The Strangest Traditions that Exist Around the World Part II

Every culture around the world has its own traditions and rituals. Some of you may think that these traditions mentioned below are unusual… but it’s all about perspective. People around the world think that Superbowl Sunday is particularly strange, and it’s normal to us here in the states. However weird these customs look to us, these practices are considered normal in their country or homeland. In fact, you’ll see some of these rituals and traditions in the first part of this post. As a continuation, here are the strangest traditions that exist around the world… Part II.

Naga Panchami – India

Naga Panchami is a common tradition in countries like India and Nepal. It is a day when people from these areas come together to worship and celebrate snakes. To be specific, cobras and other venomous snakes are brought to a temple. In the temple, they will sprinkle a mixture of milk, honey, and red powder on the snakes and release the animals into the courtyard.

Camel Wrestling – Turkey

One of the strangest traditions around the world is the Camel Wrestling Festival in western Turkey. As you know, forcing animals to fight with each other is unacceptable in many countries. However, camel wrestling is acceptable in Turkey because the animals don’t cause too many injuries. To be specific, a male camel will win once his opponent screams, retreats, or falls. Aside from that, the trainers are near to make sure that the two animals are not injured.

The Mari Lwyd – Wales

Another unusual tradition is the Mari Lwyd celebrated by the Welsh people. This tradition involves decorating the skull of a horse with bells, ribbons, and reins. Afterward, it is placed on a broomstick and covered with a white cloth. From there, the figure is taken around the village by a group of people singing to challenge other families to a battle of rhymes. Once the battle is over, the skull is brought inside the house to bring luck to the household.

Gerewol Festival – Niger

The last on this list of strangest traditions around the world is the Gerewol Festival in Niger. Most of us are familiar with beauty pageants where women compete for the crown. The Gerewol Festival is like a beauty pageant. The difference is that young men are participating in this event instead of young women. To be specific, the men dress up and dance in front of women. Remember, this colorful festival is a courtship ritual for the Wodaabe tribe. As such, the young men in this festival perform a series of dances to attract a new wife. Afterward, the winners are picked based on their dancing skills and good looks.

For more of the strangest traditions that exist around the world, read our previous article here!