Africa is a continent full of mysteries. Interestingly, there are a lot of things relatively unknown about Africa- the world’s largest black continent and home to over a billion people.
LMAO, Most bizarre cultures/facts are products of nature or teachings passed down from generations that still exist till this present age. It’s, therefore, no surprise that Africa has its fair share of unusual, strange, and weird cultures, customs, objects and formations.
Taking pictures
The first rule to note is that the Tanzanian government considers taking pictures of structures such as government buildings, bridges, and military personnel as illegal. While this rule might be applicable in most African countries, there’s another weird fact attached to taking photos in Tanzania.
For instance, it’s advised that you seek permission before taking another person’s picture. This is attributed to natives’ beliefs about taking pictures. Some might go as far as asking you for payment (money) before taking their pictures. Other tribes such as the Massai people believe that taking pictures means stealing their souls.
Banyankole Tribe, Uganda
The Banyankole tribe is a minority tribe in Uganda. And the mention of marriage is definitely a burden to the bride’s aunt. When a couple is about to get married, custom dictates that the aunt of the bride sleeps with the groom to ensure the potency of the groom. Furthermore, she also has to test the bride’s virginity.
Some traditions claim that the group must have s,,ex with the aunt before sleeping with the bride. Another tradition asserts that it was the responsibility of the aunt to prove the potency of the groom by watching or listening to the couple while they’re having intercourse.
Wodaabe Tribe, Niger
The Wodaabe tribe is a sub-group of the Fulani ethnic group and can be found in Northern Nigeria, a
s well as Northeastern Cameroon, Southwestern Chad, and the western part of the Central African Republic.
The Wodaabe Tribe has a festival known as the Gerewol Festival where all members of the tribe are expected to dance at night. The strange part of the festival is that the dancing allows men of the tribe to steal women from the tribe.
The tribe considers the new union legitimate whether the woman is married or not. Exceptions apply to situations where the woman refuses or when her husband catches the man while he is trying to steal his woman.
Masaai Tribe, Kenya
The Massai tribe can be found in Kenya and Tanzania. And they sure do have some strange customs that will leave you shocked! One of such is their mode of greeting. Members of the tribe spit as a way of saying hello. Aside this, when a baby is born, it is the custom for men to spit on the newborn and label him as bad in order to ward off evil spirits.
The tribe believes that a baby is cursed or become cursed if it is praised. Massai warriors can also be seen spitting in their hands before shaking the hands of an elder. Additionally, they are also famous for drinking fresh animal blood.
Hamar Tribe, Ethiopia
To prove your manhood as a young boy in the Hamer tribe, it is expected that
you run, jump and land on the back of a bull, before then attempting to run across the backs of several bulls while naked.
Before this ritual takes place, female friends of the young boy undergoing the test must cover their whole body, including their head and hair, with red ochre mixed with fats. The girls are then expected to dance and get whipped by elders until they have scars and wounds on their backs. This is done to show their unflinching loyalty to their friend.
