Eight Shocking African Traditions

Africa is often portrayed as a mystical and unique territory. Its culture and values are preserved over the years. But there are some weird African traditions that will surely shock other people.

#1 Stealing of women

Stealing of women is the weirdest African tradition. The Wodaabe tribe of Niger celebrates the Gerewol Festival. During the festival, men and women dance at night and men are allowed to steal women. They can steal single and even married women. Men are free to steal women provided that they should not be caught by the woman’s husband and the woman will not refuse. If the conditions are met, the tribe will recognize the legitimacy of the fresh marriage.

#2 Bride price

In South Africa, before a couple can get married the groom must pay first the bride price called lobolo. The natives of South Africa believe that the African tradition of having a lobolo will strengthen the relationship between the two families which can foster mutual support and respect.

#3 Spitting as a sign of greeting

In northern Tanzania and Kenya, the Masai gives spitting an unconventional meaning. Spitting is used to greet one another. The Masai people will spit in their hands before shaking the hand of another. They also believe that new born babies are evil so they spit on the babies’ bodies to remove the evil spirits in their bodies.

#4 Bride’s aunt must have sex with groom before marriage

In Uganda, the Banyankole tribe has an African tradition that requires the aunt of the bride to have sex with the groom before marriage as a part of potency test and she also needs to test her niece’s virginity.

#5 Exhume the dead

In Madagascar, the Malagasy people go every five or seven years to their relatives’ graves to exhume the dead and dance with live music. The tradition is dubbed as Famadihana and served as a symbol of their love and respect to the dead.

#6 Widow cleansing

In Malawi, widow cleansing is another African tradition that tribes do. The widow cleansing is done to cleanse the stained soul of the widow caused by the death of her husband. To do the widow cleansing, the widow is forced to have sex with the brother of her husband or a relative of the husband. Through the widow cleansing, it is believed that the soul of the widow will be cleansed and the soul of the dead husband will be freed.

# 7 Lip plates

The Surma, Mursi and Sara tribes place lip plates in the lips of 15-to-16-year-old girls. The lip plates are placed through cutting the lips. They believe that having a biggest lip plate will mean that the girl will have the highest bride price before marriage. Lip plates are also used so that the slave traders will not have an interest towards the African girls.

#8 Announcement of manhood

In Ethiopia, the Hamar tribe has an interesting initiation tradition. The female friends of the boy should take the dance test and get beaten by the elders which will cause actual wounds. The dance test is a manifestation of the friends’ loyalty. The boy will announce his manhood through stepping over four bulls for three rounds.

Indeed, Africa is abundant with its weird African traditions that Africans use to preserve their values.