The strangest tribes in the world. Amazing customs and traditions of different peoples of the world

The traditions of different peoples of our planet conceal many interesting and unknown things.

And the mysterious, sometimes even forbidden, topic of sex could not remain aside from customs and, accordingly, was reflected in various rituals, sometimes very unusual.

Sexual caresses and partner arousal

1. Among the inhabitants of the Trobriand Islands, one of the sexiest caresses is considered to be nibbling on a partner's eyelashes.

2. In Korea, it was believed that the best way to increase a man’s arousal was to inject 1-2 cm into the root of the penis with a needle.

3. Men of the Panape tribe, which lives in Micronesia, stimulate their partners with the help of ants, which sting very painfully. The insects are specially kept in boxes and, in the midst of sexual caresses, are planted directly on the clitoris of the beloved.

4. The sexual traditions of some other African tribes are also associated with insects, namely with the same ants. Partners place their buttocks under their stings, which, as a result of poisonous bites, turn into a continuous erogenous zone...

5. Before making love, a couple from the Siron tribe in Eastern Bolivia has long had a tradition of cleaning each other from ticks, lice and fleas. For greater excitement, lovers also swallow these insects.

It was believed that this atavism remained in the Siron tribe from the monkeys. However, upon closer examination, it turned out that one of the varieties of lice that can live on the human body has a pronounced stimulating effect. It continues sexual arousal for hours and makes it more durable. Maybe this is why the Siron Indians can have sex every day for 5-6 hours.

6. But in Zimbabwe they love dry sex. There it is believed that friction should be hard. Therefore, before sexual intercourse, local women rub their intimate organs with special herbs that create increased dryness. And men make special scar cuts on the penis so that the friction is as strong as possible.

Defloration and amputation

7. Men of the Hottentot tribe from South Africa maintained the tradition of amputating one of their testicles. This is done to prevent twins from being born in the family, the appearance of which is considered a curse for the tribe.

8. In many Islamic countries, for example in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the custom of ceremonial defloration has been preserved to this day. This is when the hymen is torn with the index finger of the right hand, wrapped in a white cloth, which, of course, should be dyed red. This happens publicly during the wedding ritual. And this despite the fact that the bride, and then the wife, can only show her face to her husband.

9. An even more terrible ritual of defloration occurs in certain tribes of equatorial Africa. The girls are sent into the jungle so that the role of the first man will be played by... a male gorilla. And if a girl failed to attract the “monkey,” this cast a shadow on her reputation as a potential spouse: they say even the gorilla didn’t bite! It is clear that most often this ended in an attack, or an imitation of an attack by one of the tribesmen. At the same time, he could literally do whatever he wanted with the unfortunate girl. The more injuries and mutilations a virgin received, the higher position she then occupied in the hierarchy of the tribe. This is the price to pay for sexual disability.

10. In the Zakai tribe (Sumatra island), the bride had to be deflowered by the father, who was helped by the bride’s uncles, i.e. brothers of father and mother (regardless of age). Sometimes up to 25 men aged from 70 to 10 years gathered at the bed of the unfortunate girl.

11. In ancient India, the defloration procedure was performed for money by people specially trained in this “skill.” The decision to take the girl to such a specialist was made by her mother. Deflowering took place using the symbol of a phallus made of stone, wood or other materials. After this, the girl was injected into the vagina with a special remedy made from medicinal leaves, which heals and reduces discomfort. At the same time, the blood that the girl lost during the process, by the decision of the parents, could be collected and further used as a love spell.

12. Almost all tribes in South America and some African tribes had a widespread tradition of deflowering themselves with a wooden dildo. After which the torn hymen was covered with pieces of antiseptic plants.

13. And in Papua New Guinea, the right to deflower a girl belonged exclusively to the high priest. This happened with the help of a wooden knife. And the groom was obliged to invite other men to “test” the newly-made bride. Only after this was the wedding celebrated and the wife had to remain faithful in the marriage.

14. Quite the opposite was done in some tribes in Africa. There they fought to “save” the bride. And they solved this matter radically - the girl’s vagina is simply sewn up at an early age and “opened” only before the wedding at a special council of elders.

15. In the 19th century, it became popular in Europe to feign virginity, and the art was passed down from mothers to daughters. The girls created bleeding using a fish bladder, a sponge soaked in blood, or other tricks. Even then, the vaginal opening was sometimes stitched together, and sometimes special drugs were used to narrow it. Well, today feigning innocence is a well-established surgical operation.

16. And in Japan, virginity can only be proven by heavy bleeding, so special balls filled with a liquid similar to blood were inserted into the vagina to simulate it.

Traditions of polygamy and substitution

17. But if you think that virginity is a value, then you have never heard of the customs of the Tibetans. In this mountainous region, marriage with an untouched girl was considered a disgrace. And if the village found out about this fact, the couple could be expelled altogether... Therefore, the mothers literally ordered the girl to give herself to at least twenty men. Moreover, Tibet has never been a nearby populated place, which made the process particularly extreme. However, telling your husband about the number of partners was considered unethical. The lists of those who were blessed were kept by the mother-in-law and mother-in-law.

18. Similar traditions still exist on the island of Mangaia in Oceania. Mothers there approve of their daughters having multiple sexual partners. It is believed that this way the girl has a chance to choose the best groom. Therefore, after her 18th birthday, if a girl stays away from men, then 20-30 peers and other single men are literally driven through her bed. Group sexual violence is also not prohibited, so girls prefer to be very sociable with the opposite sex.

