Unique cultural practice facts you didn't know

Weird facts about cultural traditions

One of the most exciting things about the different cultures worldwide is their unique differences. From what they eat to how they dress and even the cultural practices they have in place.

Often, you're so wrapped in the small bubble around you that you forget to look outward and explore the interesting things happening worldwide.

This page looks closely at some of the most interesting and unusual cultural practices worldwide.

Interesting facts you don't know

Easter morning spanking

The Easter Spanking of young women in the Czech Republic is odd and intriguing. On Easter Monday morning, girls may get 'chased' out of the house by men drenching them in cold water. The guys will chase them around with colourful handmade whips to make them healthy. This tradition is practised in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and some parts of Hungary.

The boys will go house to house singing songs with spring themes or verses about eggs, all symbolising fertility and bountifulness. When the women open their doors, they get drenched in water and spanked with the whip – playfully! As per the tradition, the spanking may hurt, but the intention is not to make any individual suffer. Once the spanking is done, the women reward the men with dyed hard-boiled eggs, tie a colourful ribbon on the whip and offer them an invitation for food or a shot of vodka.

This tradition is about making women healthy for the coming spring season and symbolises youth, beauty, fertility and strength. That said, no one has figured out how these spankings could lead to better health, yet they still eagerly participate…

Brazil's coming-of-age ritual

The Satere-Maw tribe in Brazil has a special ritual where young boys must wear gloves filled with bullet ants. These gloves must be worn for 10 minutes. Ouch!

Throwing babies

In the Indian Village of Solapur, there is a tradition where babies are thrown from a 50-foot tower. This unusual practice is to test the infant's strength and good luck. Thankfully, the babies are caught in a blanket by a group of men waiting at the bottom.

A seated send-away

In Japan, there is a tradition called planking involving the dead. Once a person dies, their body is placed on display in a seated position for several days. This practice ensures that the spirit doesn't linger and leaves peacefully.

Attack on the bride

For this tradition, we go to Scotland, where brides get the shorter end of the stick with a pre-wedding custom known as 'Blacken the Bride'.
With this tradition, the bride-to-be gets covered in spoiled eggs, tar, feathers and flour by all her friends and family. She is then paraded around town before she can go home and clean up. It's not the most hygienic of traditions, but it's an exciting way to test her endurance.

Dancing with snakes

In Tanzania, we come across the Monja Dance, a traditional chance for the Zaramo people. Young men and women have to dance with live snakes around their necks and bodies. This includes pythons and cobras. The dance is done as a demonstration of their strength and fearlessness.

Tomato fight

The La Tomatina festival takes place in Bunol, Spain. This unusual tradition looks like a lot of fun. However, I wouldn't want to imagine the disastrous streets by the end of the festival, not to mention the cleanup afterwards.

Chasing cheese

Another strange yet very intriguing tradition is the annual Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling event that takes place in England. Each year, participants get together to chase around a Double Gloucester cheese down a very steep hill.

The objective of this is to catch the cheese. The one who sees the cheese gets to take it home. This tradition has its challenges as it is fast-paced and also considered dangerous, with injuries bound to happen. Considering the cheese cost these days, I can see why people would take the risk and chase the cheese.

Festival of colour

One of India's most interesting and beloved traditions is the Holi Festival. It's a vibrant festival celebrated across India, South Asia and, more recently, other parts of the world. During the festival, attendees wear white clothing and throw coloured powders and water at each other. Essentially turning one another into displays of colours.

An obstacle course with a bigger backpack

Forget carrying your wife across the threshold - With the annual 'Wife Carrying Championship' in Sonkajärvi, Finland, you can show off your strength by taking on an obstacle course while carrying your partner.

The annual competition is inspired by an old Finnish legend based on Ronkainen the Robber. According to the legend, he had high expectations of all the men he accepted into his band. As the legend goes, the man had to complete a challenging course with a heavy sack or a woman (grabbed from neighbouring villages) on his back.

A feast for the monkeys

The Monkey Buffet Festival takes place in Lopburi, Thailand. This odd festival is all about the local monkey population. The town will set up elaborate displays of fruits, vegetables and candy, which the monkeys can enjoy. Locals believe it brings good luck and prosperity to the community. It's a unique tradition that draws thousands of tourists from across the globe.

Singles and cinnamon

This is one of Denmark's most significant traditions and is aimed at men and women still without a partner by age 25. It starts with the birthday boy/girl splashing with water and then covered in cinnamon from head to toe. It's a tradition that has been around for hundreds of years and isn't considered a punishment but rather another fun way to bond and be silly.

Are there any interesting or unusual traditional or cultural practices you know weren't on the list? Follow us on our social media accounts and tell us all about it!