1Samoan Chief's Virginity Ritual
Traditional Samoans placed a high value on a bride's virginity, to the extent that the chief would publicly rupture her hymen, allowing the entire tribe to witness his bloody fingers.
2. In 1906, Ota Benga, a Congolese Mbuti pygmy tribesman, was exhibited at the Bronx Zoo in the monkey house as an example of "earlier stages of human evolution."
3. Among the Akan people of Ghana, the second twin born is considered the elder, as they are deemed mature enough to assist their sibling first.
4. In the Ainu community, the indigenous people of Japan, a man would propose to a woman by visiting her home. She offered him a bowl of rice, which he would only eat half of before giving the rest back. If the woman consumed the rest of the rice, it symbolized her acceptance of his proposal. Conversely, if she set it aside without eating, it signified her rejection of his proposal.
5. The slang term "Eskimo Brothers," meaning friends who have been intimate with the same person, originates from the old Eskimo tradition of gifting their wives to their guests for the night.
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6Arrente Indigenous Indigemojis
The Arrente indigenous people of Central Australia have created a set of indigemojis-emojis that reflect their culture and way of life. These indigemojis include symbols such as kangaroo tails, troopies, cowboy hats, and swags, all of which hold significance in their culture.
7. The indigenous Siberian tribes have a unique practice of drinking the urine of a shaman who has ingested the fly agaric mushroom. The fly agaric, known for its distinctive red cap with white spots, is a type of hallucinogenic mushroom. By drinking the shaman's urine after the mushroom has been processed by their body, individuals can experience the intoxicating effects of the mushroom without suffering from side effects like stomach cramps and nausea, as the shaman's body has already broken down the potentially harmful compounds found in the mushroom.
8. A representative of the Mbuti pygmies addressed the UN's Indigenous People's Forum in 2003, revealing that during the Congo Civil War, his people were hunted down and consumed as if they were game animals. He urged the UN Security Council to recognize cannibalism as a crime against humanity and an act of genocide.
9. In Maori mythology, Maui attempted to grant immortality to humanity by transforming into a worm and entering the goddess of death's vagina while she slept, in an effort to reverse the birth process. However, a bird's laughter awakened the goddess, who crushed Maui with her vagina's obsidian teeth, making Maui the first mortal to die.
10. The Awa tribe in Brazil adopts orphaned monkeys as pets and nourishes them with breast milk to save their lives.
11Aymara People's Unique Time Concept
The indigenous Aymara people of South America have a unique concept of time, with the past positioned ahead of them and the future behind.
12. Among the Innu people of Canada, there exists a spirit known as the "Fart Man," who cursed another spirit with agonizing constipation because caribou meat was not offered to him for consumption.
13. The Koyukon people of Alaska have a tale in which Raven takes two of each animal to protect them from a flood-an account that predates the arrival of Christianity.
14. The indigenous people of Bougainville Island in Papua New Guinea successfully orchestrated the world's first "eco-revolution." Between 1988 and 1998, they closed down one of the world's largest mines, expelled private security forces, and, subsequently, the Papua New Guinea and Australian armies. They achieved this feat using homemade weapons and running vehicles on coconut oil.
15. Alaska's Tlingit Native American Tribe crafted body armor from old Chinese coins to defend against Russian incursions.
16Aazhawigiizhigokwe: Ojibwe Warrior Woman
Aazhawigiizhigokwe, the only Ojibwe woman to ever attain the status of a full warrior, was permitted to carry weapons, wear war paint, participate in ceremonies, engage in raids and hunting expeditions, and speak before the tribal council.
17. The Toda tribal people from South India practiced polyandry for centuries. When a Toda woman married, she automatically became the wife of her husband's brothers. During pregnancy, one husband would ceremonially present a bow and arrow to the wife and be recognized as the father of the child.
18. At the age of 13, Molly Kelly, an Australian aboriginal girl, was forcibly separated from her family and placed in a government institution to serve as a domestic servant. She managed to escape and embarked on a remarkable journey, walking 1,000 miles across the unforgiving Australian outback to return home. Between 1905 and 1971, Australian authorities forcibly removed thousands of indigenous children from their families as part of the controversial policy known as the Stolen Generations.
19. When writing in the Hanunó'o script, used for an indigenous language by the Mangyan peoples in the Philippines, both right-handed and left-handed individuals often produce texts that are mirror images of each other, not only in letter orientation but also in writing direction.
20. In an unusual tradition, the Sichuan tribal people in China used to consume panda urine to help dissolve accidentally ingested needles.
21Ainu Tradition: Growing Giant Beards
The Ainu are an indigenous tribe in Japan whose men are known for their traditional practice of growing giant beards.
22. Blood type "O" is the predominant blood type among indigenous populations of the Americas, particularly in Central and South American populations, with a frequency approaching nearly 100%.
23. The Himba people of Namibia apply otjize paste, a mixture made from butterfat and ochre pigment, to cleanse their skin over extended periods due to water scarcity. They also use it as protection against the hot and arid climate and to ward off mosquito bites.
24. The indigenous Chukchi people, residing on the Chukotka Peninsula west of Alaska, believe they have ancestral connections to whales. Their way of life predominantly revolves around the hunting of marine mammals.
25. The Sami people are Norway's indigenous population, with a cultural heritage spanning over 11,000 years. They live in tents called "lavvu" and follow reindeer herds for sustenance. Reindeer herding is central to Sami culture, providing them with meat and fur and serving as their primary mode of transportation through reindeer sledding.