19. And here is how researcher Jacques Marciro describes a wedding in the Marquesas Islands: “All the men invited to the wedding stand in line, singing and dancing, and in turn, in order of seniority, perform sexual intercourse with the bride.”

20. But in the Shilluk tribe, which lives in Central Africa, the opposite is true. There is a tradition there of marrying the king to several dozen beauties (up to 77). But this is the case when the harem is sorrow, not joy. Essentially, harem slaves condemn their master to death. As soon as ten or more women begin to complain that a man does not satisfy them, the poor fellow is threatened not only with overthrow from an honorary post, but also with death in terrible agony. For, as the Shilluk belief goes, an impotent person cannot betray the power of the earth's fertility. The worst thing about this is the death penalty. Here's who Viagra probably saves lives

21. In Kamchatka, for many centuries, it was considered a great honor if a guest entered into an intimate relationship with the host’s wife. Accordingly, the latter made every effort to look as seductive as possible in front of the guest. If a child appeared in a hospitable hostess as a result of such contact, the event was celebrated by the entire settlement... This blessed time ended at the beginning of the 20th century, but its echoes have survived to this day in the form of anecdotes. By the way, the Kamchadals do not have the concept of adultery in their language, and they treat adultery much more calmly than other peoples.

22. A similar custom was in the everyday life of the Australian aborigines from the Arunta tribe. True, they shared their wives with each other. Therefore, modern swingers are not innovators at all. The Alaskan Eskimos and Chukchi reindeer herders observed the tradition of loaning their wives to men from a stronger clan.

23. Also in the valleys of mountainous Tibet, they also believed that if a guest liked someone else’s wife, then this was the highest will of the gods, and he should be allowed to “use” her. In Mongolia, the owner of a yurt in which there is a guest will, as a matter of course, offer to spend the night with his wife.

24. Few people know, but some temples in southern India can give a head start to brothels. For example, in the Saundatti temple, the tradition of sacred prostitution has flourished for hundreds of years. During festivals and when there is a large flow of pilgrims, "jogamma" and "jogappa" - young women and boys - copulate with the pilgrims in exchange for their donations to the temple. These acts of love are dedicated to the "mother of the world" goddess Yellama, her husband Yamadagni and their son Parazuram, who, as the myth tells, cut off his mother's head.

It happens something like this: before entering the chambers, they pronounce a mantra, leave donations to the temple and the gods, and hide behind a heavy drapery. There, believers and ministers of the Yellama cult fall into a trance and, half-oblivious, perform the ritual of “maituna” - “saving intercourse.” After some time, they, “purified and enlightened,” come out of the door on the opposite side of the hall. At the same time, “jogamma” and “jogappa” look quite exotic - as a sign of piety, they never take care of their hair. There are practically no parishioners near the temple.

29. Imagine a wedding procession: at the altar there is a fifteen-year-old bride and five brother grooms, from six to twenty-six years old. Among the Tibetan Ning-ba tribe in northwestern Nepal, the land - the main local treasure - is inherited by a woman. By marrying one of their daughters to several men, the Ning-ba effectively hire labor and avoid the fragmentation of land. Others are destined for the fate of novices in the monastery.
Men share a woman among themselves very simply: the one who happens to spend the night in the matrimonial bedroom leaves his shoes at the entrance, thereby warning others that “the place is occupied.”

Flirting

30. An interesting concept was flirting in Tanzania. To lure a man, Tanzanian women steal his hoe and sandals. It’s just that these items are of particular value by local standards. The man will have to come for them, willy-nilly. And there already...

31. Another interesting custom that indirectly relates to the Aborigines of North-Eastern Australia before 1945 - they were engaged in... penis-sucking. Every stranger, coming to a local village, had to give his penis to the inhabitants of the village of the stronger sex...

32. But during the Renaissance, sex became more open and acquired new rituals. So, for example, during a wedding, one of the guests climbed under the skirt of a girl sitting at the table and stole her garter (note that underwear was not worn then). The girl had to pretend that nothing was happening, and then the groom bought the bandage.

33. On the occasion of Worso, an annual festival marking the end of the rainy season and the awakening of nature, young men from the Bororo tribe in Niger carefully paint and dress up. Make-up is an important part of the ceremony, which can last six days and six nights. A thick layer of ocher is applied to the face, and then rubbed with fat for shine. During the holiday itself, young men with massive masks (sometimes the layer of makeup reaches 3-5 cm) on their faces participate in a beauty contest, the jury of which consists of the 10 most beautiful girls of the tribe. Moreover, they must be completely naked, and the dancers’ faces must be painted identically, so that their masterly mastery of the art of makeup does not interfere with the girls’ impartial assessment of male virtues. The eerie smile frozen on their faces is needed to show the whiteness of their teeth, and their bulging eyes are needed to show off the brightness of the whites. The one who wins can choose any number of girls and be with them for the next month. Those remaining on the panel of judges are divided among the closest rivals of the lucky winner. Another 4-5 guys get the right to go with one of the young beauties to the nearest forest and become a real man. Well, the rest will wait until next year.

