NationStates Jolt Archive

Well, there seems to be a lot of culture topics nowadays. And I´ve just seem the movie The Edge where a guy gets a gift, a knife, and one of his friends says its an old tradition to give back a coin to someone who gives you a knife.

That also made me think of the book called Dune, where its a sign of respect to spit at the feet of someone. Something that can start a fight in our society is viewed a sign of respect in the fictional world, because water is so rare you cant even aford to waste it in a spit.

In my own society, in some of the more conservative small cities, there are still some of those present. For example, if you have someone visiting you, and you either want him to leave or you have to do something or leave the house yourself, you get a broom and takes it close to the front door. There is also a city where my father came from where if you are under 18, you´re suposed to go to anyone elder than 40 and ask for a blessing before starting to speak to them.

So, what kind of culturel trait your society has, or what kind of thing you´ve readed about or saw that catch your atention?

Getting drunk and shouting.

We still go first-footing on New Year's Day. A silver coin (5, 10, 20 or 50p coin) is given to the lady of the house. We're one of the few families to still do it in our area, though.

Well were I am if you give someone a wallet or purse as a gift it has to have some money in it. It's a tradition, a sort of "blessing" (for want of a better word) that the wallet/purse will never be empty.

Now looking at that paragraph it barely makes any sence.

Getting heart disease, unfairly berating the English and badly losing at national sport events are the proud cultural pastimes of my bonny wee country.

*a single patriotic tear rolls down cheek*

i really can't think of anything, probably because it's hard to recognise a 'weird' custom if you're acustomed to it.

In my family, we do a variation of the coin/knife exchange. We tape a coin to the knife. The person who gets the knife removes the coin and returns it to the giver.

A lot of the traditions here are not so much regional as they are familial.

I can't think of any, probably for the same reason as the poster two posts above me.

If I wanted to find out, I'd buy a travel guide to England for the South-East Asians.

I don't know... I suppose its a tradition that during halftime of the Super Bowl you rush to the bathroom. Every year you do this. :p

It can be anything. For example, here in new years eve, its usuall for people to wear white. Sometimes, all white, even shoes. You can also choose your underwear collor for something you desire, like golden for money and red for love.

Usually, we dont go to college outside our city. We stay in our own city and do college there, unless you´re from a town where there is not an university.

Also, its common for a school to have all grades. From first grade to the end of highschool. There are people who do all grades at the same school.

To let elderley people go ahead of you in ques and to then to have them refuse

Getting heart disease, unfairly berating the English and badly losing at national sport events are the proud cultural pastimes of my bonny wee country.

*a single patriotic tear rolls down cheek*

THEY CAN'T TAKE OUR FREEDOM.

THEY CAN'T TAKE OUR FREEDOM.

We did it before and we'll do it again!

THEY CAN'T TAKE OUR FREEDOM. We hate you for your freedom.

We hate you for your freedom.

Doesn't everyone and their mom, though?

We did it before and we'll do it again!

hahaha i got a kick out of that. i dunno why. i guess maybe images of braveheart + the scottish "parliament" + english domination just bring out the giggles in me lol.

We did it before and we’ll do it again!
Somehow, I don’t see Alex Salmond cutting through swathes of the UK army, defending the freedom of his countrymen. Then again, I don't see William Wallace doing that either, just some short-arse Ozzie.

I do see Salmond running away to Westminster, then returning to Holyrood once he realises that the rest of the SNP MSP’s are, essentially, oxygen thieves.

We hate you for your freedom.
Ah, but everyone and their dog likes our accents, enabling us to achieve a higher than national average getting-into-pants ratio.

I think that makes up for Culloden :p

Somehow, I don’t see Alex Salmond cutting through swathes of the UK army, defending the freedom of his countrymen. Then again, I don't see William Wallace doing that either, just some short-arse Ozzie.

I do see Salmond running away to Westminster, then returning to Holyrood once he realises that the rest of the SNP MSP’s are, essentially, oxygen thieves.

Mel Gibson isn't even a real Australian. He was born in the US and has an American accent and came back to the US. His father was a fucking hippie.

lol @ oxygen thieves.

Ah, but everyone and their dog likes our accents, enabling us to achieve a higher than national average getting-into-pants ratio.

I think that makes up for Culloden :p

tru, tru.

In Indian culture, when giving a monetary gift one must always give an odd amount. So 51 dollars instead of 50, and stuff like that.
I've never really understood why.

Well, there seems to be a lot of culture topics nowadays. And I´ve just seem the movie The Edge where a guy gets a gift, a knife, and one of his friends says its an old tradition to give back a coin to someone who gives you a knife.

