Every nation has its traditions and customs. And although some of them may seem funny, strange, or even cruel to strangers, they are honored and passed down from generation to generation.
Bride blackening (Scotland)
According to an ancient custom, the Scots on the day before the wedding daub the bride with foul-smelling and not too unpleasant liquids: dirt, stale sauces, and even rotten eggs are used. After that, the girl is sprinkled with flour or sawdust and driven (carried) around the city. The ancestors of the Scots believed that in this way evil spirits were driven away from the bride.
Ant Trial (Brazil)
In Brazil, one of the Indian tribes has a rather cruel custom. Initiation of boys into men. The stamina and endurance of young men are tested as follows: gloves filled with large ants are put on their hands. For every movement of the hand, insects react with bites. It is worth noting that the stings of these ants are many times more painful than bee stings. The gloves must remain on the boys’ hands for ten hours.
Tomato fight (Spain)
In Spanish Valencia (in the city of Bunol), the annual celebration of Tomatina, in addition to dancing, music, and fun, is also accompanied by an unusual battle. It is this that is the culmination of the holiday and its main tradition. Citizens throw ripe tomatoes at each other, which bring several trucks to the streets at exactly 11 o’clock. According to tradition, this is how the Spaniards see off the summer.
Jumping over babies (Spain)
In another Spanish town called Castillo de Murcia, an annual ritual of cleansing babies takes place. It is called “El Colacho”. Men put on yellow-red suits, masks of evil spirits, take whips and walk around the city in this form, scaring passers-by. The purpose of their “walk” is the central square. On it, babies lie on mattresses, over which men immediately jump. This ritual is designed to carry all evil and disease away from the kids and cleanse their souls.