34. Among the Nuba people, from Sudan, the main day of the year is considered the “holiday of choosing husbands.” At sunrise, the potential newlyweds begin their love dances and dance until all the brides choose one of their fellow tribesmen. Moreover, when a woman places her hand on her chosen one’s shoulder as a sign of her affection, he does not even dare to raise his eyes to his future wife. Perhaps because the bride, while decorating herself the night before, slightly overdid it with ritual wounds and incisions. However, future family life is by no means a decided fact. Even after public erotic games, the future of the marriage remains a big question. Even if the young warrior managed to please the beauty, until he builds a house for her, he will live among the cattle and will be able to visit his beloved only at night, secretly sneaking into the house of future relatives.

Sexy accessories

35. On the island of Sumatra, men of the Batta tribe inserted small sharp pieces of metal or pebbles under the foreskin, believing that this would give their partner special pleasure. In this case, the “decorations” injured both partners.

36. Argentine Araucan Indians loved to attach a tassel made of horsehair to the male penis, and sometimes the woven jewelry reached 1.5-2 meters in length, and then they were elegantly tied around the neck.

37. The Indians of the Brazilian Topinamba tribe believed that the main thing was size. In their opinion, a woman can only like a large reproductive organ. Therefore, they not only lengthened the penis in every possible way, but also tried to expose their male organ to poisonous snakes, spiders and other insects for a bite, and then bandaged it, trying to keep the swelling.

38. The Indians turned out to be even more inventive! Indian treatises prescribed the use of intimate piercings for men made of gold, silver, iron, wood or buffalo horns to enhance sensitivity. After these tortures, the phallus became literally impaled on a rod and pierced in several places. A slightly more humane device was the “yalaka” - a hollow tube with a surface covered with knobs. Compared to it, modern condoms with pimples are nonsense. But the main difference between this accessory and a condom is that sometimes it remained in an intimate place forever. In some cases, by accident, and a little later, on purpose.

39. But on the island of Bali, women tried to decorate themselves. They inserted various small objects into intimate places - rings, stones, nuts. On the one hand, this, in their opinion, helped fertility, on the other hand, they managed to bring more pleasure to men.

40. Interesting sexual traditions still exist in Japan. For example, at fertility festivals, men wear costumes that include huge penises made from papier-mâché. Calm at normal times, they have fun and run screaming through the streets after women.

41. In Japan, not only male genitals are celebrated, but also female ones - at the so-called “vagina festival”. Then there is a parade during which a huge model of a vagina is shown. It is carried along the street and sometimes opened. Then the girl sits inside and throws away the rice cakes that people catch on the streets.

42. Well, every five years in this country there is a special ceremony during which images of both male and female genital organs are shown. It takes place in Inuyama. The phallic deities are brought here from the Temple in Taga, and the image of the female vagina is brought from Ogata. During these phallic festivals, the sexual act itself may be demonstrated. For example, in Chibi, near Tokyo, a huge wooden phallus is inserted into a giant female vulva made of straw. For greater clarity, spectators pour strong, milky sake called “frill” over the image of the female genital organ.

Other

43. To avoid getting pregnant out of wedlock, the Slavs used very unusual positions. For example, sex was very common while standing, or when a girl was held in her arms. Another method, the “rider” pose, which is still popular today, was also intended specifically to reduce the risk of getting knocked up. Another option - sex in water - was also considered a purely Slavic option and, in addition to hygiene, in the opinion of our ancestors, contributed to a decrease in the birth rate. Later, the authorities and the church introduced a ban on the “standing” and “riding” positions - it is difficult to get pregnant with it, which means it is “not for childbearing, but only for the sake of weakness,” that is, for pleasure. Those who performed sexual acts in water were declared sorcerers and witches. The norms of Christianity dictated only one position for a woman during sex - face to face, lying motionless from below. Kissing was prohibited. Back then, a “good wife” was considered an asexual wife who had an aversion to sex.

45. In Colombia, in the city of Cali, a woman can only have sex with her husband, and when this happens for the first time, the bride's mother must be nearby to witness what happened.

46. ​​​​In Guam, a virgin is prohibited from getting married. That's why there is a special profession there - deflorator. Such a specialist travels around the country and, for a fee, provides girls with the service of deflowering.

47. In Libya, men are officially allowed to have sex with animals. However, there is an important limitation: the animals must be female. Relationships with male animals are punishable by death. In general, in most countries of the Middle East one of the fundamental laws of Islam is still in effect: under no circumstances should you eat the sheep with which you had sexual intercourse. A person who decides to eat such a sheep commits a mortal sin and will never go to heaven.

48. In some African tribes there is a custom: before getting married, the chosen one must prove his perseverance to the parents of his bride. The groom comes to his father, who examines him, feels his muscles, looks into his mouth. After which the sentence is heard: “17 times.” That’s how many times a guy will satisfy the bride’s mother! Moreover, the number can go far beyond a hundred, and the guy will be forced to do this almost continuously! Some cannot stand it and run away, and whoever passes the test will become a husband and will be respected by the entire tribe. This is such a difficult test.

49. The tribes of North-West Africa hold a monthly sex lottery. Each man draws lots with which woman he will spend the night. All women present throw their erotic talismans into the basket. The man who pulls out the woman’s talisman will be her sexy gentleman at this celebration of love. Joy and happiness illuminate those men who got the most beautiful and sexy women. Instantly they drag their prey into the surrounding bushes and disappear there until the morning. And those who had to spend the night with ugly women are upset. But that's the custom. If you refuse your lot, you will be forever barred from further participation in such competitions. But how happy the old women are! They drag healthy and strong men behind their huts like stubborn donkeys: And you can’t escape your fate anywhere - after all, it’s a lottery!

