Joy to the world, a child is born. Let the quirky newborn traditions begin!

Different cultures perform some rather interesting practices when a baby is born, or before their first birthday. We take a look at some of the most riveting ones. 

• In a “normal” world, spitting is either a gesture of contempt and anger or a means to getting rid of unwanted substances in the mouth. Either way, it’s generally done in poor taste. But, a normal world it ain’t. In some cultures, spitting on a newborn is considered a show of affinity and delight. In Mauritania for example, parents from the Wolof tribe will spit on newborns as a way of blessing them. Typically, a woman will spit on the baby’s face and a man will spit in its ear before they rub the leftover saliva all over the baby’s head. Here’s hoping they’ve paused this tradition during COVID-19, or that they at least give their teeth a solid brushing before spitting on the baby. 

• Staying with “sprinkling” newborns with saliva, the Igbo tribe in Nigeria spices things up a notch, literally. When an Igbo baby is born, it’s whisked off to the family’s ancestral home where a good orator – usually a relative – chews on an alligator pepper, spits it on a finger, and puts the finger and its contents into the baby’s mouth. This is apparently done so the child becomes as good an orator as the one “kindly” donating his pepper-filled gob.

• The Manchu people – one of China’s ethnic minority populations – are always delighted by a newborn. So delighted in fact that they tickle the genitals of the baby to show how happy they are. Yes, you read that right. For showing affection to their newborn offsprings, a baby girl’s genitals are tickled, while the boy’s genitals will receive something approximating fellatio from the mother. But don’t call social services yet: This isn’t meant in a sexual way, it’s simply a traditional practice. What’s actually considered sexual by the Manchu people is kissing a child’s face. Kissing is frowned upon, but touching baby genitalia is celebrated. Interesting, right?

• In some parts of Africa, newborns are given their first bath by the paternal grandmother. After the bath, the grandmother usually bends the baby’s arms backward to ensure the limbs are flexible and to prevent stiffness in later life (these babies must be yoga masters now). Traditionally, babies were also tossed in the air to make sure their reflexes work. 

• Most of us have heard of umbilical hernias. They are swollen, protruding bumps on umbilical cords that can happen to babies as young as 2-months. Most umbilical hernias in babies tend to close on their own by age 1 or 2. But, in Uganda, they don’t have the patience to wait that long. Instead, they have a “genius” way of getting rid of the pesky bump: They get the baby’s uncle to step on the belly button for a few days until it disappears. And yes, it has to be an uncle. Not an aunt or any other relative – an uncle. Tough luck for babies born with a hernia and with no uncle.

• Other cultures believe that a hernia can be fixed by taping a coin down over the bulge, although doctors strongly urge people not to try this. Oh well, I would definitely take a coin over a grown man stomping on my baby’s umbilical cord. 

• When you visit a newborn baby in Bulgaria, please refrain from the coos because that is considered bad luck. Apparently, the devil listens to our cooing and will come and “steal” all the praise, which in turn will bring harm to the object of admiration – aka the baby.

• The placenta. That ugly, pinkish, blobby after-birth thing. It’s pretty unpleasant to look at, in my opinion. But for many people, it’s worth its weight in gold (and that’s a lot of gold cause boy does it weigh a ton). Lately, many people around the world are bringing it home with their baby, chopping it up, adding a liberal amount of pepper and salt, perhaps marinading it for extra flavor, and then cooking it up and eating it. Many believe that eating the placenta helps prevent postpartum depression, increases milk production, supports uterine recovery, reduces pain, and enhances maternal bonding. Doctors tend to disagree – but that’s a whole different story. Try arguing with a hormonal woman who wants to eat her placenta.

• In Bali, Indonesia, though, they don’t eat it. They believe that the placenta – known as ari ari – is a sort of twin to the newborn. So, instead of eating it (cause you don’t eat kids, right?), it is carefully cleaned and wrapped in a white cloth before being buried outside the family home in an elaborate ceremony. The Kikuyu people in Kenya bury the placenta too, in an uncultivated field and cover it with grain and grass.

