Fascinating food traditions from religions around the world - Fascinating food traditions from religions around the world

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1. Massai blood rituals -

The Massai people are found in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. They’re known for their colorful clothing and even more colorful traditions. One of their customs is the use of cow blood in their food and rituals.

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Straight from the source -

The Massai people are skilled at extracting blood from the cow and are able to do so without killing the animal, which is highly valuable in their society. However, on special occasions like weddings, the cow is killed and passed around the men, who drink directly from the wound.

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2. The strict vegetarian diet of Jainism -

Jainism is one of the most ancient Indian religions. Non-violence is one of its central beliefs. Jainists go to great lengths to avoid harming or killing any living thing, including plants. They are known for following an incredibly strict form of vegetarianism.

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Respect the roots -

Jainists cannot eat root vegetables. If a fruit or vegetable can be taken from the plant without killing the plant, then it’s safe to eat. But root vegetables are considered sources of life and are forbidden.

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3. Rastafarian ital diet -

Rastafarianism is a religion that developed in Jamaica in the 1930s. Rastafarians are known for giving religious significance to cannabis and dreadlocks, but they also have some interesting beliefs about food. They are supposed to eat “ital,” which means natural and clean.

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Nature and purity -

They don’t consume alcohol or coffee, but will drink herbal teas. They usually stay away from meat, especially pork, but will eat fish. However, they don’t usually eat fish that are more than 12 inches (30 centimeters) long. Fruits and vegetables are their main food sources, but they cannot be touched by chemicals or pesticides.

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4. Mormon simplicity - Did you know that Mormons can’t drink coffee? Mormonism is a relatively new religion, founded in the US by Joseph Smith in the 1820s. The Book of Mormon dictates that followers should not consume hot beverages, so that means tea and coffee aren’t allowed.

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The staff of life -

In general, Mormons are told to eat a healthy and wholesome diet. They aren’t supposed to use tobacco or drink alcohol unless it’s wine they made themselves. Consumption of wheat is encouraged and it's even referred to as the "staff of life" in their religious texts.

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5. The Aboriginal initiation ritual -

The indigenous people of Australia have a wide range of different cultures and traditions. The Mardudjara people are a desert community who are among the most tradition-oriented Aboriginal groups in the country. They are known for the intensive coming-of-age ritual young boys have to go through to become men.

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Coming of age -

One part of the ritual involves the boy being circumcised by an elder. He then eats part of the foreskin. It’s believed that by consuming part of your own body you become more powerful. This is carried out in a special private space away from their encampment. If any women try to approach, they are supposed to be killed.

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6. Buddhist fasting - Buddhist monks are known to restrict and test themselves through fasting and hard work. One form of discipline laid out in a religious text called the Vinaya is that they aren’t allowed to eat solid food after midday. That means they eat lunch pretty early!

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Loopholes -

This tradition is debated among various Buddhist communities, who each observe it in different ways. Many monks and nuns drink soup after midday to keep their energy levels up. Others consume highly-sweetened drinks or even energy drinks to give them a boost.

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7. The Yezidi tradition of sharing -

The Yezidi people are most commonly found in northern Iraq. They are persecuted for their religion, as it’s considered heretical to the Islamic norms of their homeland. Many believe them to be Satan-worshippers because they perform rituals for a devil-like figure, but their aim is to appease him rather than worship him.

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Meat for all -

While some of their traditions cause controversy, one is actually quite heart-warming. There is a religious festival in the first week of April each year, and on one of the days every member of the community must eat meat. This means that the wealthier devotees must share their food with poorer members of the community who may not be able to access meat.

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8. The Yanomami death rites -

The Yanomami tribe is an indigenous group that lives in the Amazon rainforest on the border between Brazil and Venezuela. They believe that death isn’t a natural occurrence. Instead, it’s seen as an attack on the body by evil spirits.

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Passing on the spirit -

When a Yanomami person dies, their body undergoes a special cremation ritual. The remaining ashes are then gathered and mixed with banana to create a kind of soup. The soup is then eaten by everyone in the community. It’s believed that consuming the body of the deceased keeps their spirit alive within the community, strengthening them all over generations.

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9. Hinduism -

The cow is a sacred animal in the Hindu religion, which is why they are seen roaming the streets freely in a predominantly Hindu nation like India. As such, cows cannot be killed and eaten, so beef is off the menu. However, dairy products are allowed as long as the cow isn't hurt. They are even considered to be spiritually pure.

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Respect for life -

Dietary guidelines for Hindus follow the belief that food can hinder spiritual development. As they believe in reincarnation, they are naturally wary of killing any living things and tend to follow a mostly vegetarian diet.

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Tamasic food -

There are many religious texts and different approaches to Hinduism, so not all Hindus follow the same rules. Some believe that foods that stimulate the senses, like garlic and onions, interfere with spiritual development. Others avoid eating mushrooms as they are considered a tamasic food, and therefore evoke negative emotions like anger and greed.

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10. Orang Asli -

The Orang Asli are the indigenous tribal people of Malaysia. Like Hindus, they believe that all living creatures have spirits. They believe that your spirit must be strong enough to compete with the spirit of the animal you are eating.

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Spiritual graduation -

Orang Asli children are only allowed to eat small animals like small fish, birds, and toads. Their spirits are considered strong when they turn 20, and they are then allowed to eat larger animals like deer.

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11. The Chaga people -

The Chaga tribe from Tanzania has been eating the placenta after birth long before it became a trend among wellness gurus and celebs! They save the placenta and dry it out so it can later be ground into a powder. Herbs are added and the mixture is turned into a kind of porridge.

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Placenta porridge -

The porridge is then consumed by the female elders of the community. They believe that this practice will prolong the child’s life.

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12. Torajan funeral rites -

The Torajan people of Indonesia are famed for their funeral rituals. When a member of their community dies, they aren't considered to be dead right away. They believe that death is a gradual process that can take weeks, months, or even years.

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Eating with the departed -

For this reason, the body maintains significance for a long time after someone dies. The Torajan tradition is to keep the body in the family home and continue to treat it like a living person. The body remains dressed and posed, joining the family at every meal.

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The funeral feast -

In some cases, the body will stay living with the family for years until they are officially considered dead. As so much respect is given to the dead, the funeral is the most extravagant of all ceremonies in their culture. They last for several days and a water buffalo is killed and eaten as part of a large feast. The more affluent the deceased, the more water buffalo are killed.

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13. Aztec sacrifices -

Human sacrifice was a common practice in ancient Aztec civilization. A captured enemy might be used as a sacrifice, or any innocent person could find themself the "chosen one." 

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Waste not, want not -

A priest would cut out the beating heart of their sacrifice and offer it to the gods. The rest of the body wasn't wasted though! It was then butchered and shared out to feed the community.

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14. Native American potlatch -

Indigenous communities in Northern America are known to practice a gift-giving feast called a potlatch. It involves a member of the community offering up their possessions, along with an impressive feast, to show their status. Those who have plenty to give have greater status in the community.

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Sharing and celebrating -

A potlatch usually takes place after an inheritance or a marriage, so the person in question can solidify their new position in society. They give away their possessions to others or have them destroyed as part of the celebration. The hosts then provide an impressive feast that is enjoyed by all.

Sources: (Mashed) (Twisted Food) (Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine) (Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)

See also: Everyday things you didn’t know were invented by indigenous peoples

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