Strainge traditions
In this strainge fast pased world of ours where every little minute counts and is seen as being presus there will be some traditions around the world that will supprise you.
CZECH REPUBLIC: Easter tradition.
In Czech Republic there is a tradition, where during Easter, men go around house to house with a willow branch called 'pomlázka' ('korbáč' in Slovak) and lightly whip women on the bottom. In return the women give the men drinks and sweets. However if the men arrive to women's houses after 12 o'clock, the women throw a bucket of cold water on them. This is all done in a humours way.
Sudan and Ethiopia: Surma Tribe.
It is a tradition in this tribe for teenage women to undergo a lip stretching procedure where their lower teeth are taken out. In its place they put in what is called a lip plate. As these girls get older the plate replaced by a larger lip plates. This is until it reaches an unusual size. These lip plates cause the lower lip to expand. The men however do a similar thing where they put cut a hole in both their ears. Replacing it with a small round disk. Like the women each year they increase the size of their disks.
Tanzania and Kenya: Samburu and the Maasai tribes.
This is probably one of the things you would not expect to do when you are a guest. And it is certainly one of the strangest ones. The Samburu and Massai tribes are known for being friendly to visitors. Generally the visitors are given cooked meet to eat. But you may be offered to drink fresh blood either mixed with milk or oozing from a live animal. This is commonly known as Blood-Water Beverage.
India: Festival of the Snake: Nag Panchami.
On the fifth day of the lunar month of Shravan (mid July-early August) fangless Cobras are worshiped. It is said that priests throw Haldi, Kumkum and flower petals on the Cobra after raising its hood. Devotees often feed it rats and milk. Even though it is presumed that milk is poisonous to this type of Snake.
Ethiopian: Young men showing their manhood.
In certain parts of this country there is a tradition where a young boy has to dance, run, jump and land on a whole bull with out any cloths on. This can also be seen as a show of being macho to other men and women. Unfortunately, women have to cover themselves in red ochre and fats and then whipped to show their loyalty.
Spain: La Tomatina.
This one is a rather entertaining tradition coming from a Valencian town of Buñol in Spain. In this town there is a tradition which takes place on the last Wednesday of August. It involves the participants in the street throwing tomatoes at each other including tomato fighting. The entire thing takes around two hours leaving the streets and houses covered in tomatoes.
