Top 10 Unusual Traditions Around The World
Summary
TLDRThis video explores unique cultural traditions from around the world. It features the hanging coffins of Sagada, Philippines, where the deceased are placed high to aid their spirits' journey. The Kayan tribes of Thailand wear neck rings for beauty and protection. Spain's Running of the Bulls is a thrilling event at the San Fermin festival. England's Cheese Rolling sees participants chase a cheese down a hill. In Indonesia, teeth sharpening is a rite of beauty and transition. Madagascar's Famadihana is a joyous reunion with ancestors. Bulgaria's 'Ride Buying' is a controversial bride market. India's baby tossing at the Saniswar Temple is believed to bring luck. Nepal's Kumari tradition venerates prepubescent girls as living goddesses. Lastly, Japan's Kanamara Matsuri is a fertility festival with giant phallic symbols, rooted in Shinto beliefs.
Takeaways
- 🏔️ In Sagada, Philippines, the elderly carve their own coffins or have them made by family if they're unable, reflecting a unique burial ritual.
- 💀 The coffins in Sagada are hung on cliffs or in caves, symbolizing the belief that higher placement aids the spirit's journey to a higher plane in the afterlife.
- 📿 The Kayan tribes of Thailand, now residing in Northern Thailand, practice neck ring wearing, which has various legends attached to its origin and significance.
- 🏃♂️ The Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain, is a thrilling event where participants race alongside bulls through the streets during the San Fermin festival.
- 🧀 Cheese rolling in Gloucester, England, is a 200-year-old tradition where participants chase a rolling cheese down a hill, with the winner keeping the cheese.
- 🦷 Teeth sharpening in Indonesia is a beauty ritual practiced by some tribes, involving the painful process of chiseling teeth to a pointed shape.
- 🧨 Famadihana in Madagascar is a funerary rite where families exhume, dance with, and rebury their ancestors every seven years to honor and celebrate family ties.
- 👰♀️ Ride buying in Bulgaria's Stara Zagora is a controversial tradition where girls are sold at a market, reflecting a societal structure that prioritizes family and home duties.
- 👶 Baby tossing in India is a 500-year-old ritual where infants are thrown from a temple into the arms of family members to bring good luck.
- 🌸 The Kumari of Nepal is a living goddess, a pre-pubescent girl worshipped for embodying divine female energy, who leads a restricted life until she reaches puberty.
- 🍌 Kanamara Matsuri in Japan is a fertility festival featuring giant phallic symbols, rooted in Shinto beliefs and celebrating sexual positivity and overcoming evil.
Q & A
What is the unique burial ritual practiced in Sagada, Philippines?
-In Sagada, the elderly or their families carve coffins out of hollowed logs. The deceased are placed inside, sometimes with bones broken to fit, and the coffins are hung on cliffs or in caves, rather than buried. This tradition has been followed for over two thousand years, with the belief that higher placement aids the spirits' journey to a higher plane in the afterlife.
Why do the Kayan tribeswomen in Thailand wear neck rings?
-The Kayan tribeswomen wear neck rings to elongate the appearance of their necks, a practice that began in childhood and continues as they grow. The coils can weigh up to 25 pounds and are believed to make the women more beautiful. There are various legends about the origin of this custom, including protection from tiger attacks and making women less appealing to men from other tribes.
What is the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain, and how did it start?
-The Running of the Bulls is an annual event during the festival of San Fermin in Pamplona, Spain, where participants run in front of a group of bulls released from a corral. It began as a practical means for cattle herders to move their animals from the countryside to the city for sale or bullfighting and has since become a tradition.
How does the cheese rolling tradition in Gloucester, England work?
-In Gloucester, England, on the last Monday in May, a large wheel of Double Gloucester cheese is rolled down Cooper's Hill, and participants race down to catch it. The first person to reach the cheese wins it. Despite concerns about safety, the tradition continues.
What is teeth sharpening, and in which cultures is it practiced?
-Teeth sharpening is a ritual where teeth are filed or chiseled into a pointed shape, practiced by some indigenous groups in Indonesia, Africa, and other Asian countries. In the Manta White tribe of Indonesia, it is considered a form of beauty, while in Bali, teeth filing is part of a coming-of-age ceremony.
What is the Famadihana festival in Madagascar, and how is it celebrated?
-The Famadihana, or 'turning of the bones,' is a Malagasy funerary tradition where families exhume, wrap, and dance with the remains of their ancestors as a way to honor the dead and celebrate family ties. It is held every seven years by families who can afford the celebration, which includes new clothes and lavish dinners.