That also made me think of the book called Dune, where its a sign of respect to spit at the feet of someone. Something that can start a fight in our society is viewed a sign of respect in the fictional world, because water is so rare you cant even aford to waste it in a spit.

In my own society, in some of the more conservative small cities, there are still some of those present. For example, if you have someone visiting you, and you either want him to leave or you have to do something or leave the house yourself, you get a broom and takes it close to the front door. There is also a city where my father came from where if you are under 18, you´re suposed to go to anyone elder than 40 and ask for a blessing before starting to speak to them.

So, what kind of culturel trait your society has, or what kind of thing you´ve readed about or saw that catch your atention?

Being polite and respectful. Also cheerful acquiescence to elders and parents, whether you feel like it or not.

In Indian culture, when giving a monetary gift one must always give an odd amount. So 51 dollars instead of 50, and stuff like that.
I've never really understood why.

I think it is from the practice of using 108 a lot. 108 has a lot of significance (http://www.hknet.org.nz/108meaning.html), so generally when you make a donation or gift you make it to 108 instead of 100. It then came down to 101 maybe because people thought of it as something above 100 (like how price tags carry 5.99 to give a feeling that it is 5 dollars and not 6 dollars). And then maybe people who wanted to give only 50 instead of 100, started this practice of giving 51.

That's my theory. :p

To the OP, there are tons of traditions/cultural practices/superstitions in India. The whole damn country is so sentimental.

Here's one that always irritates me. We are not supposed to cut our nails after dark. Maybe it made sense when there were no electricity...but my mom still chides me if she catches me doing that. :rolleyes:

Being polite and respectful. Also cheerful acquiescence to elders and parents, whether you feel like it or not.

You have to fall at elders feet and get blessings during occasions such as marriage. :D

Yelling stupid chants with clever alliteration, waving pieces of carboard with writing on them, and singing about the definite nature of our success are popular amongst certain members of my culture.

Yelling stupid chants with clever alliteration, waving pieces of carboard with writing on them, and singing about the definite nature of our success are popular amongst certain members of my culture.

I take it you're from the South.

I probably observe some traditions, but it's hard to remember them. It's easier to spot them when visiting foreign countries.

I guess I noticed a few in the Philippines.. picnicing with dead relatives at the cemetery, for one.. doesn't do much for my appetite. Leaving a newly-dead corpse on the kitchen table for a week or so before burial.. odd stuff. Duck fetus eating. Etc.

Hard to think of anything specific to the U.S. or California aside from holidays or sports. Greek Easter has its quirks, and I knew a guy who wouldn't spend a $2 bill.. that's all I got.

I think it is from the practice of using 108 a lot. 108 has a lot of significance (http://www.hknet.org.nz/108meaning.html), so generally when you make a donation or gift you make it to 108 instead of 100. It then came down to 101 maybe because people thought of it as something above 100 (like how price tags carry 5.99 to give a feeling that it is 5 dollars and not 6 dollars). And then maybe people who wanted to give only 50 instead of 100, started this practice of giving 51.

That's my theory. :p

To the OP, there are tons of traditions/cultural practices/superstitions in India. The whole damn country is so sentimental.

Here's one that always irritates me. We are not supposed to cut our nails after dark. Maybe it made sense when there were no electricity...but my mom still chides me if she catches me doing that. :rolleyes:

Some of those superstitions are downright absurd. Apparently if you're offered food it's bad luck not to eat something before you leave the house. Or something like that.

All I know is that one day a while back I was on my out the door to work and my dad asked if I wanted breakfast. I said no, continued out the door, and he called me back from pulling out of the driveway to come in and have a cracker. Then I left without further silliness.

Also, it's considered bad luck to ask someone the question "Where are you going?"

You have to fall at elders feet and get blessings during occasions such as marriage. :D

Yeah, but my parents are Bengali. They don't subscribe to getting their blessing for marriage. Or the caste shit. They aren't really that old country.

Also, it's considered bad luck to ask someone the question "Where are you going?"

Damn. I guess "Quo Vadis?" isn't a big seller over there, eh? :p

I'm from New England, so my traditions pretty much consist of setting Georgia on fire.

Going on an extended working (boozy) holiday to the UK in your early 20s seems to be one of the more contemporary traditions here.

Yeah, but my parents are Bengali. They don't subscribe to getting their blessing for marriage. Or the caste shit. They aren't really that old country.

teekachi?

lol...Bengali is a funny language...not in a disparaging way..of course....I love things Bengali (except Bengali commies) especially Bengali chicks...those full round eyes are the best Bengali feature). It is funny because of many Bengali phrases have different meanings in Tamil...teekachi means "did you boil the tea" (roughly in tamil) and the Bengali response is Baluvachi which means "did you boil the milk" (again roughly)...and I had a hell of a time making fun of that when I was in Calcutta.

