The world is full of surprises, isn't it? The unique cultures and traditions of every corner of the planet prove this.
There are some customs out there that make us open our eyes wide and think: “who was the genius who invented this and thought it was normal?” That’s right!
From chasing rolling cheese to digging up relatives to dance with, human beings never disappoint when it comes to creativity.
Let's find out about some of these crazy things?
Rolling Cheese Festival
First of all, get this: in England, guys decided that chasing a giant cheese down a hill was a valid sport.
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Every year, on Cooper's Hill, there's the so-called rolling cheese race. Basically, they throw a Gloucester cheese down a hill and a bunch of completely clueless people run after it.
By the way, the detail? The descent is so steep that no one comes out unscathed! In theory, whoever gets the cheese first wins. In practice, people throw themselves, fall over, stumble and land on the ground in a way that looks like a scene from a cartoon.
It's so chaotic that there's even a medical team waiting for people to get wasted. And the craziest part? There's a line of people wanting to participate every year!
They say this madness started as a pagan ritual for the fertility of the land, but today it is basically a show of guaranteed somersaults.
If this isn't culture and peculiar traditions in the veins, I don't know what is! Who would risk such madness?
The Dance of the Dead
So, now hold on to this: in Madagascar, there is an event called “Famadihana”, or “The Dance of the Dead”. Yes, my friend, that is literally what it sounds like.
Every seven years, families dig up their deceased relatives, change the burial cloths and even throw a party with music and dancing for them.
The idea is simple: the dead continue to be part of the family, so nothing is fairer than taking them out of their eternal rest every now and then for a little stroll.
Relatives take the bodies for a walk, tell stories, dance and celebrate their memory. At the end of the day, they return to the grave, well wrapped, until the next celebration.
It may seem bizarre to us, but for the Malagasy, it is a super special moment of connection with their ancestors.
Who would have thought that a “party” like this could be so meaningful, right? Another one for the list of peculiar cultures and traditions that leave us speechless!
The Tomato Festival
If there's one thing the Spanish know how to do, it's party, and the La Tomatina festival is proof of that. So, now imagine a war where the only weapons are tons of ripe tomatoes.
Yes, my friend, that's right! Everyone gets together in a little town called Buñol to simply throw tomatoes at each other.
The tradition began back in 1945, when a group of friends decided to start a tomato fight (probably after a few good doses of wine).
In fact, people thought it was fun and decided to repeat it every year. So, today, it is an official event, and the city prepares months in advance to ensure enough tomatoes for this area.
So, the rules are simple: you can only throw tomatoes (no mixing with stones, please), you have to crush them before throwing them so as not to hurt anyone, and at the end, everyone gets together for a collective bath and goes home clean.
Also, don't worry, the tomatoes used are of poor quality and wouldn't sell anyway. Now that's a fun way to release stress, right?
In fact, Spain's unique culture and traditions never disappoint!
The Wedding with Trees
Now, this one is for those who think they've seen it all. In India, there is an astrological superstition that says that those born under the influence of Mars – the so-called “Mangliks” – are doomed to have problems in marriage.
But don't worry, there is a solution: marry a tree first!
That's right, before saying "yes" to a human being, the unlucky one has to perform a symbolic wedding ceremony with a tree or even a statue of some god.
Then the curse is broken, and he can marry a human being without any risk. It's that simple! Many families take this tradition very seriously, especially in the more traditional regions of India.
It may seem strange, but it shows how cultural beliefs can interfere even in the most important moments in life. So, who would be up for a tree wedding before the official one?
Peculiar culture and traditions
So, after this trip through the craziest customs on the planet, you could say that the world is a real cultural amusement park, right?
What seems strange to us is completely normal and full of meaning in other places. Go figure! The truth is that these traditions are part of the people's identity and make everything more interesting.
Just imagine if everyone was the same? It wouldn't be so funny! So let's open our minds and respect other people's crazy ideas – and maybe even participate in some of them, right?