Taboos in Middle East

Written by Riki

Many superstitious beliefs in Middle East make people avoid do certain kind of actions. Like other counties, Middle East has a variety of superstitions, and I’ve found one particular belief which appears in several superstitions or taboos of Middle East: that is the “Evil Eye.” Evil Eye is an eye of envy or jealous which may cause disease or harm usually to a children, livestock, or crops. In Saudi Arabia, many people who get sick believe that their sickness is because of the “evil eye” so that they do not want to accept medical treatments. Also for the first three months of pregnancy, they should not tell anyone that they are pregnant because someone may throw the person the “evil eye,” and it is believed that miscarriage is because of it. “Evil eye” is believed not only Middle East, but also other Mediterranean countries, Latin America, and so on.
For the pregnancy taboos, there is also another superstition that a husband cannot shave when goes to see his newborn child and his wife.
In addition to that, there is an interesting story about another kind of Islamic taboo. In a hospital in London, because of hygiene, they made those who came to the hospital clean their hands with anti-bacterial gel. However, Muslim people refuse to do it because it contains alcohol. Moreover, Turkey is also full of superstitious taboos, some may be well-known because they spread to other counties, washing close on Saturday, sweeping house at night, whistling at night, etc.
Many countries in Middle East have long histories so that beliefs, myths, or superstitions are deep with quite a lot of variations. Therefore, it is possible that if we trace the origin of common superstitions, we might end up in some religious beliefs or myths from this region. Since those beliefs are from thousands of years ago and pretty complicated because of many different religions, empire, ages were involved, finding out the origin or reason seems extremely challenging. However, if you are really interested, this is worth researching.

“evil eye.” The Skeptic’s Dictionary. 23 Feb.2009. 25 Jun.2009.
http://www.skepdic.com/evileye.html.

“Evil eye.” Wikipedia. 25 Jun. 2010.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_eye.

Garcia, Ben.“Deliver us from Superstition.” Kuwait Times. 5 Jun. 2009. 25 Jun. 2010. http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=OTIyNzgzMDMx

MacAllen, Susan.“Islamic Superstition Endangers Healthcare System in the West.” Islam Watch. 7 Feb. 2007. 25 Jun. 2010.
http://www.islam-watch.org/Mac/Islam_Superstition_Health_issues.htm

Al Eidan, Kholoud. “The Evil Eye: Traditional Superstitions and Mental Illness in Saudi Arabia.” Asharq Al-Awsat. 8 Feb. 2007. 25 Jun. 2010. http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=7&id=9773

Birbiri, Mehmet. “Turkish Superstitions.” Turkey Central.com. 25.Jun.2010. http://www.turkeycentral.com/articles/turkey_article.php?article_id=70

Taboos in Morocco
Morocco is located in the north of African continent, just below Spain over Atlantic Ocean. The official language used is Arabic and the country is a part of Islamic world. Therefore, many beliefs and superstitions seem to be based on the Islamic religion.
While researching superstitions in Middle East, I found that Morocco particularly has a lot of superstitions and seeing comments of several people. Because of the religion, there are many beliefs, customs, and taboos, which restrict several behaviors, such as wearing clothes that show your skin too much or eating with left hand should be avoided. However, in Morocco, besides those religious customs, they have their own taboos or don’ts. Here are some examples:

