Odd Cultural Traditions and Quirks of Society: Photo Gallery

@tsarstepan,

They're in the water, but not "under." They say it takes ten years to learn the craft. It's an amazing feat when one tries to guess how they operate so many puppets at once in straight lines that break up into different patterns in the water.

Here's another cultural tradition in Hong Kong.

Quote:

There is a very famous, ancient banyan tree in Lam Tsuen in Hong Kong to which people travel at Chinese New Year and during other festivals to leave their own special wishes. First they write their wishes on colourful red wishing paper, then they tie them to oranges, and throw them up into the tree. If the wishes stick, it is thought that they will come true!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v97/imposter222/HongKongtoHanoiFeb2005074.jpg

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@tsarstepan,

The following oddly violent tradition from Germany needs to be stopped.

Quote:

Gaensereiten is the traditional German game of goose pulling. Goose pulling is a ritual that involves men on horseback trying to tear the head off a goose that hangs from a noose just within reach of the riders.

Over the years the tradition has become slightly more humane in Germany. The goose is killed before being hung on the noose, so it does not suffer the slow death it used to.

A concerned Care2 member believes this act towards geese is still unacceptable and wants mock geese to be used. That way, the 400 year old tradition can continue on but live geese do not have to be tortured in the celebration.

If you can please take a bit of your time to sign the petition, I and countless geese would be grateful:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Stop-Using-Real-Goose-For-Gaensereiten/

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This kinda looks like fun...

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/05Q7dlLeBIbIr/x610.jpg

Indian heir to the Swaminarayan Temple, Lalji Maharaj Shri Vrajendraprasdaji Maharaj (Top,R) celebrates the 'Holi' festival of Colours with devotees at Swaminarayan Temple in Kalupur, Ahmedabad on March 19, 2011. The 'Holi' festival of colours is celebrated throughout India to mark the coming of spring, with people going out on the streets and daub coloured powder to anyone.

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0a6wagO0LV1WJ/x610.jpg

Indian women and children arrange natural ingredients to prepare eco-friendly 'herbal colours' in Ahmedabad on March 20, 2011 for 'Holi' festival. The ingredients include saffron coloured flowers, tomatoes, rose petals, turmeric powder, eggs, black grapes, beet-root, papaya fruit and mint leaves for the Hindu festival of colours 'Holi'. The 'Holi' festival of colours marks the onset of spring across the country. Getty images.

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I bet Tsar knows of this place...

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01853/keys-locksmith_1853152i.jpg

The exterior of Phil Mortillaro's key cutting shop in Greenwich Village, New York. This locksmith has turned artist after decorating his shop front with 10,000 keys set in intricate patterns...
Picture: JAMES AMBLER / BARCROFT USA

1 Reply

@Irishk,

I believe I have walked by it on a few occasions.

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http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0a8f3zcflaaDh/x610.jpg

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0bIj4HMajuaXM/610x.jpg

Traditionally dressed Kyrgyz dance in the center of Bishkek on March 21, 2011 during the annual celebration of Newroz (New Year) holiday. Newroz is an ancient Persian festival marking the first day of spring, which falls on March 21 and is celebrated in Central Asia.

1 Reply

@Irishk,

I did a journey to the five stans a few years ago, and we visited Bishkek. The people there are friendly, and many speak many languages including English. We visited the American University there, and a very good museum. What was interesting was the fact that their airport has a contingent of US Air Force personnel stationed there.

1 Reply

@cicerone imposter,

I would love to visit there, c.i. We don't have nearly the cool celebrations as some other countries do. I did honor the first day of Spring by having a margarita, though lol. Okay, I had two.

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http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01855/china-bridge_1855991i.jpg

Thousands of people cross Tai Ping Bridge in Jushui, Mianyang, Sichuan province. Participants throw old clothes and coins from the 200-year-old bridge into the water during the traditional annual event to seek happiness and health.
Picture: REUTERS

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Cutting edge macho...

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01856/sword-ladder_1856925i.jpg

A performer named Yan Da climbs a 28.8m high sword ladder in Chongqing, China, to break his own 26m record.
Picture: CHINA FOTO PRESS / BARCROFT MEDIA

1 Reply

@Irishk,

Hope his mum made him wear clean underwear.

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http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/09l354xeZweKz/610x.jpg

Reuters Pictures 10 minutes ago. People attend a pillow fight in front of Zurich's cathedral on international Pillow Fight Day, April 2, 2011.

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Great shot...

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01863/duck-race_1863655i.jpg

Kayak instructor Vaughn Corum bobs along with some of the 17,000 plastic ducks that were released during the seventh annual KinderMourn Hope Floats Duck Race at the US National Whitewater Centre in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Picture: AP

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http://www.csmonitor.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/images/csm-photo-galleries-images/photos-of-the-day-images/2011/0411/04/9953342-1-eng-US/04_full_600x400.jpg

http://www.csmonitor.com/CSM-Photo-Galleries/Photos-of-the-Day/2011/Photos-of-the-Day-04-11/(photo)/351812

Quote:

The Boeoegg, a snowman made of wadding and filled with firecrackers, explodes atop a bonfire in Sechselaeuten Square in Zurich,Switzerland. As the bells of St. Peter's church chime six o'clock, the bonfire below the 'Boeoegg' is set alight and mounted guildsmen gallop around the pyre to the tune of the Sechselaeuten March. The faster the head of the 'Boeoegg' – the symbol of winter – catches fire and explodes, the warmer and more beautiful the summer will be.

Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters

1 Reply

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/holi2011/bp37.jpg

A selection of pics from across the world of people celebrating Holi.
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/03/holi_festival_of_colors.html?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed6

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@tsarstepan,

jeez, all we got is a groundhog.

tsarstepan wrote:

http://www.csmonitor.com/CSM-Photo-Galleries/Photos-of-the-Day/2011/Photos-of-the-Day-04-11/(photo)/351812

Quote:
The Boeoegg, a snowman made of wadding and filled with firecrackers, explodes atop a bonfire in Sechselaeuten Square in Zurich,Switzerland. As the bells of St. Peter's church chime six o'clock, the bonfire below the 'Boeoegg' is set alight and mounted guildsmen gallop around the pyre to the tune of the Sechselaeuten March. The faster the head of the 'Boeoegg' – the symbol of winter – catches fire and explodes, the warmer and more beautiful the summer will be.

Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters

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This is a short video on the scissor dance I saw in Lima, Peru, last year.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v97/imposter222/?action=view&current=P5090196.mp4][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v97/imposter222/th_P5090196.jpg[/IMG]

2 Replies

@cicerone imposter,

Bad link, c.i. ...unless you want to give us all your password Laughing

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Thassa lotta eggs...

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01870/easter-egg-tree_1870419i.jpg

Heike Lutz, right, looks at a tree with 9,800 Easter eggs on it in the garden of Christa and Volker Kraft in Saalfeld, Germany. The Kraft family have decorated their tree for Easter for more than 40 years...
Picture: AP

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01870/easter-eggs_1870415i.jpg

They decorate them, too!

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http://www.csmonitor.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/images/csm-photo-galleries-images/photos-of-the-day-images/2011/0415/08/9978965-1-eng-US/08_full_600x400.jpg

Quote:

Children wearing hoods as penitents take part in a procession in a school in the eve of Holy Week in the Andalusian capital of Seville, southern Spain.

Marcelo del Pozo/Reuters

http://www.csmonitor.com/CSM-Photo-Galleries/Photos-of-the-Day/2011/Photos-of-the-Day-04-15/(photo)/353060

1 Reply

Odd Cultural Traditions and Quirks of Society: Photo Gallery

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