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Greetings are amongst the first things you need to know when traveling. Prior to addressing someone you should be able to say hello and channel respect and courtesy. The general consensus is a handshake, a nod, or a smile. The following countries take the act of greeting someone to a whole new level. They might sound weird at first, but once you understand the context, you will realize how cool these cultures are.
1. Hongi, New Zealand
Hongi involves rubbing noses when people meet. It is also referred as the “breath of life”.
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2. Ziar, Senegal
source: youtube
Members of the Mouride brotherhood have a special handshake. After shaking hands, they touch each other’s foreheads. It inspires humility and mutual respect.
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3. Tongue out, Tibet
Sticking out your tongue is a traditional greeting. This practice dates from the 9th century when king Lang Darma ruled. He had a black tongue.
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4. The Sogi, Tuvalu
People press a face to a cheek of the other and sniff deeply.
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5. The snap, Togo, Benin, and Ivory Coast
Young men snap each other’s fingers after shaking hands. Isn’t that cool?
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6. Bow, Mongolia
When an unfamiliar guest visits a home, he grasps a strip gently with both hands while doing a slight bow.
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7. Kunik, Greenland
The kunik consists in pressing one’s nose and upper lip against another’s skin, then breathing on it.
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8. Mano, Philippines
As a sign of respect to the elders, people from the Philippines bow and press their foreheads against the older person’s knuckles and say “Mano po” (“Your hands please”).
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9. “La bise”, France
To do a proper bise, you need to lay a kiss on each cheek. This is slightly different from the French kiss.
source:weonearth
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