1. “Don't use a whistle in the house.” This superstition can be found in other countries. Although I have found in a few web pages that talk about it, I could not find the exact answer why it is a taboo to use a whistle in the house. However, according to Russian superstition, they think that if you whistle, you are whistling away your money.
2. “Don't place your shoes upside down.” This is also a bad luck superstition that I found many people believing. One of the most probable reasons for doing so is that in Islam’s religion, they respect the order. Therefore, in order to have the right order, it is considered good to put in that way.
3. “Don't open an umbrella in a closed space.” This superstition is also believed in many other countries. What commonly believed is not in a closed space, but is inside house. It is believed that bad luck will fall to you like rain even inside it. Un umbrella is used to protect against something, and however, if we opens it inside a house, it keeps away a spirit or a god living in the room.
4. “Never eat food that's been sitting out overnight.” People believe that Jinn comes at night and will put something bad in it. Jinn is also known as “Genie” which is a creature introduced in Qur’an which is a holy book of Islam. Some superstitions are related to jinns. The following is another example.
5. “Don't pour hot water down a sanitation hole after dark.” Jinn can do both good and bad thing. It is believed that the hot water will reach where Jinn sleeps. Jinn may get angry because of hot water and come to bother you.
Here are other taboos which may not be commonly believed:
6. “Don’t brush a girl's feet with a broom.” They believe that doing so will keep the girl from getting married.
7. Don’t take a shower at night
8. Don’t let a dog inside a house.
9. Don’t visit the toilet between half past eleven and half past two.
Although some of the taboos do not explain reasons or origins for them, Moroccan people in general seem to respect old beliefs. I also found that many superstitions exist in Morocco due to its unique cultural and geographical background. As Morocco is surrounded by European countries, African countries, and Arabian counties, beliefs in those cultures seem to be mixed into Moroccan culture.

Allam, Hannah. “Superstitions.” Middle East Diary. 15 Aug. 2007. 13 Jun. 2010.
http://blogs.mcclatchydc.com/cairo/2007/08/superstitions.html

“Moroccan superstition?” Yahoo! Answers. Mar. 2010. 13 Jun. 2010. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100327084326AAPdT8B

“Superstitions.” British Council. 13 Jun. 2010.
http://www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish-central-magazine-superstitions.htm

“Moroccan magic and superstition.” Yoga Travel. 13 Jun. 2010.
http://www.yogatravel.co.uk/yoga-holidays-morocco/morocco-magic-superstition.htm

“Moroccan banks offer un-Islamic Eid loans.” Al Arabiya News Channnel. 15 Dec. 2007. 13 Jun. 2010.
http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2007/12/15/42902.html

“Why is it considered bad luck to open an umbrella indoors?” Answerbag. 1 Jun. 2005. 13 Jun. 2010.
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/22995

Kunkle, John. “Russian Superstitions.” EzineArticles.13 Jun. 2010.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Russian-Superstitions&id=331435

The Superstition of Blood Types

Written by Sasha

Though there’re lots of people around the world believe that the blood type influences one’s personality, the phenomenon is much more prevailed in Japanese society nowadays, and surprisingly that most of western countries don't have this concepts at all. Most of Japanese, especially young generation, trust that the blood type affects not only characteristics but also ability of work, interrelationship, strategy-making, and almost everything.

In their opinion, each type has these specialties separately.

A: Obeying rules without suspect and hesitation; always staying in all seriousness; being easily to endure unreasonable things; being temperate and sympathetic.

B: Liberalist; being curious and sensitive especially to the field of art; speaking and doing things directly and sometimes even impulsively; being optimistic and careless; being easy to indulge in his/her own world.

O: Super-optimist; being careless and having no desires of worldly success ordinarily, however, once they find out their goal, they become aggressive and concentrated; being brave and filled of energy.

AB: Changeable; optimist; having lots of interesting even unreasonable thoughts; carelessness; judging a thing in a unique but fair way.

In a report opinion poll held in Japan recently shows that at least 20% of Japanese believe unreservedly that blood type influence their personality and even life. The situation becomes more and more serious and exaggerated. Some newspapers and magazines all indicate how this superstition deprives the basic human rights because there are even companies choose their employees according to the blood type.

If we take the characteristics which said to origin from bloody type as the consequence of statistics and don’t over-believe in it, we will find lots of interesting coincidences and funs. It’s just like the astrology, though some of the specialties match our personalities, we should not be confined by it for there are not only twelve kinds of set of one’s identities in the world.


More comics:
http://blog.xuite.net/osaki99/blog/17972900

Reference:
http://jp.hjenglish.com/music/60784/
http://bbs.fesco.com.cn/dispbbs.asp?boardid=17&Id=98512
http://www.jmnews.com.cn/c/2005/05/11/16/c_592208.shtml

The origin of SUPERSTITION

Written by Sasha

Belief is the origin of people’s thoughts and behaviors. The word “belief” here means not only religions but also the psychological state which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true. The sources of belief are many but not conflict with each other. For instance, people may adopt the beliefs from an enchanting leader’s opinions or from a primary advertising industry which repeats certain images again and again, even those beliefs are not in their own self-interest or against all the previous beliefs. Besides, people tend to internalize the concepts around us and we are easy to be influenced by parents, the society or the majority. Belief is an important supporter and comforter in everyone’s life and it brings people the freedom and fortitude.

