Ever since the dawn of humanity, people have been turning their heads and curiosity towards the unknown and explaining it via the existence of the Gods. Whether something fortunate or unfortunate was to happen, it was the direct result of the will of different Gods and in order for the tribe, community or even city to be blessed usually a ritual of huge proportions was performed. Today, whether out of belief or not, we still tend to keep the tradition alive and perform the rituals taught to us by our grandparents. And while lighting a few candles every now and then and saying a prayer is normal, there are still some extremely crazy traditions and rituals people still perform today that will definitely leave you speechless.
6. Self-Flagellation
6. Self-Flagellation
Every year, during the Holy month of Muhrram, followers of the Shi’a sect of Islam carry out a strange ritual of mass self-flagellation, in order to honor their martyrdom of Hussein. The gruesome display consists of man whipping their bodies with blades attached to chains.
5. Death Rites
5. Death Rites
One of the most primitive tribes in the world still in existence, the Amazonian tribe of Yanomami, also has some of the strangest rituals that are still performed today. Having the belief that death is not a natural phenomenon, they cremate the dead and mix the ashes with food that is consumed by the tribe, in order to make sure that the spirit of the deceased stays with them.
4. Self-Impaling
4. Self-Impaling
One of the most masochistic rituals in existence, the impaling during the annual Vegetarian Festival in Phuket, Thailand requires the participants to impale their cheeks with swords, hooks, knives and even spears and guns, as it is believed that the gods will enter their bodies and protect them from evil.
3. Vine Jumping
3. Vine Jumping
If you are looking for weird and strange rituals, you should visit the village of Bunlap, found on an island in the Pacific archipelago. Among their numerous traditions, they also perform a ritual called Gkol, which is basically bungee jumping with vines to the beat of the drums.
2. Spiritual Possession and Voodoo
2. Spiritual Possession and Voodoo
While many people make fun of Voodoo and Spiritual Possession, especially when it comes to popular culture, in West Africa there are a number of rituals connected with such beliefs. In one of them, a person is turned into a vessel of the gods by taking them into the forest and connecting them with the earth spirit. The medium remains in this state for as much as three days, before they are brought back to consciousness.
1. Fire Walking
1. Fire Walking
In Penang, Malaysia there is a ritual during the Nine Emperor Gods Festival in which people walk barefoot on burning embers in order to purify themselves, overcoming impurity and repelling evil. This ritual is also performed in other parts of the world and goes by different names.