50. The African pygmies practice the following custom: the bride is taken to the groom’s house, after which she runs away from there and tries to hide in the forest. Friends of the future spouse find her, take her to the house of the chosen one’s mother and have sex with her for five days! But that's not all. For three days, all the men of the tribe who wandered into the house of the groom’s mother can make love with the girl, and only after that she remains forever with her husband. I wonder what condition...

Russia is a multinational country. And we have peoples, very unusual ones, who are almost gone. Their traditions and language are on the verge of destruction, but they continue to exist. Some have already moved to the cities and wear national costume only on holidays, others still live in places that can only be reached by helicopter.

Abazins

According to the latest census, 43,341 representatives of this people live in Russia. Most live in 13 villages in Karachay-Cherkessia. Some are moving to neighboring republics and cities. The first mention of them can be found already in the 5th century BC by a Greek historian. They profess Islam.

In the second century they even had their own principality, but the people could not compete with powerful states and constantly fell under their influence. After the Russian-Caucasian War in the 19th century, they became part of Russia. The main occupation of this people is cattle breeding, since mountainous lands are poorly cultivated. They also breed bees and make a sweet, intoxicating drink from honey. The swallow is considered a sacred bird that will save humanity. Now they live using many of the benefits of civilization.

Aleuts

There are only 500 representatives of this people left in Russia. But more than 15 thousand people live in Alaska. Initially, this was the indigenous population of the islands, which over time dispersed to neighboring continents. They call themselves " unangan." Now they live on the Commander Islands.

For the first time this people encountered the Russians in the 18th century. First, anthropologists went there, and then sailors. The Aleuts often clashed with them. Then the Aleuts came under the influence of a Russian-American company, which tried to make money by mining fur seals, and then by mining gold. Aleuts were recruited to work. Russians and Americans married local girls.

Now the Aleuts extract the fur of valuable animals, catch poultry and fish, breed sled dogs and grow turnips, radishes and potatoes. Most likely, soon this people will finally assimilate with the Russians and other peoples, since the Aleut language is not taught in schools.

The population traditionally practiced paganism: shamans connected people with the spirits of their ancestors and helped solve everyday problems. Also, due to the influence of Russians, Orthodoxy is popular here. Now the people enjoy the benefits of civilization and live in houses built for them by the Soviet government.

Besermyane

The Besermyans live in Udmurtia, but in fact they, like the Karelians, are Finno-Ugric. Now the number of people fluctuates around 2 thousand people. There are 10 purely Besermyan villages. The Besermyan language is a dialect of the Udmurt language, in which more eastern influences can be heard.
The religion of the people is a mixture of several beliefs. In the 18th century they converted to Orthodoxy, but retained traditional beliefs and Islam. A mullah was annually invited to the village to pray; his presence at the funeral was considered necessary; The mullah was given flour (cereals) after the first herding of cattle into the field. The cult of ancestors is developed, clearly manifested in funeral and memorial rituals.
Bessermyans are engaged in agriculture. Now the remnants of the people are trying to preserve their traditions and celebrate national holidays. Even Putin came to see them once.

Vepsians

According to official data, now there are just over 6 thousand Vepsians left. Most of them live in Karelia and the village of Sheltozero. Also lives in the Leningrad region.

Until the mid-1930s, Vepsians lived in large families. The entire economic and ordinary life of a large family was led by its head - the oldest man. His wife took care of the livestock, the house, cooked food, weaved and sewed clothes. The Vepsians grew rye, barley, oats, peas, beans and a small amount of wheat and potatoes. Later they began to plant onions, rutabaga, radishes, cabbage, carrots, and potatoes.

The average farm necessarily had a horse, 2-3 cows, and sheep. Fishing, as well as picking mushrooms and berries, were of great importance. The men's occupation was the manufacture of various products from wood, birch bark, and weaving from willow and spruce roots. They made wooden kitchen utensils, handicraft items - weaving mills, spinning wheels, hoops, etc. Wooden handicraft items were usually decorated with carvings. Women were engaged in weaving, sewing clothes and embroidery.

Koryaks

Now there are just over 8 thousand Koryaks left. They know Russian, although they try to preserve their languages. About three thousand speak local dialects. They profess Orthodoxy, but also preserve shamanic traditions. A study of the village of Atargan indicates that the local Koryak tribes were familiar with the use of metal long before the arrival of the Russians, more precisely, in the last century of the first millennium.

Surprisingly, the mythology of the Koryaks is almost no different from the mythology of the Pacific Indians. Some religious events may have been borrowed, but in general myths usually reflect a state of mind over a long time and even the most distant periods.

The similarities between the lives of the Chukchi and Koryaks are great, although the characteristic features of the Eskimos, as a rule, disappear. Among the Koryaks and Kamchadals, the number of elements of similarity with the Eskimos gradually decreased, while the number of myths proving the opposite increased. Until now, most Koryaks live without special amenities, adhering to traditions. Young people are gradually leaving for the cities and assimilating.