However, some people consider their beliefs as the absolutely correct concepts and can’t accept any other different opinions; some customs which are reasonable because of the past environment or culture, are passed down generation to generation without being adapted to modern society; some governors, merchants or groups “introduce” certain beliefs which profit them. All these reasons cause superstition.

Actually in the past, the word “superstition” is neuter and indicates the situation when someone believes certain concepts firmly instead of the negative intents we use today. Nowadays, we use “superstition” to describe someone trust in a concepts or theory without advanced knowledge and realization about what they believe. The word implies blind believing.

Moreover, the word “superstition” can be used in every field because, theoretically, people may indulge themselves in variety kinds of beliefs. Even though in the extent of modern technology and science, which often used by people to break superstitions, there are rooted concepts which can be referred to the co-called superstition.

Beliefs should bring people freedom, fortitude and comfort originally, however, they leads to superstitions which are totally opposite to them. Nevertheless, superstitions are not all harmful and some of them are even very interesting and become specialties in a culture.

Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%BF%B7%E4%BF%A1?variant=zh-tw

Social Taboos in Europe

Written by Adrian

Taboos are different from places to places and can be changed by the movement of time. Also, some things regard as taboos is not necessary in other culture. If you do not know those taboo before, you may be made fun of. Next are some taboos find in Europe.

1. Toss the glass
In Hungary, they never toss the glass before they drink the wine, since the factor of history. Some Austria once toss their glasses after they killed lots of Hungary people. Therefore, this tradition is presented even to todays.

2. The gesture of “V”
In British, if you do the gesture of V with your hand face inside, it seems as a aggressive meaning. The origin of the taboo comes from the Hundred Years War, because at that time the France declared to cut all British’s finger which uses to shot an arrow.

3. Kiss manner
In British, all the train’s passengers are not allowed to kiss or linger at the train station. Instead, you can do those things to a particular area.

4.Visiting Church
When you are going to the church in Italy, remember to wear long-sleeved t-shirt and long pants/skirt. Even during the hot weather, all visitors no matter women or men should not allow to wear short pants and the clothes without sleeves.

5.Sending Flowers
In Ukraine, you should make sure you have bunches of odd numbers, since even numbers are used in the funeral. Except this, you should notice the type of the flower before you sending out, because each flower has different meaning.

6.Praise
In Greek, if you over exaggerated the things and give too many praises may intrigue the host.


Reference:
http://tw.knowledge.yahoo.com/question/question?qid=1405112603641
http://tw.knowledge.yahoo.com/question/question?qid=1105050501899

The Superstition of Numbers in America

Written by Sasha


Most of superstitions are related to daily life and people’s habits. Among them, the superstitions of numbers are the most prevailed one because we can find it in almost every country. In this article, we are going to overview the history and development of this wide-believed superstition which is rooted in American’s everyday life.

There’s something interesting that “superstitions” always warn you what’s harmful and unlucky instead of telling you what’s helpful and positive to life. However, that phenomenon is reasonable for making a living is hard in the past so people were trying hard to avoid possible obstacles. Besides, religions, especially the Christ and Catholic are influential in western culture. In America, the number “13” is disliked and said to be unfortunate. The origin can trace the history back to the century before. In the Last Supper, Jesus had dinner with his twelve disciples. However, one of the disciples, Judah betrayed Jesus and led the Judaic governors, who crucified Jesus in the end, to the dinner hall. Judah sat at the thirteenth seat at that time; as a result, western people consider the number“13” as a symbol of unluckiness.

In America, the number of people sits around a table and of dishes could not be thirteen; in many high buildings, there’s not “the thirteenth” floor, even there is, people will call it the “fourteenth” floor instead.

In one of the provinces, there was an interesting accident happened. In a week, five car accidents occurred continuously and it caused citizens’ discontent. As a result, the police officer worked hard to find out the account. Finally they found a panda car which had a license plate with the number 13, and it was considered to be the origin of the recent unfortunatenesses. Consequently, the number od the license plate was replaced with 25.

