Most families have specific traditions when it comes to celebrating new unions. Wedding rituals can be found all over the world. If you feel like members of your family are asking you to engage in some awkward or embarrassing practices passed down through generations, it can definitely make you roll your eyes and question your lineage. No matter how weird your familial traditions might be, there are bound to be even stranger rituals taking place. To feel a little bit better about the oddballs in your own family, it can be fun to look at international traditions.
All cultural legacies can seem peculiar from the outside. While some of these might seem crazy to you, they can mean a lot to the people who are a part of the society. Examine these examples with reverence and get a couple of good laughs out of the lengths human beings go in order to carry on a heritage.
Trash Time
Traditions are weird, there is no doubt about that. Maybe your mother asked you to wear her dress because it has been passed through women in your family for generations. Maybe that dress is also horrifyingly gauche. This can be an uncomfortable conversation to have with your mom but it is far better than being pelted with garbage by your friends and family. Sound intense? In Scotland, an old tradition known as “the Blackening” is centered around nailing an engaged couple with trash before they head to the church to tie the knot.
It might come across as cruel but there is actually a sweet reason buried beneath the rotten eggs and old fish carcasses. Tradition states if a couple is able to endure the humiliation of friends and neighbors firing endless piles of junk at them in a public place, their marriage is sure to withstand whatever surprises life has in store. The next time a minor inconvenience comes up while planning your own wedding, remember there are many brides and grooms out there who are asked to endure a whole lot more for love.
Acts of Heroism
History and literature are packed with examples of lovers who go to extremes in order to win the objects of their affections. Though grand romantic gestures are not what they once were, certain parts of the world still value a human who is willing to take marriage as a serious commitment. In Fiji, the custom of asking a father for his daughter’s hand in marriage is a bit trickier than it is in America or Germany. To be considered a serious contender, a man needs to present his potential father-in-law with the tooth of a whale.
Where one obtains this tooth is entirely up to the suitor. Of course, you can be sure there are men who go the easy route and buy a cheap tooth from a local merchant. They do not tend to fair as well in love and familial politics. The men who actually go as far as to find the tooth of a whale at its source tend to live on in legend and enjoy love lives with their wives. Read a bit about this practice and be glad whale dentistry isn’t part of your own customs.
Gone With the Fae
Finally, an old Irish superstition forces brides to keep both feet on the ground at all times when on the dance floor. Should a bride lift her foot from the floor, she is said to be susceptible to the whims of faeries and could be kidnapped. This is a real downer for any brides looking forward to dancing along to “Shout!” on their wedding nights.
Traditions can be weird. Whenever you feel your family is asking too much of you on your wedding day, simply explore international marriage rituals and let out a laugh.
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