The human civilization has come a long way. And you can see the difference well portrayed in history books. You can read and learn what we used to be and what we are now. You can see how humans have given rise to different cultures of the world. These are fascinating in many ways, and you will be surprised to know about their traditions.
But what these history books don’t tell you is that some of the old traditions are still quite prevalent in many parts of the world. They are still celebrated with pride and considered as an homage to the old and forgotten.
Here are some old traditions which are still followed in many parts of the world.
- Bride Kidnapping
You must have heard of bride kidnapping. The term is self-explanatory. In most primitive cultures, bride kidnapping was a celebratory event. It empowered the masculinity of the abductor. Women were abducted and held for a few days before being forced into marriage. A modern version of this tradition is not that intense. It is more like a playful event which is considered to bring good luck to the bride and groom.
It is more prominent in Swiss culture where the groom to go and abducts the bride from her home. It is essentially a mock abduction where the family members play along. - Crucifixions
This word brings back the memories of Jesus’ crucifixion, doesn’t it? Crucifixion has been banished in almost all parts of the world. But there is a small village in the Philippines where believers try to recreate the moment of Jesus’ crucifixion during Lent. Sounds a little barbaric, but real nails are pierced through the hands and feet of the believers. In addition to this, they are whipped continuously. They do it to get rid of their sins. - Cutting of fingers
Cultures all over the world deal differently with death and mourning. And finger cutting, although not the best yet a unique way to deal with grief. Finger cutting is extremely prominent in the Dani Tribe of Western New Guinea, Indonesia. It is a simple method they adopt to deal with grief and show respect to the deceased.
Whenever there is a death in any family, the women of those families are expected to cut off their fingertips in honor of the dead. It is believed that if these women keep their fingertips, the soul of the dead will keep haunting the village. - Ant Gloves
Different cultures have different ways to celebrate when a boy turns into a man. The idea of Bar Mitzva comes to mind. But in other parts of the world, manhood is celebrated more intensely. In some villages near Amazon, when a boy approaches adulthood, he is expected to wear a glove made of Bullet Ants.
Bullet Ants have a very powerful sting. It is comparable to the feeling when a bullet pierces the skin.
The boy is expected to wear the Bullet Ant Glove for about 10 minutes, and only then can he be declared as a man. - Throwing the baby
Yes, you heard it- throwing the baby. In many parts of India and some Muslim countries, baby tossing is considered a sign of prosperity. A priest holds the baby and stands on a balcony. The priest then gives the baby a friendly shake before throwing him off the balcony. No, don’t worry, the baby lands on a soft baby catcher. He is them blessed by hundreds of strangers before being given to the mother. It should not come as a surprise that this tradition has been around for over 500 years. A little deadly, but still, it is celebrated with love, laughter, and cheers.
These were some of the weirdest traditions from around the world. It only signifies that all humans are not the same. There are so many cultures and traditions out there yet to be explored. Some other popular traditions include the worship of male genitals in Japan and the vegetarian festival of China. They are truly fascinating and give an insight into the thinking and development of human culture over time.
Here are some places where you can find some more interesting traditions still popular around the world: