Unraveling the world; one curious custom at a time
The world is vast, exciting, and packed with cultures beyond the ordinary. Here are some of the most unusual customs from around the world.
Previously published as “Unusual Facts from Around the World” for Instagram.com/internationalofficeunpad (12/2019)
Holiday season is here! Where are you heading? Europe? South America? The North Pole? It turns out, countries from all over the world aren’t only interesting tourist-wise.
Strange, unusual laws and customs are to be found in many of these places. Here we’ve gathered some of those interesting cultures from around the world.
Singapore’s Chewing Gum Conundrum
In 1992, Singapore introduces the ban on chewing gum to their citizens. It was claimed that chewing gum causes maintenance problems and vandals public facilities. Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first ever prime minister, said that sticking gum in public places is simply mischief-making.
This ban on chewing gum, along with Singapore’s other policies like no spitting and/or urinating in public places, shows the country’s determination in excelling other countries in terms of cleanliness and efficiency whilst maintaining it.
Feeding Pigeons in San Francisco
Referred by some as “the rats of the sky”, feeding pigeons within city limits in San Francisco, United States, is illegal. Unlike feeding stray cats which is known to be common and arguably promoted in most countries like Indonesia, there are a dozen reasons of why feeding pigeons is a bad idea.
Feeding pigeons could cause over-breeding. Normally pigeons breed two to three times a year, but overfed pigeons could breed up to eight times a year. Its large population could cause health hazards and spread diseases to humans. It also harms the pigeon’s skill and chance on survival.
La Tomatina
Every year on the last Wednesday of August, the city of Buñol, Valencia, Spain holds their annual la tomatina festival. Also known as the world’s biggest food fight, people join in to fight and throw tomatoes to each other in the streets.
There are a few ground rules like participants aren’t allowed to bring bottles or hard objects because it may hurt other festival goers, ripping other participant’s T-shirt is not allowed, and people must squash the tomatoes before throwing them because it reduces the impact it may cause.
Over one hundred metric tons of over-ripe tomatoes are spared in this festival. Sounds exciting, huh?
Cinnamon Showers
If you are 25 and unmarried in Denmark, it is a custom to throw cinnamon all over you on your birthday. People are traditionally tied to a pole or a chair and are publicly showered by cinnamon.
This tradition dates back to when travelling spice salesmen were so focused on getting their business running require them to keep moving and eventually not settle down.
When people turn 30 and are still single, its pepper they should be looking out for. This follow-up tradition is called pebersvend for a man and pebermo for woman.
High Heels in Greece
Planning a historical visit to Greece? Eliminate the option of wearing high heels while travelling there because since 2009, it is prohibited to wear them to ancient Greek sites. The sharp metal tips of stilettos are said to damage the foundation of archeological sites such as the Odeon of Herodes Atticus or the Acropolis.
Next to protecting these heritage, switching to sneakers or sandals is far more comfortable for travelling don’t you think?
Monkey Buffet Festival
In contrast to San Francisco’s ban on pigeon feeding, every last Sunday in November is dedicated to creating a feast for stray monkeys in Lopburi, Thailand. From fruits to vegetables, the population of monkeys are welcomed to join in a buffet of food in the local temples.
This tradition dates back to the ancient story of Ramayana, where the monkey king Hanuman helped rescuing Sita, Ramayana’s wife, from a demon lord. Monkeys have since then been appreciated as a sign of good luck and prosperity.
From food festivities to wardrobe customs, it is important to respect the local traditions while traveling to ensure a safe trip during your stay. Remember to have lots of fun. Happy holidays!
SOURCES
Metz, E. (2015). Why Singapore banned chewing gum. Retrieved December 2019, from https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-32090420
Pigeons | Public Works. (2020). Retrieved December 2019, from https://sfpublicworks.org/services/pigeons#:~:text=It%20is%20illegal.,486.&text=You%20can%20help%20keep%20your,control%20by%20not%20feeding%20pigeons.
La Tomatina Festival: A Survival Guide — Along Dusty Roads. (2020). Retrieved December 2019, from https://www.alongdustyroads.com/posts/la-tomatina-festival-survival-guide
Fayvinova, D. (2016). Single 25-Year-Olds In Denmark Get Hella Pranked. Retrieved December 2019, from https://www.bustle.com/articles/188252-if-youre-single-on-your-25th-birthday-in-denmark-youll-likely-be-victim-to-this-bizarre#:~:text=People%20in%20Denmark%20are%20traditionally,time%20of%20traveling%20spice%20salesmen.
Carassava, A. (2020). High Heels and Gum Erode a Piece of Greece’s Heritage. Retrieved 19 June 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/08/world/europe/08greece.html
This Ancient Thai Temple Throws An Enormous Party For 3,000 Monkeys Each Year. (2016). Retrieved 19 June 2020, from https://allthatsinteresting.com/monkey-buffet-festival
