Hello readers and writers.

Tradition is what makes a race or tribe peculiar and distinct from every other tribes out there. But some these traditions so weird in their forms and practice that most people will consider them unreal

N.B I got the idea to write this article after reading @Kristofferquincy post on facts about Filipinos

Top 15 weird traditions of the world

1. La Tomatina, Spain

First up is La Tomatina, the largest tomato fight in the world. It’s not quite known how it came about but there are many theories surrounding it. One of the most popular is that during a parade of gigantes y cabezudos in 1945, those who weren’t included in the event started a brawl in the main square using tomatoes from a local vegetable stand as weapons.

Regardless, this annual festival is held in Buñol, Spain on the last Wednesday of August as part of a week of festivities in Buñol and quite literally consists of people throwing tomatoes at each other for fun.

2. Smashing coconuts on people’s skulls in India

Breaking coconuts on people’s heads is a ritual that has been around for a long time in southern parts of India. Their extreme superstition has caused this to become an obsession and therefore despite warnings they have continued to perform this act that has been around since the colonial period.

Devotees to the Hindu religion will gather inside the temple and the Priest will smash a coconut on the head of each of them one after the other as a sign to the gods they are asking for good health and success. The subjects will then usually walk away as if unphased by the event.

Funny idea: Imagine how hard those skulls must have become😂😂

3. Throwing cinnamon at 25-year old’s in Denmark

In Denmark, if you turn 25 and are unmarried not only do you have to face Valentine’s Day alone, but you also must endure your friends and family submerging you in a cloud of cinnamon 😂.

This long-standing tradition in Denmark is customary if a man or woman turns 25 and is still single. Firstly, they get splashed with water and then they get covered from head to toe in cinnamon. It’s not a form of punishment but more just an excuse to be silly with friends and family and is a tradition that dates back hundreds of years.

Fair Advice: if you are 25 and not yet married, stay off the Denmark coast😁

4. Polterabend in Germany

Polterabend, meaning ‘wedding shower’, is a unique tradition in Germany that is generally held the day before a bride and groom are due to wed. It’s a big party where friends and family gather at the front of the house and smash things on the floor such as; plates, flowerpots, tiles, anything that makes a lot of noise in order to bring good luck, the only exceptions being glass and mirrors, of course.

Once the dish breaking is done the bride and groom then work together to clean it up as preparation for the future.

Appreciation: Thank God we don't have this tradition in Nigeria, If not, blood go flow if person break my plate o😂😂

5. Finger cutting of the Dani tribe

Everyone grieves differently after the loss of a loved one but the women of the Dani tribe in Indonesia have quite a unique and severe way of dealing with grief.

When they lose a loved one the top joint of a woman’s finger will be amputated. String will be tightly tied around the finger until it goes numb and then a family member, often a sibling or parent will cut off the top of the finger. The wound is then burnt to stop the bleeding and prevent infection. The process is carried out to symbolise the pain suffered after the loss of a loved one and to keep the deceased person’s spirit away.

A bizzare tradition I personally think should be erased

6. Baby tossing in India 😱

You may want to sit down for this one. In India, they have a ritual that involves throwing newborn babies off the side of temples. If you got married at the 50-foot-high Sri Santeswar temple in India, it’s a tradition to return with your baby and throw them from the top onto a cloth that is held by both Muslims and Hindus below.

These are some of the strangest traditions but although they may seem absurd to some, they are a way of life for others and natives believe that they have very good reasons for their actions. 😢

1. Famadihana - Dancing with the dead

A funeral tradition followed by the Malagasy tribe in Madagascar, people literally dance with dead bodies as part of the Famadihana custom. After bringing bodies of ancestors from their burial place, they re-wrap them in fresh cloth and dance around the tomb to live music. The ritual is followed once in seven years, but has been in the decline of late.

8. Don't ask for salt when at a host's place in Egypt

Looks like Egyptians get offended easily. So, if you are invited over for dinner and want to add more salt to your dish, dare not touch the saltshaker because Egyptians feel it is equivalent to insulting the host. Oops!😂😂

To be continued...

Thanks for reading this article. I will surely complete it in the next episode.