There is a quaint custom surrounding pregnancies in the Orkney Islands, in Northern Scotland. Do you know: The baby-boys were always baptized before baby-girls, because the locals believed; if a girl was baptized first, she would grow a beard. In the Orkney Islands, a pregnancy is usually kept a secret to keep the mother and […]
In Jamaica, there is a custom meant for pregnant women involving milk. Do you know: In Jamaican customs, when a pregnant woman yearns for oranges and doesn’t eat them, her baby would have an orange-shaped birthmark. According to Jamaican customs, pregnant women should have more milk during their pregnancy. It is believed that the more
Common name : Whiptail wallaby, Toolache Scientific name : Macropus Family : Macropodidae. Native to : Australia Interesting fact : The dwarf wallaby is the smallest member. A wallaby is an animal that is smaller than a kangaroo. Although members of most wallaby species are small yet some can grow up to six feet in
There is a unique custom surrounding pregnant women in Mongolia. Do you know: Even after the baby is born up until it is 3 months or even a year old, the baby’s sex is not revealed. Women, in Mongolia, specifically pregnant women know to stay well away from each other if they ever meet. In
Tattooed Gums or Black Gums are a common custom amongst women in West Africa. Do you know: The tattooing is promoted not only as a sign of beauty but also to maintain good dental health. Women in West Africa, specifically in countries-like Senegal, believe in order to look more attractive they must tattoo their gums
Cross-Dressing is another quirky pre-wedding custom practised in Russia. Do you know: This tradition is based on the dowry system. In Russia, it is the groom’s family who pays a dowry. Before a wedding, the groom’s family visit the bride’s family. A dowry is paid by the groom and only then is his bride to
Scientific name : Odobenus rosmarus Family : Odobenidae Native to : North Pole in the arctic and sub-arctic seas Interesting fact : Its name means ‘tooth walking sea horse’. Conservation status : Data Deficient It is a large flippered marine mammal found across the northern hemisphere. Adult walruses are easily recognized by their prominent tusks,
The Shoe Stealing Game (JootaChhupai) is a wedding custom practised in most parts of India in Hindu and Muslim weddings. Do you know: The bride and the groom are expected to take off their shoes during the wedding ceremony. In most Indian weddings, once the groom has removed his shoes, chaos would ensue, where the
Kissing Feast is one of the wedding customs followed in Sweden. Do you know: In Swedish weddings, the bride and the groom walk down the aisle together rather than the father of the bride giving her away. Amongst the many customs surrounding their weddings, kidnapping the ‘couple to be’ before their wedding and planning a
Polterabend is a pre-wedding custom practised in Germany. Do you know: The word Polterabend comes from the German verb ‘poltern’, which means to make loads of noise; and the noun abend–meaning evening. Polterabend is a custom practised by the friends, members of family and guests of the coupe to be married on the eve of
Common name : Vicugna Scientific name : Vicugna vicugna Family : Camelidae Native to : South America Interesting fact : They yield small amounts of fine wool, every three years. Conservation status : Least Concern It has a long, woolly coat which is tawny brown on the back, while the fur on the throat and
The Awá tribe of Brazil is known to take in orphaned animals in the rainforest. Do you know: The Awá tribe live and hunt in the rainforest using 6-foot tall bows and gather forest produce for their food. The Awá tribe, which is fast becoming endangered because of killings and encroachment on its land, has
Lip Plate, known as a ‘Lip Plug’ or ‘Lip Disc’, is one of the distinguishing features of the Mursi tribe of Africa. Do you know: A girl in the Mursi tribe perseveres to increase the size of the Lip Plate until it is 12 cmsor more in diameter. The Mursi tribe is extremely egalitarian in
The Korowai tribe until the 1970’s lives in houses high above the ground on trees. Do you know: The new tree houses are blessed with animal fat smeared on the threshold and stairs. The Korowai people strategically build their houses high above the ground so as to avoid pesky mosquitoes, evil spirits and neighbours! Banyan
Cannibalism is practised amongst the Korowai tribe of New Guinea. Do you know: The Korowai do not believe that they practise cannibalism. While the Korowai do not practise cannibalism often, but when it is practised, the person who is killed is killed by a special bone arrow and completely eaten by the tribe. However, the