly extinct Bo people, an indigenous minority, continue this ritual. The Toraja people, mentioned in item 9, occasionally hang coffins of young children, though wealthier adults are typically placed in caves.
4. Mourning of Muharram
To honor the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Muhammad, certain Shia Muslim communities engage in a ritual called matam. During this practice, participants whip themselves with chains fitted with blades or cut their heads with knives, as depicted in the image above. This intense form of mourning is sometimes performed by children or carried out by parents on their behalf. While matam is prevalent in countries like Bahrain, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Iraq, it is both criticized and supported by various Muslim leaders.
Thousands of mourners gash their heads with swords, knives, and razor blades, letting their blood flow as a symbol of their sorrow for the martyrdom of Al-Imam Al-Hussein (p). This act commemorates the tragedy that is said to have caused the skies to rain blood and the earth to bleed, paying tribute to Al-Imam Al-Hussein (p), who sacrificed everything to defend Islam. [Source – including graphic images]
3. Eating Death
The Aghoris, a Hindu sect devoted to Shiva, view the deity as the ultimate creator. They believe that since Shiva made everything, nothing is inherently evil. This philosophy leads them to engage in unconventional practices, including consuming alcohol, eating meat, and using drugs. They also practice cannibalism and reside in cremation grounds, where they source their clothing from the deceased, fuel from funeral pyres, and food from rivers. During cremations, an Aghori covers themselves in the ashes of the dead and meditates on their remains.
The most startling aspect of Aghori life is their cannibalism. They collect bodies from rivers, meditate on them, and consume the raw limbs. For those curious about their practices, a compelling documentary is available here. A detailed article on the Aghoris can be found here on Cogitz, which also includes a link to a graphic video of their cannibalistic rituals.
2. Baby Tossing
In Solapur, Maharashtra, India, an annual tradition involves parents tossing their babies from a 50-foot tower. Villagers below catch the infants in a sheet, believing the act ensures long and healthy lives for the children. This practice, primarily observed by Muslims but also some Hindus, is often undertaken by parents who conceived after praying at the Shrine of Baba Umer Dargah. Despite opposition from the national government, local authorities provide security for the event.
1. Satere-Mawe Initiation Rite
The Satere-Mawe tribe, native to the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, enforces a grueling initiation ritual for their young boys. To transition into manhood, a boy must place his hand into a glove filled with drugged bullet ants, known for their excruciating sting. The boy must endure the glove for ten minutes and repeat this process twenty times over several months. A journalist, Steve Backshall, experienced this ritual and described it in vivid detail.
“I placed my hands into the gloves. Initially, it wasn’t unbearable: uncomfortable but manageable, akin to repeated stings. I lasted the full ten minutes. […] Afterward, my crew took me for medical tests. That’s when the real agony began. Hundreds of stings overwhelmed me. I began wailing, then sobbing uncontrollably, shaking and convulsing. I drooled and lost awareness of my surroundings. My legs gave out, and our doctor urged me to keep moving, warning me not to succumb to the pain. If I had access to a machete, I would have severed my arms to escape the torment.” [Source]