Nevertheless, the Americans also have lucky numbers and the most significant one is the number “3”. In their opinion, three stands for a traditional family which consists of a father, mother and a child. Therefore, Americans tend to make up the proper number to three or the multiple of three. However, thinking in a negative way, accidents, funerals and bad luck may also appears in three at a time.



Reference:
http://www.3158.cn/news/20100302/10/2842221701_1.shtml
http://www.dreye.com/tw/english/ztip/content/ztip61.htm
http://www.eng24.com/html/2007-9/2007926104013.html

Taboos in Latin America---Spain

Written by Claire

Apart from those that are common to much of the western world (such as not walking under ladders or believing that black cats are unlucky), the Spanish have a number of other taboos and superstitions, just to name a few.

1. Never toast with a glass of water
(you do it you'll get seven years' bad sex)

2. Don’t get married, nor board on Tuesday the 13th

3. A lighter shouldn't be shared among more than three people

4. A salt shaker should not be passed from hand to hand
(it must be placed on the table, for the other person to pick it up themselves)

5. When pouring liquid from a bottle, the bottom of the bottle should not face close from the body and poured towards the body

6. While sweeping, the broom shouldn’t hit the feet of a single person
(that person will never marry)

7. Shouldn’t leave the bag on the floor
(This means that your money will run away)

8. Chimneys should also always be capped
(an uncapped chimney means that witches would climb down it)

9. Shouldn’t leave home when the moon is full in Galicia
(In the north of Spain, there is a big region which is called Galicia. This region is traditionally a land of witches and incantations. A Santa Compaña is a long line of dead people who walk through the forests of Galicia at night. People say if you see this line of people, you will follow them for all of Eternity. If you don't want to follow them for all of eternity, you should stay at home when the moon is full.)




Reference
http://gospain.about.com/od/spanishlife/qt/superstitions_in_spain.htm
http://www.topics-mag.com/internatl/superstitions/spain.htm

Superstitious and Taboos of Death in Chinese Culture

Written by Adrian

In Chinese culture, because of the respected attitude toward their ancestors and people's fear feeling toward death, there forms up several of superstitious and taboos of death. Except this, it needs to know that Chinese religious believes people would turn into ghost after they die. Then, the people's former alive behavior would decide the going direction of the ghost, such as whether the ghost needs to go to the hell, linger in the human’s world or enter in the transmigration of the soul. However, though we cannot affect one's behavior that decides the going of the soul, we can still have other ways to help these souls enter in the better place.

First, it's about the ritual superstitious and taboos of the death. It's believed that the dieing people should pass away at his own house and bed, and at that time all the family should gather together in front of this person. I think this is because Chinese people care the conception of family and also believe the saying that” we come back from where we come from”.

Second, after this person is dead, their family's god status should be covered by red papers. Then, the descendants will set up a place to prey this new dead one, and serves the dished there with the chopsticks suck in the middle of the bowl as if the dead one sill alive. Later, after finding the nice buried place that will have a great influence on the fortune of a family and his offsprings, the family will announce their family and friend to attend the funeral.

Third, the day before the buried ritual, all the guests should give the family some money in white envelope. At this time, the receiver can only replay: ”You have a good heart ” rather than “Thank you!” In return, the receiver will give off the gifts that include a coin, a white towel and a candy. Then, all of the descendants should stay up for a night to guard the dead body. (In the past time, they fear the dead body would corrupt by the dogs or cats.)

Last, after the dead body already be cleaned and wears cosmetic and nice clothes, this would be the last time for all the family and friends to see the dead before interment. Meanwhile, there would be a Taoist prays for the ghost. Generally, Chinese people like to chose interment for fear of destroy their dead people's body. When the burial ritual is done, everyone will have a vegetarian meal together, and need to cross a small stove before enter in the home on the behalf of getting rid of bad luck. It's almost 3 months after one's family dead; their offspring should wear some particular thing to pay respect to their dead people and can't enter any gatherings. Except that, it's believed those ghosts will come back to their home after 7 days.


Reference:
1.http://www.thinkerstar.com/lu/essays/funeral/deathtw.html
2.http://www.hkmd.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6&Itemid=8