Shaving their heads is a common custom amongst the Lahu tribe from the Yunnan province in China. Do you know: Being bald is considered a sign of cleanliness and beauty amongst the Lahupeople. While this custom is not very common in today’s day and age, those who observe it shave their heads completely once they […]
Shooting Arrows at the Bride is a Chinese custom practised by the Yugur people. Do you know: During the wedding, the groom has to shoot three arrows to the bride. The Yugur custom has a unique wedding ritual where the groom shoots arrows without any arrowheads at the bride three times. However, the arrow does
Common name : Mountain zebra Scientific name : Equus zebra Family : Equidae Native to : Africa Interesting fact : The name means wild horse. Conservation status : Vulnerable There are three species of zebra–the plains, the mountains and the Grevy’s zebra; the last is endangered. All three are differentiated on the basis of the
Sending the bride 12 presents is a wedding custom in Taiwan. Do you know: The objects chosen to give as gifts have words that sound similar to Chinese words for ‘plenty and fast boy’. The custom dictates that the groom gifts the bride 12 presents, which may include shoes, jewellery, pagoda-shaped candies, etc. After the
Carrying bread, salt and grains is customary in German weddings. Do you know: The Germans also hold a ‘Paube’, a sort of engagement party, many days before the wedding, at the future house of the couple. On their wedding day, couples in Germany are meant to carry items in their pockets to the wedding. The
Scientific name : Bos grunniens Family : Bovidae Native to : Himalaya mountain region in South Central Asia, the Tibetan Plateau and as far North as Mongolia and Russia Interesting fact : They are the only wild bovids of this size with extremely dense, long fur that hangs down lower than the belly. Conservation status
Baumstamm Sägen is a post-wedding custom in Germany. Do you know: After their wedding, fir branches are laid before the bride and the groom as they leave to pave their life with hope, luck and fertility. After the bride and the groom have walked over the fir branches, they carry out a custom known as
Kidnapping the Bride is a pre-wedding custom in Germany. Do you know: The groom usually pays for a drink for anyone who wants to help him find his bride. Before the wedding, the friends of the bride and the groom kidnap the bride and the groom is expected to find her. The search for the
Common Name : Striped ground squirrel Scientific name : Xerus erythropus Family : Sciuridae Native to : Africa Interesting fact : They make loud bi-jo and bi-joo sounds. Conservation status : Least Concern They live in open woodlands, grasslands, or rocky country, in burrows. Their diet is roots, seeds, fruits, pods, grains, insects, small vertebrates
Both First Foot and the Luckenbooth Brooch are simple sweet pre-wedding customs in Scotland. Do you know: In the 18th century this type of brooch was sold through locked booths in the jewellery stores of Saint Giles in Edinburgh. A quaint custom amongst the Scots is the ‘first foot’ seen by the bride on her
Common Name : Humboldt’s woolly monkey Scientific name : Lagothrix lagotricha Family : Atelidae Native to : Philippines Interesting fact : They have black faces, and the palms of their hands are deep pink colour. Conservation status : Vulnerable It is an omnivorous mammal. Woolly monkeys have coat colour variations including dark brown, red-brown, grey
There are interesting pre-wedding customs that are a part of Scottish tradition. Do you know: ‘Creeling the groom’ is a custom whereby the groom has to carry a basket full of stones until the bride comes and gives him a kiss. On the eve of the wedding, friends, members of family and relatives gather to
Esala Perahera is also known as the ‘Festival of the tooth’, and is the biggest festival in Sri Lanka. Do you know: While the festival has been organized since the 18th century, thereare experts who believe that the ritual dates back to the 4th century. EsalaPerahera is an annual festival where the main attraction is
Common Name : White Tiger Scientific name : Panthera tigris tigris Family : Felidae Native to : Indian sub-continent Interesting fact : It is an albino Royal Bengal tiger which exists only in captivity. Conservation status : Endangered They measure 6.8-11.0 feet, weigh 140-300 kg and have a 10-20 years life span. As the name
The Feria de Caballo is a horse fair that is held annually in the city of Jerez de la Frontera, in Southern Spain. Do you know: The origins of this fair could be traced back 5 centuries. What started as an ordinary place for meetings, over the time became much more; with wine producers joining