One reason for taking trips around the world is to discover and interact with new cultures. Depending on where you’re from you may find variations with what you’re used to back home. Sometimes, seeing things for the first time may actually prove to be a complete culture shock.
It’s important to appreciate the disparities in cultures and understand that people around the world are different. To travel to some of these exotic cultures you may require an expedited passport renewal to experience some of the strange traditions adopted by different cultures globally.
The monkey buffet festival
Have you ever imagined monkeys having a buffet? Well, you can find one in the province of Lopburi, Thailand. It is a fan festival that attracts thousands of tourists each year. During the festival, tables are set up in the downtown area with fruit, flowers, candy, and cakes. Monkeys are attracted to these treats and jump on the tables and entertain the folks gathered around. The festival began in 1989 and is held on the 25th of November each year.
Neck Rings Culture
You’ll be amazed at what some communities do in the name of beauty. If you have seen the Masaai of Kenya you will probably remember them for their large-pierced ears. However, in Thailand they place brass rings on female children’s necks when they’re two years old so the neck can be elongated. Elongated necks are considered to be particularly beautiful.
Carrying a newly wed wife over red hot coals
What is it that you can do to your wife to show them that you love them? Consider this painful marriage ritual practiced by some Chinese. It involves the husband walking on red hot coals as he carries his wife across the threshold for the first time as a couple. This strange practice is considered to be a show of bravery and support and is also believed to help ease the wife’s pain during labor. In China, marriage is viewed as an act of bravery for men, and sometimes extreme things are done during the ceremonies.
Living with dead relatives
Have you ever envisioned a situation where you share your living spaces with loved ones who are already dead? In Indonesia they live with them.
Some Indonesians, instead of burying their dead keep their bodies to avoid traditional funeral ceremonies that they believe take too long and force them to live with the dead until all the rituals are complete.
El Colacho Baby Jumping
The El Colacho dates back to 1620, and it simply means “baby jumping” in Spanish. It’s a ritual that’s done to keep the devil away from infants and is still happening today. During the festival infants are laid on mattresses in the streets. A jumper wearing traditional costume (to look like the devil) starts running and jumps over all the babies laid on the road, occasionally injuring some. It is believed that as the devil-costumed man jumps over them all the sins and bad omens leave the babies for the devil.
Kidnapping the bride
Kidnapping the bride may sound illegal, but not to the Romani who have been observing this practice for centuries. During the wedding ceremony, the bride is snatched away from the groom and guests. A ransom is negotiated between the kidnappers and the groom over the phone. In most cases the ransom consists of nothing more than a few bottles of whiskey. This tradition is harmless and seems to get more popular in the recent days in Romania.
The Crocodile Men
For the Kaningara of New Papua Guinea, they demonstrate bravery by marking their bodies to make them look like the skin of a crocodile so they can demonstrate courage and bravery. According to local myths they believe humans evolved from crocs and by having the croc marks on them, they feel closer to nature.
Sati
This is not just weird, but also sad and an extreme violation of women’s rights. It is a custom among certain communities in India where a widow is burned alive on her husband’s grave to demonstrate her love and loyalty to her departed husband. It is not right anywhere to force a woman to commit suicide as a show of love and loyalty.
The good news is the practice is now banned by the Indian government, though there are a few cases still being reported each year. I guess you wouldn’t use expedited passport renewal services to go to India to witness a Sati ritual as you would be witnessing first-degree murder!
Shift Frequency Publication – Educational Material © 2018