Nganasans

Nganasans are the northernmost people of Eurasia. Now there are less than a thousand of them left. Previously, they led a nomadic lifestyle, but due to Soviet rule they switched to a sedentary lifestyle. To hunt wild deer, they had to go deeper into the tundra. Women in the village sewing workshops and at home are engaged in tanning deer skins and sewing national shoes, souvenir rugs, crafts from deer skins, and sewing fur clothing for fishermen.

Almost all men and women, regardless of age, know works of oral folk art. The Nganasans do not have professional folklore performers; all generally recognized storytellers are simple hunters, fishermen and reindeer herders. Legends are told in long evenings at the end of the working day or on vacation; there were no special national festivals at which storytellers shared their stories, like the already mentioned Yakuts or Kazakhs.

Popular kaingamekumi- a competition between two young men who, sitting on both sides of their chosen one, composed allegorical songs, competing in wit. Anyone who, without understanding the allegorical text of his opponent, was considered defeated and was obliged to give the winner some kind of metal decoration.

Photo: Russian Ethnographic Museum

Nivkhi

A small people who live in Russia and Japan. The first traces of his presence in these territories appeared 10 thousand years ago. Now the population is constantly falling; in the last census, experts counted about 4 thousand people.

It is assumed that the peoples of Polynesia are related to the Nivkhs. It is believed that the earliest mention of the Nivkhs in history is the Chinese chronicles of the early 600s AD. e. Contacts between Russians and Nivkhs began in the 17th century, when Cossack explorers visited here.

The Nikhvi mostly engage in fishing. The religious beliefs of the Nivkhs were based on animism and belief in spirits that lived everywhere. Each bear was considered the son of the owner of the taiga. The bear festival was celebrated in January or February, depending on the clan. The bear was caught, raised and fed for several years in a pen. During the celebration, the bear was dressed in a special costume, taken from house to house, and treated to food from carved wooden dishes. After which the animal was sacrificed by shooting from a bow. They placed food at the head of the killed bear, “treating” it. Unlike other peoples of the Amur, the Nivkhs cremated their dead, burning them on a huge bonfire in the taiga accompanied by ritual lamentations, and in ancient times they practiced air burial. The deceased was hung from a tree and left there.

Setu

A small Finno-Ugric people from the Pskov region. There are only 200 of them living in Russia, and about 10 thousand in neighboring Estonia. The origin of the Seto is controversial among scientists. There is also an opinion according to which the Setos represent the remnant of an ethnic group that was once as independent as the other Finno-Ugric peoples.

The Setos, unlike the Lutheran Estonians, are Orthodox. For several centuries, having accepted and observed the rituals of Orthodoxy, the Setos did not have a translation of the Bible. The Russians who lived nearby did not consider the Setos to be full-fledged Christians, calling them “half-believers.”

The Seto house-building is characterized by a Pskov closed courtyard with high gates; later, two-chamber (and then multi-chamber) houses with a glazed veranda became widespread. Setu settlers brought this type of house to Siberia. Now the nationality is not much different from ordinary people.

Tofalar

They live on the territory of Tofalaria in the Irkutsk region. Today, the Tofalars live mainly in three settlements organized by the Soviet government in the 1920s and 1930s: Alygdzher, Upper Gutara and Nerkha, where they were forcibly transferred to settled life and settled together with Russian-speaking settlers. It is possible to get there only by helicopter and contact only by radio.

From the end of the 17th century until 1925 (before the start of dramatic changes in the life of the Tofs), their numbers remained virtually unchanged and fluctuated between 400-500 people. Such a small number of individual people is surprising. Neither the chronicles nor the archival data indicate any mass deaths. Apparently, the Russians had already found these people in a state close to the modern one, and the decrease in their numbers occurred long before the conquest of Siberia.

The people were engaged in hunting and reindeer herding, and led a semi-nomadic lifestyle. But because of the Soviet regime, they had to leave their nomadic lifestyle. At the same time, technology appeared in the villages. Traditions were forgotten and only at the end of the last century they began to be restored.

Japan is generally a strange country, and those who have visited this country talk about the strange sense of humor of the Japanese. So, they have such a “prank” - kancho, usually only elementary school students play with it, but adults also like to throw “kancho” at a party. The point of the prank is to perform an “enema” - a person folds his two hands and puts his index fingers forward, which he tries to insert into the anal passage of the person being pranked, who suspects nothing.

2. Sex in the temple

You will be surprised, but this is not even some kind of Hare Krishna temple or a temple of some such conditionally free religion. On the island of Java, in a beautiful place, there is a temple called Gunung Kemukus, which is considered Muslim. Such a strict religion (but only this temple in this place) has a belief that if you have sex with a stranger in its vicinity at night, you will be lucky and rich for the rest of your life. Whether because of the beauty of the temple, or because of basic instinct, thousands of “pilgrims” come here, and the surrounding area is dotted with brothels.

3. Greeting in Eskimo

While some comrades are proud of their handshake strength, the Eskimos have gone further. When a guest comes to their village, they line up and take turns greeting the guest with a slap on the back of the head. The guest must respond in kind, and the turn passes to the next Eskimo, who must strike harder, and so on in increasing order. The welcoming ceremony ends only when someone, either the guest or one of the Eskimo men, does not fall to the ground from the blow.

