Top 10 Unusual Traditions Around The World

Summary

This 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

00:00

🏔️ 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.

05:01

🌐 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.

10:01

🤹‍♂️ 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.

Keywords

💡Hanging Coffins

Hanging coffins refer to a unique burial practice in Sagada, Philippines, where coffins are placed on cliffs or in caves rather than being buried in the ground. This tradition symbolizes the belief that the higher the dead are placed, the closer their spirits are to the heavens and the afterlife. In the video, this practice is mentioned as a significant cultural ritual that has been followed for over two thousand years.

💡Cayenne Tribes

The Cayenne tribes are an indigenous group originally from Myanmar, known for their custom of wearing neck rings, which create the illusion of elongated necks. The practice has various interpretations, including protection from tigers or as a sign of beauty. The video highlights this tradition as a cultural phenomenon that has made the tribes a popular tourist attraction, despite controversies around the exploitation of the refugees.

💡Running of the Bulls

The Running of the Bulls is a traditional event held during the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain. It involves participants running in front of a group of bulls released on a course through the streets. The video describes this activity as a thrilling and potentially dangerous event that has become a symbol of Spanish culture, despite its origins as a practical means for moving cattle.

💡Cheese Rolling

Cheese Rolling is a traditional event in Gloucester, England, where a large wheel of cheese is rolled down a steep hill and participants chase it. The first person to catch the cheese wins it. The video mentions this tradition as an example of a long-standing and somewhat dangerous custom that continues to draw participants and spectators alike.

💡Teeth Sharpening

Teeth sharpening is a cultural practice found among certain tribes in Indonesia and other parts of the world, where teeth are chiseled into a sharp point for aesthetic or cultural reasons. The video describes this ritual as a painful beauty practice, particularly among the Manta White tribe, and as a rite of passage in Bali, where teeth filing is a part of coming-of-age celebrations.

💡Famadihana

Famadihana, also known as 'The Turning of the Bones,' is a funerary tradition in Madagascar where families exhume their dead relatives, dance with the wrapped corpses, and then rebury them. This practice is highlighted in the video as a way to honor the dead and celebrate family ties, with a particular emphasis on joy and togetherness rather than mourning.

💡Ride Buying

Ride buying is a controversial tradition in Bulgaria, specifically in the town of Stara Zagora, where a 'bride market' is held, allowing men to effectively purchase a wife from among young women. The video critiques this practice as oppressive and reflective of gender inequality, noting that it limits the aspirations of the girls involved.

💡Baby Tossing

Baby tossing is a ritual in Karnataka, India, where newborns are thrown into the air from a temple, believed to bring good luck. The video describes this tradition as a test of faith, where the baby is caught by family members, and it underscores the cultural beliefs and practices that are deeply rooted in local customs.

💡Kumari

Kumari refers to the living goddesses of Nepal, young girls who are worshiped as manifestations of divine female energy before they reach puberty. The video explains that these girls lead a restricted life, often separated from their families and carried to avoid their feet touching the ground, until they begin menstruating, at which point they are considered to have lost their divine status.

💡Kanamara Matsuri

Kanamara Matsuri, or the Penis Festival, is a Japanese event that involves parading giant phallic symbols through the streets of Kawasaki. The video describes this tradition as a fertility ritual with roots in Shinto beliefs, where it is considered a serious religious practice despite its playful and taboo nature in other cultures.

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

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