All traditions
2,350 traditions so far, best known first. 12,186 more are on the list to be written. Filter by region, kind and meal.
RegionSouth AsiaSoutheast AsiaEast AsiaCentral Asia and the CaucasusMiddle EastNorth AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaEuropeNorth AmericaLatin America and the CaribbeanOceania
🇨🇳 ChinaChinese herbology中藥學
The traditional Chinese system of preparing and prescribing herbal and natural remediesCraft
🇬🇷 GreeceHimationἱμάτιον
A wool or linen wrap worn across ancient Greece, later taken up in Rome and ByzantiumDress
🇬🇷 GreeceKausiaκαυσία
A flat hat of ancient Macedonia, worn by kings and later as sun cover in RomeDress
🇯🇵 JapanAuxiliary armour (Japan)
Extra guards that filled the gaps left by the six main pieces of a Japanese armour setDress
🇯🇵 Tokyo, JapanBoroぼろ
Japanese cloth kept going by mending: patched layers dyed with indigoCraft
🇨🇳 ChinaSankeng三坑
Chinese slang for three dress styles young fans wear, and the money they takeDress
🇮🇳 Kozhikode, IndiaRamanattamരാമനാട്ടം
A Kerala dance drama staging the life of Rama across eight daysPerformance
🇵🇱 Olsztyn, PolandKortowiada
A student festival in Olsztyn with concerts, parades and faculty contestsFestival
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreKurti
A midriff-covering top worn across the Indian subcontinent in many regional stylesDress
🇧🇩 Dhaka, Bangladesh and 1 moreMuslin
A fine handwoven cotton from Bengal, once famed worldwide and woven again todayCraft
🇷🇺 Vladimir, RussiaRozhokрожок
A traditional Russian wooden trumpet played solo and in pastoral horn ensemblesPerformance
🇨🇦 Canada and 1 moreStag and doe
A Canadian fundraising party for an engaged couple, featuring games, food, and raffles to help pay for the wedding.Festival · Dinner
🇮🇳 IndiaDivja
A Goan ritual where women carry oil lamps in a temple procession to fulfill vows.Spiritual
🇺🇸 United StatesCongressional office lottery
A biennial draw that decides which offices new US representatives get on Capitol HillCeremony
🇮🇳 India and 4 morePuttee
A cloth leg wrap worn by soldiers, from the Himalayas to the armies of two world warsDress
🇨🇳 China and 3 moreBuddhist initiation受戒
A public ceremony where a lay follower takes refuge in the Triple Gem and accepts moral precepts.Spiritual
🇨🇭 Bern, Switzerland and 4 moreTatzelwurm
A cat-faced dragon of Alpine lore, said to hiss, poison the air and guard old tunnelsFolklore
🇮🇳 IndiaLohepfhe
A handwoven black shawl with red and green bands, worn by Angami and Chakhesang Naga men as a marker of identity.Dress
🇦🇫 AfghanistanPashtun clothing
Loose linen clothes worn by Pashtun men and women in Afghanistan and PakhtunkhwaDress
🇨🇳 ChinaHuadian花鈿
A forehead ornament of Chinese women, painted or fixed on, still worn with hanfuDress
🇱🇹 LithuaniaLithuanian cross craftingLietuvos kryždirbystė
A Lithuanian folk art of carving wooden crosses that blend Christian faith with ancient Baltic symbols.Craft
🇿🇦 South AfricaIsidwaba
A knee-length leather skirt of cowhide or goatskin, worn by married Zulu womenDress
🇮🇳 Jammu, India and 1 moreChura
A set of bridal bangles worn across South Asia at weddings and in early marriageDress
🇬🇧 London, United KingdomQueen Charlotte's Ball
A historic coming-of-age gala where young women curtsey to an ornate birthday cakeRite of passage
🇮🇷 Tehran, Iran and 5 moreChadorchādar
A full-length open cloak that is pulled over the head and held shut by handDress
🇹🇼 TaiwanSimple Life Festival簡單生活節
A biennial cultural gathering in Taiwan featuring live music, markets and craftsFestival
🇳🇵 Kathmandu, NepalTraditional Newar clothingनेवार समुदायमा भएको संस्कृति पहिरन
The customary handwoven dress and ceremonial garments of Nepal's Newar peopleDress
🇲🇲 Amarapura, MyanmarAcheikအချိတ်
A Burmese silk weave of waves and stripes, made with up to 200 shuttlesDress
🇪🇸 Seville, SpainTraje de flamenca
The ruffled dress women wear to the fairs of AndalusiaDress
🇪🇸 Valencia, Spain and 1 moreZaragüellessarāwīl (Andalusi Arabic), saragüells (Valencian)
Wide, pleated breeches of Andalusian origin, worn as traditional dress in parts of Spain and Morocco.Dress
🇰🇭 Longvek, Cambodia and 2 moreKhmer traditional clothing
How Khmer people dress: the wrapped sampot, the embroidered sbai, the checkered kramaDress
🇰🇭 CambodiaAv pakអាវប៉ាក់
A Cambodian women's shirt in silk or cotton, embroidered or laced, for festivalsDress
🇫🇷 FranceBreton costume
The traditional folk dress and lace headdresses worn for festivals across BrittanyDress