What is the bride market in Bulgaria, and how does it operate?
-In Bulgaria, specifically in the town of Stara Zagora, there is an annual 'bride market' where girls between the ages of 13 and 20 are presented for potential marriage. It is a controversial tradition where girls are sometimes taken out of school to participate, and it has been criticized for its oppressive nature towards women.
What is the baby tossing ritual in India, and what is its significance?
-The baby tossing ritual in Karnataka, India, involves throwing newborns about 50 feet high from the Sanniswar Temple, with the belief that it brings good luck. The babies are caught by family members, and the tradition is tied to vows made at the temple for the birth of children.
What is the significance of the Kumari in Nepal, and how is she chosen?
-The Kumari of Nepal is considered a living goddess, chosen as a young girl before she reaches puberty. She is believed to embody divine female energy and is worshiped accordingly. The Kumari must live in a temple, not speak, and not let her feet touch the ground. She retains this status until she begins menstruating, at which point she is considered to have lost the divine energy.
What is the Kanamara Matsuri in Japan, and what does it represent?
-The Kanamara Matsuri is a fertility festival held in Kawasaki, Japan, where giant penises are paraded through the town. It is a sex-positive ritual with origins in Shinto tradition and a folklore tale about a demon that ate penises. The festival is considered both amusing and serious as a religious practice.
Outlines
🏔️ Sagada's Hanging Coffins Tradition
In Sagada, Philippines, a unique burial ritual sees the elderly carve their own coffins from hollowed logs, or have them prepared by family if they are too weak. The coffins, sometimes with bones broken to fit, are hung on cliffs or in caves, not buried. This practice, believed to aid the spirits' journey to a higher afterlife, has been observed for over two thousand years. The coffins deteriorate and fall over time, but the tradition continues. Visitors are advised to wear proper hiking gear and bring binoculars to view the cliff cemetery from a distance.
🌐 Diverse Cultural Traditions
This segment covers various cultural practices: the Kayan Lahwi's neck rings in Thailand, a custom forced upon the tribe due to civil war and now a popular tourist attraction; the thrilling Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain, a tradition unrelated to the San Fermin festival; the Gloucester Cheese Rolling in England, a 200-year-old event where participants chase a rolling cheese down a hill; and the Indonesian teeth sharpening, a painful beauty ritual among the Manta White tribe and a coming-of-age event in Bali.
🤹♂️ Unusual Traditions from Around the World
The video concludes with more peculiar traditions: the Famadihana in Madagascar, a funerary festival where families dance with deceased relatives' remains; the bride market in Bulgaria's Stara Zagora, where girls are sold for marriage; baby tossing in India's Saniswar Temple to bring good luck; the worship of the Kumari, a 'living goddess' in Nepal; and Japan's Kanamara Matsuri, a fertility festival featuring giant penis statues and related merchandise. The video invites viewers to share their thoughts on these traditions and suggests similar content for future videos.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Hanging Coffins
💡Cayenne Tribes
💡Running of the Bulls
💡Cheese Rolling
💡Teeth Sharpening
💡Famadihana
💡Ride Buying
💡Baby Tossing
💡Kumari
💡Kanamara Matsuri
Highlights
Sagada, Philippines, practices a unique burial ritual where the elderly carve their own coffins or have them prepared by family if they are unable.
The dead in Sagada are placed in coffins, sometimes with bones broken to fit, and hung on cliffs or in caves, reflecting a belief in the afterlife.
The Cayenne tribes of Thailand, originally from Myanmar, wear neck rings to elongate their necks, a practice with various cultural theories.
The Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain, is a dangerous activity where participants run with bulls through the streets during the San Fermin festival.
Cheese Rolling in Gloucester, England, is a 200-year-old tradition where participants chase a rolling cheese down a hill.
Teeth sharpening in Indonesia is a beauty ritual that involves chiseling teeth into a pointed shape, primarily among the Manta White tribe.
Famadihana in Madagascar is a funerary tradition where families dance with the remains of their ancestors every seven years.
In Bulgaria, a bride market in Stara Zagora allows the buying and selling of brides, a tradition that has drawn criticism.
Baby tossing in India is a 500-year-old ritual where infants are thrown into the air and caught for good luck.
The Kumari of Nepal is a living goddess, a pre-pubescent girl worshiped as a divine female energy until she reaches puberty.
Kanamaru Matsuri in Japan is a festival celebrating fertility with giant penis statues and penis-shaped sweets.