• Staying in Bali, when babies are born, they are considered – and treated like – gods. Their feet can’t touch the ground for the first 210 days of life and when those precious toes do touch the ground, the little gods/goddesses finally transition into the world, like the rest of us mere mortals. I knew I should have been born in Bali!

• In Japan, umbilical cords – heso-no-o, or “tail of the belly” – are considered precious because they are believed to be connected to a child’s welfare. So, after birth, the hospital will present the new mother with the baby’s cord, usually stored in a nice wooden box, as she leaves the hospital. The family is expected to save it for the baby’s future prosperity.

• A baby’s first laugh is precious, isn’t it? In the Navajo culture, an indigenous American territory, when a baby first laughs, it’s a big deal. It means that the child is transitioning from the spirit world to the physical world, and the milestone is celebrated with a big party. Word of caution though, whoever is responsible for the baby’s first chuckle has to pay for the party. 

• In some Muslim cultures, a newborn baby’s head is shaved on the seventh day of its life and a sheep is slaughtered. The sacrifice is called aqiqah. After the sacrifice, the shaved hair is weighed, and that weight in silver is given to charity.

There are numerous other newborn rituals around the world, more than we could possibly cover here. Most birth rituals are fun and enjoyable. They are a deeply ingrained part of our cultures and are rightfully celebrated and kept alive for future generations. From naming ceremonies and baptisms to even circumcisions (ouch), these rituals, however archaic some may seem, give people a sense of cultural belonging. The genitalia-touching ritual though – I’ll pass on that one.

If we missed an interesting ritual from your culture, tell us about it in the comments!

KEEP READING: When Two (Cultures) Become One: Differences In Cross-Cultural Marriages

Images: Unsplash

You have probably heard plenty about Spring Festival traditions and customs, but what about taboos? People  usually don’t tell you about them until you break a cultural taboo or step on someone’s toes, often totally inadvertently. Did you know that if you get your hair cut anytime during the first lunar month, bad luck will befall upon your maternal uncles? You didn’t? You terrible child.

Whether or not you believe in these superstition, it pays to show respect for them; for Chinese people, it’s how we try to keep traditions alive.

No Cursing

There should be no cursing or inauspicious words spoken during the Chinese New Year celebration. Also, you should not mention anything associated with death or “termination.” If, for example, you finish your food on your plate before everybody else, avoid loudly announcing, “I’m done!”.

No Medicine

Nobody is supposed to take medicine on the first day of the lunar New Year. Chinese people believe that whatever is done on the first day of the year will then continue to last for the remainder of the year, so you’ll be condemning yourself to a year of pill popping. It is also a taboo to greet people in bed; even sick people should attempt to get out of bed and talk to guests in the living room as an alternative. Lucky them.

No Work

Similar to medicine, if you do any kind of work on the first day of the new year, you will be exhausted thereafter for the rest of the year. If anybody at your company, especially your boss, tries to tell you otherwise, be very, very suspicious.

Do Not Finish a Fish

There is a Chinese idiom 年年有余 (nián nián yǒuyú) which means “having more than enough each and every year.” The character 余 (yú, meaning “surplus”) has the exact same pronunciation to 鱼(yú, meaning “fish”); for this reason, preparing a fish dish for every new year’s dinner and also leaving behind some of it on the plate after the meal symbolizes prosperity and abundance in the year ahead.

No Haircuts

Absolutely no haircuts are allowed during the first lunar month (the month of Spring Festival)! It is believed that having your hair cut during the first month will bring bad luck to your maternal uncles. This is one taboo that Chinese people do take it very seriously. Ask the barbers!

Oh, and one more thing. In case you break anything, like a plate, make sure you say 岁岁平安 (suì suì píng’ān) out aloud, meaning “peace all year round”; this is because the character 岁 (suì, meaning “year”) sounds the same as 碎 (suì, break). By saying these words, an unpleasant situation can be turned into a blessing.

Happy New Year!

Photo: etsystatic.com

Being uber-careful of various Chinese superstitions about cleaning before/during/after the New Year, I still had the lofty goal of a clean and organized house before the end of the holiday. I was “mean-mom” by not scheduling an exotic trip, and since the novelty of attending super-crowded festivals in the cold has worn off, the prospect of “fun” was limited. But I tried to make a plan, and for the most part, was pleased with the results.

