There was a Roman priesthood whose job was to perform a specific dance and chant around sacred shields. Since this ritual was unchanged for centuries, later Romans had no idea what the ritual actually meant while still continuing the tradition. 10
In 1968, Canada gave a $3,500 grant…
In 1968, Canada gave a $3,500 grant to a 35-year old man in Vancouver “to revive the ancient and time-honored tradition of town fool.” 00
In Germany, Father’s Day is celebrated by groups of males…
In Germany, Father’s Day is celebrated by groups of males going hiking with one or more smaller wagons filled with wine or beer and traditional regional food. Many use this day to get drunk, and alcohol-related traffic accidents multiply by three on this day. 00
NASA has a long standing tradition to wake up astronauts…
NASA has a long standing tradition to wake up astronauts with a specially selected track of music each day, usually picked by friends or family members, called “Wake Up Calls”. 00
In Denmark, if you are unmarried at 25, you’ll get…
In Denmark, if you are unmarried at 25, you’ll get cinnamon thrown all over you on your birthday.
In Japan, fake food (called sampuru from the…
In Japan, fake food (called sampuru from the English “sample”) is a multi-billion yen industry. The replicas, which are made of plastic and typically cost 10 or 20 times the amount of the food they imitate, are mostly handmade by trained artists in an almost century-old tradition.
Groomsmen (specifically bridegroom-men) were originally…
Groomsmen (specifically bridegroom-men) were originally at weddings to protect the bride from being kidnapped by another suitor.
In some cultures children were intentionally given…
In some cultures children were intentionally given names with unfavorable meanings like ‘ugly’ and ‘crippled’, as it was thought that this would make them less desirable to child-stealing demons.
It’s a faux pas in Russia to give your date a dozen flowers…
It’s a faux pas in Russia to give your date a dozen flowers; You give an odd number of flowers for a happy occasion, and an even number for condolences.
During the Makahiki festival in Hawaii, the chief would go off shore…
During the Makahiki festival in Hawaii, the chief would go off shore in a canoe. When he came back warriors threw spears at him and he had to deflect them to prove his worthiness to rule.