One of the things being Asian is that we have strong cultural and traditional backgrounds. As we grow up, apart from learning about our heritage, our parents and the communities also taught us superstitions. And apparently here in Southeast Asia, regardless of your nationality, we do share some same superstitions.
Example like...
Asking permission from the “keeper”.
Prior the main religions came into Southeast Asia, our ancestor beliefs in all kinds of elements. Even today, regardless of your faith or stand in life, many of us believe in the paranormal and supernatural. We believe everything has its owner and entities are keeping it. One way we incorporate this superstition in modern life is we asked permission from these keepers. This is done when entering an abandoned building or the jungle. We behave ourself in these areas, as we do not want to upset the keepers. But logically speaking, it is safely best not to run inside an old abandoned building or wandering inside the jungle.
Avoid taking group photos with only three people.
We like to take group photos. It is meant to capture that particular moment with our close group, or maybe we are just a bunch of narcissists. But regardless of our personalities, the thing we Southeast Asian shared in common is that we are 'advised' not to snap pictures with only three people. The superstition is that in a photo of three, the middle person will die first. Actually, this superstition is rather common around the world, and we are not sure the background of why many believe in it. If this superstition is true, then many of us wouldn’t be here today.
Gecko lizard making chirping sounds.
Gecko, the small lizard that can be found in most Southeast Asia’s household. Some people are afraid of geckos, while others considered them as pests. But geckos are also part of our superstition, especially when the lizard make the chirping sound. In Indonesia and Malaysia, when you express your opinions, and you hear the gecko chirping, that means the lizard has agreed with you. But unlike in Thailand, if you are heading out from home and the gecko chirp, that usually means bad things might happen to you. Funny how your life depends on a small lizard.
Looking at a naked person will make your eyes swollen.
Warning: Do not try this at home.
In Southeast Asia, there is this odd superstition. Each time your eyelid swell, people would ask whether you have just seen someone naked. But swollen eyelids could occur to you because of health reasons, regardless you have seen a naked body or not. Hey, we are not judging anyone here. One of the reasons for this superstition is probably its the parent way of forbidding their children from watching adult entertainments (if you know what we mean).
Pointing at the rainbow and lose your finger.
When you are a kid, the adults warned you not to point your finger towards the rainbow or else your finger will cut loose. And since then, you never point the rainbow. This superstition is not only believed in Southeast Asia but the rest of the world too! It is not sure how the story begins. In a few cultures, the rainbow is considered good luck or have divine meaning. Or maybe it is the adult’s way to teach children not to point because it is a rude gesture. But since we all have grown up now, many of us are still afraid to point towards the rainbow. Either we believe it or not, why take the risk just to prove a childhood superstition?
Here in Southeast Asia, we shared many things like culture, food, language, tradition, and superstitions. Most of these superstitions are meant to advise us in our daily life. Regardless, we should cherish our heritage, although how odd they are in these modern days. STAY SAFE!!!