I have two daughters. One is willing to clean with me during short spurts of time, and she doesn’t hold on to too much. As a matter of fact, sometimes I have to keep things that she is too willing to part with. The other daughter is a hoarder and cannot bear to part with anything.  She loves old school papers, empty candy wrappers, tickets to anything, and she has no inner motivation to do anything about it. I was determined to have the three of us spend time cleaning up our acts, so to speak, and organize our lives.

Needless to say, this idea didn’t initially go over too well. However, I tried to put a plan in place that we’d tackle one goal a day, and then reward ourselves with a treat. Day one, my youngest and I went through her desk area (including floor space, where most things end up), and my oldest would do the same. The former did a pretty good job, if not totally complete; and the latter flopped around on the floor, picked up two things, then wanted to take a lunch break. We did manage to make some progress, and baking together during the afternoon was the reward.

Day two was going through all of the books on everyone’s bookshelves – keep, donate, or save for sentimental reasons. Another big chore, but it got done, and we went out to Decathlon to purchase the oft-requested tennis racquet and basketball.

The week went on and both were clearly not as enthusiastic as I was about finishing. Occasionally, the girls would stage a protest and stall on any progress. I told them that was ok; whatever they did not finish by the end of the week, I would do for them. They knew I meant it, so I suddenly got help.

I’m amazed at the number of bags we had for trash or recycling, how many boxes we have for donation, and how much clutter we are clearing out. It’s embarrassing, actually. My hopeful goal of getting to every room in the house was a bit too much, but it’s enough of a start that I am determined to get to the rest on my own, declaring that if-I-don’t-love-it-then-out-it-goes.

We’re beginning to feel spring creep upon us, my favorite season of the year. This jump start on spring cleaning is a wonderful beginning!

This post first appeared here on February 18, 2013.
Photo by planeta via Flickr.

A few months ago, I had a major case of Food Bewilderment.

My family was visiting from Canada at the time, which prompted one of dad’s business contacts to invite us out for dinner. We took a long cab ride to the middle of nowhere. (Later on, I found out that “the middle of nowhere” was actually somewhere near the Summer Palace.)

As we drove into a wooded area, a members-only country club sprawled into view. We were ushered into a lavish private room with red and gold silk drapes and a view of a private lake.

Over the next few hours, the host treated us to a parade of pricey and eye-popping dishes. A pot of small, fragrant fish in particular drew “oohs” and “aahs.” When I asked my dad what all the fuss was about, he whispered: “They’re airlifted fresh to the restaurant every day from Sichuan or Tibet. One jin costs over 1,500 kuai.”

At the end, our inebriated host brandished his platinum credit card with a flourish and signed for the RMB 5,000+ bill without blinking. “It’s nothing,” he insisted. I glanced at the table; several plates of food were left unfinished, no doubt to be thrown out as soon as we left.

It seems like every foreigner has at least one similar story. If you’ve ever been confused by all the dinnertime grandstanding, Seeing Red in China just put up a great post on the social obligations of eating out.

The article treats hosting meals as a way of building up guanxi (Chinese for “relationship” or “connection”). Here’s how the author illustrates guanxi in a separate post:

So it’s important to remember that a “no” is not always a “no” for everyone, if it doesn’t work for you bring a better connected co-worker. I had a friend trying to send a package home, and they were told by the man at the post office that the CD was a “cultural relic” and would not allow it to be sent. Finally they brought a woman from the school who claimed that sending the CD abroad was something that the school leaders need her to do, and off it went, no more questions.

Hosting meals is one of the best ways to build up this kind of social currency. The idea is to order, as a friend would put it, “too much food for humans.” Quality doesn’t seem to matter as much as price or sheer quantity, and it’s understood that guests should loudly praise the food on offer.

I wonder how the equation changes when kids are involved. Should they be encouraged to adapt to the host’s expectations? Or should they be excused from unfamiliar social conventions? Let us know your take.

Via Seeing Red in China