Visitors to Sagada's hanging coffins should wear proper hiking gear and bring binoculars for a better view.
The Cayenne tribes' neck rings can weigh up to 25 pounds, creating an illusion of a long neck.
The Running of the Bulls is not part of the San Fermin fiesta but a tradition from cattle herders moving animals to the city.
Cheese Rolling continues despite petitions due to its 200-year history and the persistence of brave participants.
Teeth filling in Bali is a coming-of-age event where teens have their teeth filled and celebrate their transition to adulthood.
Famadihana is a festival that combines respect for the dead with celebration and dancing in burial grounds.
The bride market in Bulgaria has been criticized for exploiting young women and restricting their aspirations.
The Kumari tradition in Nepal is a significant religious practice despite being viewed as strange by some.
Kanamaru Matsuri, while amusing to some, is a serious religious practice in Japan with roots in Shinto fertility tradition.
Transcripts
at number 10 the hanging coffins in the
philippines
in the sagada elderly folks are expected
to carve their own coffins out of
hollowed locks
if they are ill or too weak to do it
their families prepare their coffins
instead the dead are placed inside their
coffins sometimes their bones are
purposely broken during the process to
fit in
then the coffins are brought on a cliff
or cave for burial
for over two thousand years the people
of sagada follow this unique burial
ritual
the coffins are hung near the hanging
coffins of their ancestors on either the
face of the cliffs or inside the cave
but never into the ground
over the years the coffins deteriorate
and fall from their positions
the reason behind the hanging coffins
was due to the belief that the higher
the dead were placed the greater chance
of their spirits reaching a higher
nature in the afterlife
some of the locations of the coffins are
difficult to reach for people to
obviously leave it alone out of respect
but can be appreciated from afar
if you plan to visit the place you
should wear proper hiking gear as it
will be quite a hike to get to the place
you should also bring binoculars to have
a better view of the amazing cliff
cemetery at number nine
cayenne tribes neck rings in thailand
the cayenne tribes are one of the
indigenous people living in myanmar
but because of the intensifying civil
war between the burmese army and the
kareni separatists the cayenne tribes
were forced to flee myanmar and was
granted by thailand a temporary status
of conflict refugee
today
the cayennes of the padang people lives
in the northern thai border in the
guarded villages
the cayennes has a custom where some
women wear rings around their neck to
create an appearance of a long neck
the rings were worn by these women since
childhood and have been added annually
as they grow
the coils weigh up to 25 pounds and
depress the chest and shoulders creating
the illusion of a long neck highlighted
by the golden coils around it
some legends claim that the rings are
placed on the neck to protect the
villages from the tiger attacks as
tigers always goes for the neck of its
victims another theory also says that
women place the coils around their necks
to make them less pleasing hence warding
off men from other tribes
today people believe that the longer the
coils around the neck the longer the
neck the woman becomes more beautiful
well
regardless of the theories the cayenne
villages in thailand has become one of
the most popular tourist destinations as
tourists really take time to visit the
place despite its terrain
however
there are some controversies revolving
around his famous destination
some say that even when the coils are
uncomfortable to wear some women are
forced to wear it to maintain earnings
some human rights activists say thailand
has been exploiting these refugees
at number eight the running of bulls in
spain
the running of bulls is one of the
activities that locals and tourists
alike can participate in the annual
festival of san fermin in pamplona spain
you have to be at least 18 years old to
participate in the activity
it is free of charge so anybody who is
sober and who has the capacity to run
fast enough to not be run over by the
bulls and the rest of the people joining
the 875 meter run
the activity would include six fighting
balls accompanied by six tamed bell oxen
the running of the bulls has really
nothing to do with the san fermin fiesta
this practice has been observed by the
cattle herders since 1937 as a practical
means of moving the animals from the
barge or the countryside to the center
of the city to sell them or to send them
to bullfight arenas
people who see the bulls running in the
narrow street would goad them with
sticks and large shouts
it could be one of the reasons why over
the years the activity had become a
tradition
at number 7
cheese rolling in england
the cheese rolling tradition in
gloucester england has been observed for
200 years
every last monday in may
on top of the cooper's hills
participants would stand and wait for an
enormous wheel of double gloucester
cheese rolled on the hill
when the cheese starts rolling everyone
would do their best to catch the cheese
some would trip slip and tumble their
way down the hill during the process
the first person to catch the cheese can
keep it
although there have been petitions filed
to stop the tradition as it exacerbates
danger even if it's fine
but since to date
there are still brave souls who would
participate in the activity annually
well it is not easy to stop a 200 year
