important things to know

The World Stinging Nettle Eating Contest is a tradition carried out every year in Dorset, England. Do you know: Stinging nettle is a plant that creates a rash and bad itch when touched. What started out as a challenge between two friends in 1986, on whose nettle was the longest, gradually changed into another type […]

The Straw Bear is an old English tradition held annually in January. Do you know: The day when the ‘straw bear’ dances, is 7th January, which is considered the start of the agricultural year in England. The straw bear is a tradition where a man or a boy dresses up in a costume made completely

Mamemaki is a ritual performed by people in Japan. Do you know: The ritual of mamemaki is performed during the Setsubun or Bean throwing day that is held in February. The Mamemaki ritual is performed to ward off evil spirits. It involves either the head of the house or the toshiotoko (member of family born

Gaining weight before a marriage is a custom practised by people in Mauritania that dates back to pre-colonial times. Do you know: Girls as young as 5 and 7 are force-fed 2 kilos of pounded mixed millet in 2 cups of butter and 20 litres of a camel’s milk each day. There were special fat

Placing Tile Cats on the roof of a home is a long-standing customfollowed by people from the Yunnan province, in China. Do you know: Tile cat is an object that resembles a cat and hence the name. It is customary for the people of the west of Yunnan, to place a tile cat in the

The ‘Battle’ of Mellans and Avresses is a mock fight tradition (with men on stilts) in 1951 in Namur, Belgium. Do you know: This tradition is also known as la bia bouquet or the gold stilt combat. Traditionally, men divide themselves into two groups; the Mellans are the ones found on the black and yellow

Anastenaria is a fire-walking custom prevalent in various parts of Europe. Do you know:Anastenaria is headed by a group of twelve, of which majority are women. There are two huge events of Anastenaria that are dedicated to Saint Catherine and Saint Helen. The events include processions, music and dance as also animal sacrifice. For all

Battle of the Queens or Combat de reines is a cow-fighting tournament that is held in the Alps. Do you know: While the competition involves serious cow-fighting, very often the cow may not have been interested in engaging in a fight and just walks away. The battle of the queens is an annual festival where

The São João or Saint John Festival is a popular tradition held in June, in Portugal. Do you know: The festival is dedicated to saint John who is considered the patron saint of lovers. The São João festival is an extremely popular custom where various dishes in large quantities are made and sweet Port wine

Falling Asleep of the Virgin is a tradition with festivities carried out for a period of ten days in Markopoulo, Greece. Do you know: The European cat snakes that can be seen during this period are known as ‘our lady’s snakes’. The festivities that occur for ten days revolve around the village church of Panagia

The Fiesta de Santa Marta de Ribarteme, is a festival carried out in Las Nieves, Spain for the individuals who have had near death experiences. Do you know: On this day, those who cheated death are paraded in coffins. The festival dedicated to the patron saint of resurrection, Saint Marta de Ribarteme, begins with thousands

Goat Tossing Festival is a bizarre tradition held in a small village known as Manganeses de la Polvorosa. Do you know: This event, which is held in the end of January, is actually carried out to honour the local patron saint, St. Vincent de Paul. The goat tossing tradition is performed exactly as the name

In the town of Marostica in Vicenza, Italy, a game of chess is performed with actual human beings. Do you know: This tradition of a human chessboard goes back all the way to 1451. The human chess game originated with the lord of the Marostica castle. When two knights were in love with his daughter,

Aperschnalzen is a tradition, involving rhythmic whip cracking and is extremely popular in Bavaria, Germany and Salzburg, Austria. Do you know: The so-called ‘short-handled whips’ used for the event are actually more than 4 metres long. Held in the month of February, the Aperschnalzen originated from the tradition to ‘wake-up’ Nature and call on good