4. Tears and snot

South Korean cuisine is famous for its spiciness. Some dishes are impossible to eat without your nose hurting or tears coming to your eyes. However, if you are not snotty and tearful enough, you will be considered a callous person who does not respect the laws of hospitality and does not want to please the hostess. To be a good guest, and also to show the hostess that she is an excellent cook, you will have to emit your bodily fluids from your eyes and nose to the maximum.

5. Sad wake

In India, during the holiday of remembrance of the holy Khoja Moinuddin Chishti, thousands of fakirs and pilgrims walk through the streets of the city of Ajmer. To prove their commitment to religion, and to show how much they grieve, participants in the procession pierce themselves with needles, and especially popular is gouging out their eyes with sharp metal objects.

6. Dolphin Killing

All over the world they admire dolphins and watch their performances in dolphinariums, but in the Faroe Islands the position is completely different. In order for local youths to become men, the following custom is arranged. Boats drive pods of dolphins into the bay, and there, in the shallow waters, the beating of innocent fish with knives, fittings, axes and stakes begins.

The newly minted “men” usually release one dolphin - this is part of the custom; next year he will “bring” a new herd. It’s extremely sad, because if earlier this was due to hunger, and the killed dolphins were at least eaten, now this is done only for the sake of the custom itself.

7. Photos of the dead

In Russia at the end of the 19th century, a wild tradition came from Europe - photographing dead children. It is clear that the infant mortality rate was high, the parents grieved greatly, but it was considered good form to take the “last” photograph and keep it as the most valuable. The kids were dressed up in the best clothes, they were seated next to their living brothers, sisters and parents, pets, and in general they tried to create such an environment so that it seemed that the child was alive; they were also often painted with open eyes and a smile.

8. Not a light burden

Let's end on a more or less cheerful note. Japan celebrates a local holiday of spring and labor - the Shinto festival Honen Matsuri. Instead of festive columns with an orchestra and slogans, in Japan a 25-kilogram wooden phallus is carried through the city, which symbolizes the onset of spring and fertility. Carrying this is considered very honorable and volunteers compete for such an honor, so not everyone has the honor of carrying a 2.5-meter-long penis across the entire city.

9. Resourceful Indians

In India there is a ban on having a third wife. Moreover, historically, the custom literally sounds like this - you cannot have a third wife. First, second, fourth and subsequent ones - please. Resourceful lovers of marriage easily get out of this situation and choose a tree for a third marriage.

He is dressed in festive clothes and the wedding ceremony is held, and at the end of the celebration, the groom's witness cuts down the poor tree and announces that his friend is “widowed”, and thus can look for a fourth, “permitted” wife.

1. In Africa, members of the Masai tribe jump when they meet - the higher the jump, the more respect is shown.

2. In Norway, it is considered tactless to give up your seat on public transport to older people. There it is interpreted as a demonstration of physical advantage.

3. In China, loud “slurping” is encouraged. If guests eat silently, they offend the hosts and the cook. It is believed that quiet eating is eating without pleasure.

Express information on the country

The Earth is in third place in terms of distance from the Sun and in fifth place among all the planets in the Solar System in size.

Age– 4.54 billion years

Average radius – 6,378.2 km

Average circumference – 40,030.2 km

Square– 510,072 million km² (29.1% land and 70.9% water)

Number of continents– 6: Eurasia, Africa, North America, South America, Australia and Antarctica

Number of oceans– 4: Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic

Population– 7.3 billion people. (50.4% men and 49.6% women)

Most populous states: Monaco (18,678 people/km2), Singapore (7607 people/km2) and Vatican City (1914 people/km2)

Number of countries: total 252, independent 195

Number of languages ​​in the world– about 6,000

Number of official languages– 95; the most common: English (56 countries), French (29 countries) and Arabic (24 countries)

Number of nationalities– about 2,000

Climate zones: equatorial, tropical, temperate and arctic (main) + subequatorial, subtropical and subarctic (transitional)

4. Also among the Chinese there is no custom of bringing flowers to the mistress of the house. Here this raises suspicions that the guest considers the house so unattractive that he brought flowers with him in order to somehow decorate it.

5. Norwegians don't give compliments in public. Even at school they don’t praise students in front of other children and don’t share grades with the whole class.

6. In Greece, when you come to visit, you cannot admire a painting or a vase. Otherwise, the owner will be forced to give it to you.

7. In Mongolia, guests are fed until they burp loudly. Therefore, it is not customary to restrain it - this is a sign that the guest is hungry.

8. Unlike our tradition, in Japan and Norway they give only an even number of flowers. It is believed that a flower without a mate feels lonely. An odd number of flowers is only suitable for mourning ceremonies.

9. In Japan, it is not customary to blow your nose in public.

10. Indians do not use the word “thank you” within the family. People here believe that loved ones do not need gratitude.

11. In China, the number 4 is a symbol of death. Even in the numbering of floors the 4th is missing.

12. In Arab countries, it is considered impolite to hand over the mouthpiece of a hookah. This is considered coercion.

13. In Japan, etiquette dictates leaving work only after your boss has done so.

14. The laws of Georgian hospitality require that the guest’s glass is always filled. Therefore, by emptying the glass, the guest forces the host to fill it again and again.

15. In one Indian state, a young wife has the right to leave her husband after 3 days if she doesn’t like something. After this, the girl can freely choose her partners.

16. In Kenya, after the wedding, the husband is obliged to wear women's clothes and do women's work for a month. This is done so that the husband better understands what it means to be a woman.