I don't think the bowing at elders feet is a bad thing per se, but the problem is there are too many elders in my extended family and I am NOT looking forward to my marriage day when I have to fall at the feet of all and sundry...

But I have to and that makes me go :headbang:

Damn. I guess "Quo Vadis?" isn't a big seller over there, eh? :p

Indians use funny ways of circumventing that problem by asking "where will you be coming from ?" :p :cool:

In Central Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Dutch Country) we eat pork and sauerkraut on New Years Day for good luck. I make pretty good pork and sauerkraut but my friend's mom makes the best!

We also eat apple butter with our cottage cheese as a snack throughout the year. Some people think that is wierd. We all love chicken with chicken gravy on waffles and lettuce with hot bacon dressing. Even more people think that this wierd. We also eat a lot of scrapple.

We have some even wierder foods that even I think are nasty and I eat pretty much everything. We eat souse (I am not sure if I spelled that right) which is pickled pig feet jello with vinegar in it. It is the nastiest thing in the world although I never tried ludafisk and that sounds pretty bad too.

My uncle loves souse.

Only thing I can think of is a famillial tradition from when I was little where on St. Nicholas' Day we would leave our shoes out in front of our bedroom door and in he morning there would be a present in it, normally a bag of Chocolate coins and a toy pirate, but I don't think that is part of the tradition.

Indians use funny ways of circumventing that problem by asking "where will you be coming from ?" :p :cool:

My parents jump through flaming hoops to avoid that question. "If we have to call you, where will you be?", "What roads are you planning on taking?". The list goes on.

You cannot give shoes or knives to people here. If you do, they have to give you a penny, which makes it a purchase. This is to prevent them from either 'walking out of your life' or 'cutting ties' with you.

Its quite interesting that there are so many traditions regarding knives. I never knew that about the shoes.

Considering boots and weapons were quite important in the past, that must be a very old tradition.

Here in my country, there is a new years tradition where you go to the beach and jump 7 waves in the year´s turn. Its suposed to give you luck for the next year.

In Israel, its quite normal for college students and people who have just left the army to take some money and travel around the world. I´ve met a lot of israelis while traveling, and they all said its quite common for them to take a lot of time off to travel.

Also, I´ve said that its common for people to do college at their own cities. Yet, around here, since some families are quite big, its common for a family from a city with an university to accept girls from other related families to live in their house. Usually the girl gets free food and shelter, acess to the house facilities, and all she needs is to keep care of the house and of the kids of the house´s owner. That way she can join an university, study, and at the same time she doesnt need to worry about bills, just to take care of the kids and some chores.

teekachi?

lol...Bengali is a funny language...not in a disparaging way..of course....I love things Bengali (except Bengali commies) especially Bengali chicks...those full round eyes are the best Bengali feature). It is funny because of many Bengali phrases have different meanings in Tamil...teekachi means "did you boil the tea" (roughly in tamil) and the Bengali response is Baluvachi which means "did you boil the milk" (again roughly)...and I had a hell of a time making fun of that when I was in Calcutta.

I don't think the bowing at elders feet is a bad thing per se, but the problem is there are too many elders in my extended family and I am NOT looking forward to my marriage day when I have to fall at the feet of all and sundry...

But I have to and that makes me go :headbang:

I don't speak Bengali. But that's funny. I don't exactly live and breathe old country, like some Indian-Americans. My family is very American. And that last bit must bite.

I don't speak Bengali. But that's funny. I don't exactly live and breathe old country, like some Indian-Americans. My family is very American. And that last bit must bite.

Could be worse, you could be looking at the possibility of arranged marriage.

Not that I am or anything, but that would suck.

Could be worse, you could be looking at the possibility of arranged marriage.

Not that I am or anything, but that would suck.

Ayeh.

I'm from New England, so my traditions pretty much consist of setting Georgia on fire.

I lolled.

I have no traditions. THE PAST DOES NOT OWN ME!

Besides that, I'm in love with American history and culture. And since I'm from the the Hudson Valley, I can drive to West Point and walk around the public areas.

Drinking Vodka, Growing grains, playing with hammers and sickles, and last but not least, Killing Facists in the name of the Motherland!

I love being Russian.

Oh, there's hundreds of traditions around both where I come from and where I live now.
I don't keep any of them. Apart from the "no pets on the table" one.

my culture has a long standing tradition of watching our sports teams lose, and going to the games regardless.