🇵🇭 PhilippinesTapis
A hand-woven wrap skirt from the Philippines, fastened at the waist with a sashDress
🇩🇿 Tlemcen, AlgeriaChedda of Tlemcenشدة تلمسانية
The bridal dress of Tlemcen, velvet and gold thread, worn with a jewelled headdressDress
🇨🇭 Zurich, SwitzerlandSwiss traditional costumeSchweizer Trachten
Distinct regional festive dress worn across the cantons of SwitzerlandDress
🇳🇬 Nigeria and 1 moreOkpu Aguokpu agụ
A knitted wool cap from southeastern Nigeria, historically worn by warriors to display status and now used in ceremoniesDress
🇮🇳 IndiaNadiri
A sleeveless coat made for Mughal Emperor Jahangir and the courtiers he choseDress
🇨🇦 Wallaceburg, CanadaBaldoon Mystery
A ghost story from Wallaceburg, Ontario, about a cursed farm and a silver bulletFolklore
🇺🇸 United StatesOld time fiddle
An American string band style played for dancing, kept alive through local contests and family teaching.Performance
🇧🇿 BelizeSeptember Celebrations
Belize's two national holidays, eleven days apart, marked by parades and CarnivalCeremony
🇯🇴 Amman, JordanJordan Short Film Festivalمهرجان الأردن للفيلم القصير
Amman's annual gathering for independent short cinema from Jordan and across the worldFestival
🇮🇷 IranLuri clothing
Felt hats and woven wool wrappers worn by Luri men in IranDress
🇮🇳 IndiaHarikathaహరికథ / ಹರಿಕಥೆ / हरिकथा
A South Indian art of telling sacred stories with song, speech and rhythmPerformance
🇮🇳 IndiaSri Vaikanasam
A worship protocol for Vishnu, kept in many temples of South IndiaSpiritual
🇮🇳 IndiaDhundhढुन्ढ
A Hindu ritual in Rajasthan where infants are symbolically married to Holika on Holi to ward off mischief.Festival
🇮🇳 IndiaPranamaप्रणाम
A traditional Indian gesture of reverent bowing, prostration, and touching the feetEtiquette
🇮🇳 Palani, India and 1 moreSurasamharamSūrasaṃhāram
A temple performance of Murugan's victory, ending the week-long Kanda Shashti fastSpiritual
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Congressional office lottery: Office of Robert Garcia, Public domain, source
- Ramanattam: JP Vets, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Kavadi Aattam: Raja Ravi Varma, Public domain, source
- Choli: Janavi, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Divja: Govenkarpriyanka, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Chinese herbology: Vberger, Public domain, source
- Himation: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Kausia: Marie-Lan Nguyen, Public domain, source
- Auxiliary armour (Japan): Samuraiantiqueworld, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Boro: Unknown artist, Public domain, source
- Sankeng: Yumeto, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Muslin: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Puttee: American_Infantry_Chauchat.jpg : Lt. Adrian C. Duff Original uploader, Public domain, source
- Tatzelwurm: Abrasax, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, source
- Pashtun clothing: Staff Sgt. Ian M. Terry, Public domain, source
- Huadian: Gu Kaizhi (c.345-c.406), Public domain, source
- Isidwaba: USBSMG1, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Chador: Marius Arnesen, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Traditional Newar clothing: Uray1130, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Acheik: Chenzeyan29, CC0, source
- Traje de flamenca: MariCruz México, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Zaragüelles: Isidoro Marín Garés, Public domain, source
- Khmer traditional clothing: Engsamnang, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Av pak: Puppetcreator, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Tapis: Hiart, CC0, source
- Breton costume: XIIIfromTOKYO, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Chedda of Tlemcen: Dezedien, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Swiss traditional costume: Robertuswiki, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Okpu Agu: Justice kelechi achinefu, CC0, source
- Nadiri: Attributed to Abu al-Hasan (1589-1630), Public domain, source
- Old time fiddle: Edward Washbourne (1831-1860), Public domain, source
- Harikatha: Sanath, CC BY 2.0, source
- Rozhok: Obakeneko, CC BY 3.0, source
- Buddhist initiation: ScooterSponson, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Queen Charlotte's Ball: The Illustrated London News, Public domain, source
- Lithuanian cross crafting: Vilensija, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Luri clothing: شاپور خواست, CC BY-SA 4.0, source