tradition
at number 6
teeth sharpening in indonesia
teeth sharpening is common not only
among indigenous people in indonesia
it is also observed in some tribes in
africa and some countries in asia
depending on the tribe the teeth
sharpening can serve different purpose
the manta white tribe in indonesia
considered teeth chiseling as a thing of
beauty
this type of bizarre beauty rituals is
painful as teeth are sewn or chiseled to
achieve a narrow pointed shape
this ritual is mostly participated by
women but men are also welcome to join
the club
in bali indonesia teeth filling a less
excruciating version of the former is
like the quinceanera of the mexicans
it is a lavish coming-of-age event
teens in general before embracing
adulthood have to have their teeth
filled
the event is followed by festivities to
celebrate the transition
at number five the famadihana in
madagascar
the malagasy people in madagascar
celebrates this unusual funerary
tradition called famadihana
also known as the turning of the bones
famadihana is a festival to honor the
dead and celebrate family ties
every seven years families who can
afford new clothes for the living
families and the dead ancestors and
afford lavish dinners for guests
celebrate the famadihana festival
to show the dead ancestors respect the
living families have to dance in the
burial grounds and carry out their gifts
for the dead during the celebration no
one is allowed to cry
this tradition has been practiced by
families in madagascar for so many years
and is still celebrated today although
some may find the tradition strange
but to malagasy people tradition is
tradition at number four ride buying in
bulgaria
there are some places in the world where
someone can just have a trip to the
bright market to buy a bride
this tradition may just raise eyebrows
of the feminist around the world
every year in stara zagora bulgaria a
bright market opens for females between
the ages of 13 and 20 years old
tens of thousands participates in this
activity including the buyers and who
they go with or curious tourists who
happen to be there at the right time
the roles of females in this region of
bulgaria predominantly revolves around
taking care of the family and the home
so girls are even blocked out from
school to be sold to the market
some brides have claimed that they do
not want to participate in this activity
since they have dreams and aspirations
that they want to pursue
as a female personally i find this very
oppressing
at number 3 baby tossing in india this
is a ritual that involves babies that
has been observed in karnataka india for
500 years now before jumping into
conclusion this is not going to be as
morbid in gory as you think however this
tradition might just give you goosebumps
as it involves throwing off newborn
babies 50 feet high from the three
saniswar temple it is believed to bring
the baby good luck don't worry the child
is caught by the family in the clock
this tradition is a result of couples
who took a vow at the temple are blessed
with babies
on a personal note it might not be the
best place to bear a child
witnessing your child being tossed at
such height may just scare the bejesus
out of you
at number 2 the kumari and nepal
the kumari is a living goddess of nepal
this is a religious tradition that
involves worshiping a young girl before
puberty as she manifests the divine
female energy
the kumari has to live behind her
parents and stay at the temple up until
she hits puberty
she is not allowed to speak
her feet should not touch the ground
therefore if she has to be transported
she has to be carried around
she will be worshiped and offered gifts
as an appreciation of her presence
people who wishes to have good luck
health and even people who have special
requests visits the komari
however when the kumari starts to bleed
and becomes a lady she will be stripped
of the title and will be advised to live
a normal life as the divine energy flees
her
at number one
kanamaru matsuri in japan
among all the traditions on this list
personally this is what i find strangely
bizarre
in japan
every year on the first sunday of april
giant penises are paraded through the
town of kawasaki
thousands of people witnessed the penis
festival or the kanamara matsuri during
the festival penises in varied shapes
sizes and colors can be seen all over
the town
you can even buy penis-shaped sweets
although this tradition may be found a
taboo to some countries this tradition
comes from the shinto fertility
tradition
a sex positive ritual
hanayama priests the worship shinto
religion organizes this ritual
the tradition was formed from a legend
where a demon possessing a vagina ate
penises
the demon was only defeated when a girl
asked a black smith to make her a penis
made of steel which broke the demon's
teeth this is such an amusing folklore
but the people in japan consider it as a
very serious religious practice do you
agree on our list
have you heard any of these traditions
do you know any other unusual traditions
that should have made our list
let us know your thoughts by commenting
below alright that is it for our list
today if you love this video you can hit
like click the subscribe button and
share our content
we upload new and informative contents
every day so you can click the
notification bell for you to get updates
once a new video is ready for you so
do you like our list for today
what type of top tens would you like to
see next
feel free to comment below see you next
time
تصفح المزيد من مقاطع الفيديو ذات الصلة
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)