17. In Denmark, a flag hung in the window indicates that there is a birthday person in the house.

18. In Northern Kamchatka, in the past, it was customary for a guest to enter into an intimate relationship with the hostess of the house. It was believed that by doing this he paid tribute to the owner. If a child appeared after this night, the entire village celebrated his birth.

19. At every meeting in Latin America, it is customary to hug and exchange kisses.

20. There is no tradition of shaking hands in Japan. There it is customary to greet each other with a polite bow.

Despite the efforts of historians and ethnographers, the history of these peoples still keeps its mysteries.

1. Russians

Yes, Russians are one of the most mysterious peoples. Scientists still cannot come to a consensus either about when Russians became “Russians” or about where this word actually came from. The question of the origin of the people remains controversial. The ancestors of the Russians included the Normans, the Scythians, the Sarmatians, the Wends, and even the South Siberian Usun people.

We do not know the origins of the Maya people, nor where they disappeared to. Some scientists trace the roots of the Mayans to the legendary Atlanteans, others believe that their ancestors were the Egyptians. The Mayans created an effective farming system and had deep knowledge of astronomy. The calendar developed by the Mayans was also used by other peoples of Central America. They used a hieroglyphic writing system, partially deciphered. The Mayan civilization was very developed, but by the time the conquistadors arrived it was in deep decline, and the Mayans themselves seemed to have disappeared into history.

3. Laplanders

Laplanders are also called Sami and Lapps. The age of this ethnic group is at least 5000 years. Scientists are still arguing about who the Laplanders are and where they came from. Some consider this people to be Mongoloid, others argue that the Laplanders are Paleo-Europeans. The Sami language is classified as a Finno-Ugric language, but the Laplanders have 10 dialects of the Sami language, which are so different from each other that they can be called independent. This even makes it difficult for some Laplanders to communicate with others.

4. Prussians

The very origin of the Prussian name is shrouded in mystery. The first time it is found only in the 9th century in the form Brusi in a draft by an anonymous merchant, and later in Polish and German chronicles. Linguists find analogies for it in many Indo-European languages ​​and believe that it goes back to the Sanskrit purusa - “man”. There is also no sufficient information preserved about the language of the Prussians. Its last bearer died in 1677, and the plague of 1709-1711 exterminated the last Prussians in Prussia itself. Already in the 17th century, instead of Prussian history, the history of “Prussianism” and the kingdom of Prussia began, the local population of which had little in common with the Baltic name of the Prussians.

5. Cossacks

The question of where the Cossacks came from still remains unresolved. Their homeland is found in the North Caucasus, the Azov region, and Western Turkestan. The ancestry of the Cossacks is traced back to the Scythians, to the Alans, to the Circassians, to the Khazars, to the Goths, to the Brodniks. Supporters of all versions have their own arguments. Today the Cossacks are a multi-ethnic community, but they themselves like to insist that the Cossacks are a separate people.

6. Parsis

Parsis are an ethno-religious group of followers of Zoroastrianism in South Asia, of Iranian origin. Its number now amounts to less than 130 thousand people. Parsis have their own temples and so-called “towers of silence”, where, in order not to desecrate the sacred elements (earth, fire, water), they bury the dead (the corpses are pecked by vultures). Parsis are often compared to Jews; they were also forced to leave their homeland and are meticulous in matters of religious observance. The Iran League in India at the beginning of the 20th century promoted the return of Parsis to their homeland, reminiscent of the Zionism of the Jews.

7. Hutsuls

There is still debate about the meaning of the word “hutsul”. Some scientists believe that the etymology of the word goes back to the Moldavian “gots” or “guts”, which means “robber”, others - to the word “kochul”, which means “shepherd”. The Hutsuls are also called “Ukrainian highlanders.” Among them, the traditions of witchcraft are still strong. Hutsul sorcerers are called molfars. They can be white or black. Molfars enjoy unquestioned authority.

8. Hittites

The Hittite power was one of the most influential forces on the geopolitical map of the Ancient World. The first constitution appeared here, the Hittites were the first to use war chariots and revered the double-headed eagle, but information about the Hittites is still fragmentary. In their “tables of the courageous deeds” of the kings there are many notes “for the next year,” but the year of the report is unknown. We know the chronology of the Hittite state from the sources of its neighbors. The question remains open: where did the Hittites disappear? Johann Lehmann in his book “Hittites. People of a Thousand Gods” gives a version that the Hittites went north, where they assimilated with the Germanic tribes. But this is just a version.

9. Sumerians

The Sumerians are the most interesting and still one of the most mysterious peoples of the Ancient World. We don't know where they came from or what language family their language belonged to. A large number of homonyms suggests that it was tonal (like, for example, modern Chinese), which means that the meaning of what was said often depended on intonation. The Sumerians were one of the most advanced peoples of their time, they were the first in the entire Middle East to use the wheel, create an irrigation system, invent a unique writing system, and the Sumerians’ knowledge of mathematics and astronomy is still amazing.

10. Etruscans

The ancient people of the Etruscans unexpectedly arose in human history, but also suddenly disappeared into it. According to archaeologists, the Etruscans inhabited the northwestern part of the Apennine Peninsula and created a fairly developed civilization there. It was the Etruscans who founded the first cities in Italy. Historians also believe that Roman numerals can also be called Etruscan. It is unknown where the Etruscans disappeared to. According to one version, they moved to the east and became the founders of the Slavic ethnic group. Some scientists argue that the Etruscan language is very close in structure to the Slavic ones.

