The Hanging Coffins are a Chinese funerary custom that is most commonly attributed to the Bo people of Mantangba, China. Do you know: This traditional practice could be dated back to more than 3,000 years ago in China. The Hanging Coffins were the most widespread form of burial in Southwest China. It was believed that […]
Common name : Panda bear, Giant panda Scientific name : Ailuropoda melanoleuca Family : Ursidae Native to : China Interesting fact : 99% of its diet is bamboo. Conservation status : Endangered It has black fur on ears, eye patches, a muzzle, legs, and shoulders with the rest of the coat being white. It stands
Ashura, the 10th day of Muharram, is considered the Atonement Day by the Sunni Muslims the world over, whereas the Shia Muslims deem it to be a day of great sorrow. Do you know: While suffering and flailing rituals were banned in many places including Lebanon, these practices still continue in India and Bangladesh. The
The Baby Throwing ritual takes place amongst the Hindu and Muslim Indians in the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka in India. Do you know: The ritual requires a baby to be tossed through 30 feet of air. The Baby Throwing ritual is carried out at a religious shrine, where a man scales a wall 30
Scientific name : Lutrinae Family : Mustelidae Native to : Coasts of the pacific ocean in North America and Asia Interesting fact : Otters aren’t found in Antarctica and Australia. Conservation status : Threatened This is an aquatic member of the weasel family. Otters have long, slim bodies and relatively short limbs with webbed paws.
The Finger Cutting ritual of the Dani tribe is practised as a form of mourning in Papua, Indonesia. Do you know: While the ritual was to be carried out by any member of the family of the deceased, it was mostly women that were subject to this ritual. The people of the Dani tribe believed
Common name : Gazelle Scientific name : Oryx gazella Family : Bovidae Native to : Africa Interesting fact : They can smell rain from almost 80 km away. Conservation status : Endangered It is a large antelope with long, spear-like horns. It is a true desert animal, with a thick, horse-like neck; a short mane,
The Famadihana ritual or ‘Turning of the bones’ is a practice followed by the peopleof Madagascar. Do you know: The origins of this ritual are only as old as the 17th century. The Famadihana ritual takes place every 7 years, when the bones and bodies of the deceased members of a family are dug out
There are many customs revolving around weddings in the Tidong community of Malaysia. Do you know: If the groom arrives late at his wedding, he has to pay a penalty in the form of jewellery. The Tidong community has another sweet custom where once the ceremony is done, a curtain is raised between the bride
The Bathroom Ban is a custom that is part of the Tidong community that resides in Sandakan city, Malaysia. Do you know: As a part of the ritual, the newlywedded couple is not allowed to clear their bowels or even urinate for 3 days and nights! Very little food and water is allowed to the
Scientific name : Microtus arvalis orcadensis Family : Cricetidae Native to : Northern coast of Scotland Interesting fact : A vole tunnel is a circle of eaten grass. Conservation status : Endangered It has a stocky body with a blunt, rounded snout, short pale fur, small ears, a tail shorter than its body length and
The Tooth Filing ritual is a rite of passage custom in the Balinese culture in Indonesia. Do you know: The custom of tooth filing on the islandof Bali even predates the arrival of Hinduism to the island (5th Century BC). While many would assume, that a tooth filing practice would involve sharpening of the teeth,
Common name : Asian ape Scientific name : Pongo Family : Hominidae Native to : Indonesia and Malaysia Interesting fact : Its name in Malay means ‘forest person’. Conservation status : Critically Endangered They have a coat of reddish-brown, and black hairless face. They spend most of their time on trees, and have a diet
The Death Ritual of the Yanomami tribe ofthe Amazon involves endocannibalism as away to keep the person alive. Do you know: The Yanomami tribe does not consider death to be a ‘natural process’. Instead, they believe that a rival tribe sent an evil spiritto kill the tribe member. The Yanomami tribe has a ritual whereby
The Thaipusam Festival is celebrated according to the Tamil Calendar in places with a large Tamil population. Do you know: Over the years, the festival has become more dramatic with devotes spearing their bodies with hooks and spears and even pulling large wagons with ropes attached to their backs. The Thaipusam Festival celebrates Lord Murugan’s