Every culture of the world bids farewell to death in its own way, but there are some traditions which give goosebumps as soon as you hear them. Somewhere dead bodies are buried, somewhere they are burnt, and somewhere the meaning of farewell is something else. There is a ritual of a tribe living in the dense forests of South America, in which after death the ashes are turned into soup. This tradition may seem scary, but their belief behind it is very deep.

A completely different way of looking at death

In the modern world, peace is desired after death, but for the Yanomami tribe, the path to peace is different. This tribe lives in the border areas of Venezuela and Brazil and even today is largely away from outside civilization. For them, death is not considered the end, but the beginning of the next journey of the soul. This thinking gives birth to their most shocking tradition.

Ash Soup and Last Farewell

In the Yanomami tribe, after the death of a person, the body is not immediately cremated. First it is kept covered with leaves and sticks in the forest. After about a month, when the body has changed naturally, then it is brought back. After this the dead body is burnt and the ashes that remain are carefully collected. This ash is mixed with water or soup and consumed by the entire family.

No fear, a sense of respect

This tradition seems horrifying to the outside world, but for the people of the tribe it is a symbol of respect. They believe that the soul of a dead person keeps wandering until his body becomes a part of his own people. For them, drinking the ashes is not a mourning, but a process of embracing the soul. They call it endocannibalism, that is, symbolically assimilating a dead person from one’s own community.

faith related to peace of soul

The Yanomami tribe believe that if the ashes of the deceased are accepted by the family, his soul can live in peace among the forest, the air, and the living. They believe that if this is not done, the spirit may get angry and may bring trouble to the entire community, hence this tradition is considered not just a ritual but a means of balancing life and death.

Modern view vs tribal thinking

Today’s modern thinking may consider this tradition strange or unacceptable, but for anthropologists it shows the depth of culture. This ritual of the Yanomami tribe shows how different the ways of understanding death can be around the world. While on one side there is fear, on the other side there is also a hidden feeling of belongingness and trust.

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Chinese Creepy Traditions: People all over the world adopt various measures to protect themselves from evil spirits or negative powers. But to drive away the evil spirit, the people of China follow strange traditions, knowing which you will be scared.

You will be shocked to know some of the measures adopted in China to drive away evil powers and stay away from negative energy. From ancient times to today, Chinese people rely on these methods to protect themselves from spirits and evil forces.

decapitate chicken

In some areas of China (especially South China), people cut off the head of a chicken and throw it on the roof. It is believed that this keeps away evil spirits. Along with throwing the chicken’s head on the roof, its blood is sprinkled on the courtyard of the house and also applied on the walls. It is believed that this removes negativity and improves luck. In traditional funerals in China, chickens are often used to bring salvation to the soul of the deceased.

The practice is said to date back to the Han dynasty (206 BC–220 BC), when wooden chickens were buried with the dead. However, in China, the rooster is considered an auspicious bird that connects the living and the dead. Besides, the crowing of the rooster is also seen as a positive symbol.

salt and rice remedy

To ward off evil spirits, the people of China consider the solution of salt and rice to be very effective. It is believed that salt and rice scare away evil spirits. According to Feng Shui or Chinese geomancy, salt purifies negative energy and rice is considered a symbol of calming the soul. That’s why people sprinkle salt and rice in every room of the house.

Especially when people enter a new house, they do this to get relief from long-standing illness and also to ward off bad luck. Many Hong Kong zombie movies depict glutinous rice being used to treat bites from ghosts or monsters. In some rural areas of China, at the time of funeral, the family of the deceased scatter salt and rice around the grave for the peace of the soul.

fire jumping tradition

This folk custom celebrated during New Year or Spring Festival is quite popular and traditional. In this people jump over the burning fire. According to folklore, the crackling sound of a burning fire drives away evil spirits and bad luck, so people do this. However, people also do it to wish for a good harvest and happiness and prosperity at home.

Hungry Ghost Festival

This festival is celebrated to honor ancestors or dead souls. The 15th day of the seventh lunar month is considered the time of ghosts. It is believed that spirits roam on earth at this time. At this time people offer things like sweets, fruits, food, flowers and incense sticks to their ancestors. However, this is not a fear but a symbol of respect, honor and connection towards the ancestors. Apart from China, this festival is also celebrated in countries like Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.