Cultural Taboossss

         Taboos are basically an exclusion for use or practice, cultural taboos may vary from one another, with over 1500 different culture groups in the world, there may be a lot of taboos that we might not be able to explore. Sometimes, the simplest of customary actions in one's society may be misinterpreted as improper in another. For example as westerners are accustomed to shaking hands when introduced or even when they meet their friends, it would be considered bold if they were to do the same in some Asian countries like Japan as bowing is much preferred as sign of goodwill. While,some might be alarmed by it, in other cultures shaking hands could also be considered insolent. That's why it's very important you study the customs and cultural taboos of a country before you travel to avoid awkward situations. We also have cultural taboos in Malaysia, such as:

• Do not discuss ethnic relations or the political system. They are both sensitive subjects
• Do not drink alcohol. The country’s large Muslim population does not drink alcohol.
• Do not ever involve in illegal drugs. There is a mandatory death penalty for trafficking.  
• Do not kiss in public. Public behaviour is important in Malaysian culture. Most Malaysians refrain from displaying affection such as embracing or kissing in public.
• Do not wear hot pants and vests at mainland beaches if you are female. Topless sunbathing is a no-no. Malay women usually go swimming fully dressed and some keep their scarves on.
• Do not point your feet towards people or sacred images.
• Hugging and kissing, even between husbands and wives, is forbidden in public.
•  It is considered rude to point at anyone with the forefinger. Malaysians use the forefinger only to point at animals. 

Now let us go through some of the weird cultural taboos we have in the world

In Vietnam, the women of a hill tribe known as Lu would blacken their teeth with a combination of tree resins, iron nail fillings and burnt stick coconut husks to beautify themselves because they wouldn't want to be mistaken as demons, wild animals and savages who are known traditionally as the only ones with white teeth.

In India, the Aghoris who worship the god of destruction, Shiva, would consume feces, drink out of human skulls, eat the flesh and smear themselves with the ashes of corpses which they retrieve from graveyards, they believe that there is no distinction between purity and impurity.

In Ukraine, if you wish to give flowers as a gift, you must make sure that the number of flowers are odd and do not include yellow flowers or easter lily as they are only used for funerals as well as flowers in even numbers.

The V sign is considered a sign of success in British, this is because back in the Anglo-French war, the British shooters were threatened that their fingers be cut off by the French but since they won the war, they made it to show that their fingers are still intact. But be careful when making this sign, make sure you don't let the centre of the palm face to you as it would be considered as a provocation.

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