11. Armenians

The origin of the Armenians remains a mystery. There are many versions. Some scientists correlate the Armenians with the people of the ancient state of Urartu, but the genetic component of the Urartians is present in the genetic code of the Armenians in the same way as the genetic component of the same Hurrians and Luwians, not to mention the proto-Armenians. There are Greek versions of the origin of the Armenians, as well as the so-called “Hayasian hypotheses”, in which Hayas, the territory east of the Hittite kingdom, becomes the original homeland of the Armenians. Scientists have never given a final answer to the question of the origin of the Armenians and most often adhere to the migration-mixed hypothesis of Armenian ethnogenesis.

12. Gypsies

According to linguistic and genetic studies, the ancestors of the Roma left Indian territory in numbers not exceeding 1,000 people. Today there are about 10 million Roma in the world. In the Middle Ages, Gypsies in Europe were considered Egyptians. The word Gitanes itself is a derivative of the Egyptian. Tarot cards, considered the last surviving remnant of the cult of the Egyptian god Thoth, were brought to Europe by the gypsies. It was not for nothing that they were called “Pharaoh’s tribe.” It was also amazing for Europeans that the gypsies embalmed their dead and buried them in crypts, where they placed everything necessary for life after death. These funeral traditions are still alive among the Roma today.

13. Jews

Jews are one of the most mysterious living peoples. For a long time it was believed that the very concept of “Jews” was cultural rather than ethnic. That is, that “Jews” were created by Judaism, and not vice versa. There are still fierce discussions in science about what the Jews originally were - a people, a social class or a religious denomination.

There are many mysteries in the history of the Jewish people. At the end of the 8th century BC, five-sixths of Jews disappeared completely - 10 out of 12 ethnic groups. Where they disappeared to is the big question. There is a version that from the Scythians and Cimmerians, as descendants of 10 tribes, come the Finns, Swiss, Swedes, Norwegians, Irish, Welsh, French, Belgians, Dutch, Danes, Irish and Welsh, that is, almost all European peoples. The question of the origin of the Ashkenazim and their closeness to Middle Eastern Jews also remains debatable.

14. Guanches

Guanches are the natives of Tenerife. The mystery of how they ended up in the Canary Islands has not yet been solved, since they did not have a fleet and did not have seafaring skills. Their anthropological type did not correspond to the latitudes where they lived. The rectangular pyramids on the island of Tenerife, similar to the Mayan and Aztec pyramids in Mexico, are also controversial. Neither the time of their construction nor the purpose for which they were erected is known.

15. Khazars

Neighboring peoples wrote a lot about the Khazars, but they themselves left virtually no information about themselves. Just as suddenly the Khazars appeared on the historical stage, just as suddenly they left it. Historians still do not have sufficient archaeological data about what Khazaria was like, nor an understanding of what language the Khazars spoke. It is also unknown where they eventually disappeared. There are many versions. There is no clarity.

16. Basque

The age, origin and language of the Basques is one of the main mysteries of modern history. The Basque language, Euskara, is considered the only relict pre-Indo-European language that does not belong to any currently existing language family. When it comes to genetics, according to a 2012 study by the National Geographic Society, all Basques contain a set of genes that significantly distinguishes them from other peoples around them.

17. Chaldeans

The Chaldeans are a Semitic-Aramaic people who lived at the end of the 2nd - beginning of the 1st millennium BC. in the territory of Southern and Central Mesopotamia. In 626-538 BC. Babylon was ruled by the Chaldean dynasty, which founded the Neo-Babylonian kingdom. The Chaldeans were a people who are still associated with magic and astrology. In Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, priests and fortune-tellers of Babylonian origin were called Chaldeans. The Chaldeans made predictions to Alexander the Great and his successors Antigonus and Seleucus.

18. Sarmatians

Sarmatians are one of the most mysterious peoples in world history. Herodotus called them “lizard-headed,” Lomonosov believed that the Slavs descended from the Sarmatians, and the Polish gentry called themselves their direct descendants. The Sarmatians left a lot of mysteries. They probably had a matriarchy. Some scientists trace the roots of the Russian kokoshnik to the Sarmatians. Among them, the custom of artificially deforming the skull was widespread, thanks to which a person’s head took on the shape of an elongated egg.

19. Kalash

The Kalash are a small people living in the north of Pakistan in the Hindu Kush mountains. They are probably the most famous "white" people in Asia. Disputes about the origins of the Kalash continue today. The Kalash themselves are sure that they are the descendants of Macedonian himself. The Kalash language is called phonologically atypical; it has retained the basic composition of Sanskrit. Despite attempts at Islamization, many Kalash retain polytheism.

20. Philistines

The modern name "Palestine" comes from "Philistia". The Philistines are the most mysterious people mentioned in the Bible. In the Middle East, only they and the Hittites mastered the technology of steel smelting, marking the beginning of the Iron Age. The Bible says that these people originate from the island of Caphtor (Crete), although some historians correlate the Philistines with the Pelasgians. Both Egyptian manuscripts and archaeological finds testify to the Cretan origins of the Philistines. It is still not clear where the Philistines disappeared to. Most likely, they were assimilated by the peoples of the Eastern Mediterranean.