Culture Mixes Trivia

1. In which country is it customary for couples to share a cup of sake at weddings, in a ceremony called 'san san kudo'?

From Quiz Hangover

Answer: Japan

At Japanese weddings, sake is traditionally served in a ceremonial cup called a sakazuki. 'San san kudo' literally means 'three three nine times' and involves the bridal couple, and sometimes their parents as well, taking three sips each from three sakazuki stacked on top of each other. The reason why three is a symbolic and lucky number is because it cannot be divided in two. The number three is also said to represent the heavens, the earth and humanity; love, wisdom and happiness, three qualities of a marriage that should grow over time; or three human flaws, hatred, passion and ignorance.

From Quiz Traditions of Kilted Kangas World

Answer: Money

It has been the custom for many, many years in Scotland for the bride's father to throw handfuls of money from the bridal car to the waiting children. News of a wedding spreads like a wildfire amongst the kids in towns or villages and they gather in crowds outside the bride's home waiting impatiently for the handfuls of coins to be thrown by the bride's father. As he throws the coins the children all make a mad scramble to collect as much money as they can thus this custom is known in my part of Scotland as a scramble. This custom continues today and my own father threw scramble money from my wedding car. Question by scotsbluebell

From Quiz Manners Maketh Man

Answer: Waving

If you want to insult someone in Greece, hold up your hand with your palm facing towards them with your fingers spread. This gesture is known as a 'moutza', and a double moutza involves using both hands, with one palm pressed against the back of the other hand. Because waving at people generally involves pointing your palm outwards, it can come across as rude in Greece.

From Quiz Days of the Dead

Answer: Mexico

Perhaps the most famous of the festivals around the world made to honour the dead, Día de los Muertos traces its origins back to the Aztec people who used the ceremonies to worship a God of the underworld. In modern times, the festival is garish, loud, and celebratory, with much of its aesthetic being known the world over. The ceremony is usually held during the first two days of November to worship friends and family who have passed. The event has since been placed on the UNESCO list for Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

From Quiz Cake and Death

Answer: Agave

This cultural festival dates back many centuries prior to Western colonization of the region. Originally it used to be celebrated at the start of the summer season. After Spanish colonization, the dates were moved to 31 October - 2 November to coincide with the Catholic period of Allhallowtide which has a similar theme of remembering the dead. Food is prepared to offer to dead ancestors as well as for celebrations with the family on this day. Traditionally, pulque was prepared from the fermented sap of the agave plant and consumed on this day. Other festival treats include sweets called calaveras (sugar skulls) and sweet rolls called pan de muerto.

From Quiz Festival Fun with the Beeronians

Answer: Cruisin' The Coast

"Cruisin' The Coast" started as an annual event in 1996 with 374 registered vehicles, and is open to classic, hot rods and antique cars (25 years old or older). There are stops at most of the Mississippi Gulf Coast cities within 5 miles of Hwy 90. The Mississippi Gulf Coast consists of three counties along the Gulf of Mexico, and in Harrison Country the highway follows the 26 mile long beach. In 2017, over 8,000 registered vehicles, along with many unregistered ones, drove along the coast. The official events take place during daylight hours while most of the casinos on the coast have special parking for the cruisers to attend their night events which are mainly 1950s themed. The three other events are also real events. "Smokin' the Sound" is a power- boat race along casino row, just a couple of hundred feet off the beach alongside Hwy 90. The event is held over five days with the race finals on a Sunday in late April or early May. The "Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon" started in 2016, with both full and half marathons running along the sand beach board walk and the closed off south side of Hwy 90, and is held over the first weekend of December. "Beauvoir Fall Muster" is held at the last home of the President of the Confederate States, Jefferson Davis, over looking the highway and the beach where historical civil war battles are re-enacted in the grounds. These are held during a weekend in late October or early November. Submitted by gshorey

From Quiz Chock Full of Cultural Oats

Answer: Magical realism

Two of Marquez's most famous works are "One Hundred Years of Solitude" and "Love in the Time of Cholera". He is one of, if not the, most famous authors of magical realism. Magical realism is a literary movement where the lives of ordinary (almost boring) people and places are interrupted by a supernatural element. Often, the supernatural element is subtle and characterized by events that seem impossible rather than some more overt magical element.

From Quiz What Happens After - Gulp - Death?

Answer: Take it with them on family outings

In a part of eastern Indonesia called Tana Toraja, funeral services - when they eventually take place - involve the entire village in a massive celebration. During these occasions, a water buffalo is then sacrificed to carry the remains of the deceased into the afterlife with it. However, long before that hearty occasion takes place, and this can sometimes be years, the dead person, who is kept in a separate bedroom in the house, is still treated as a living entity. This treatment includes symbolic feeding and tending to, and being tidied up to accompany the family whenever they go out. "Oh look, here comes some Australian tourists. Let's introduce them to mother".

From Quiz Morning

Answer: Sunrise

Around the world the transition from darkness to the light of dawn is recognized and celebrated. Originally the word "morning" meant sunrise, the time of 'morrow' or the new day. Morning has come to mean all of the hours between sunrise, or for some cultures midnight, and noon.

From Quiz Everything Stops for Tea

Answer: Evening meal

This is a rather sensitive topic, as the way people call meals in the UK is not only an indicator of geographical origin, but also of social class. In the early 20th century, while the upper classes had afternoon tea (accompanied by sandwiches and pastries) at 4 p.m., at that time the working classes came home from work, and needed a more substantial meal. By association, this meal also came to be called "tea". Especially in northern England and Scotland, tea tends to be eaten early in the evening, generally between 5 and 7. Dinner, on the other hand, usually refers to the midday meal in that part of the UK.

From Quiz Pillow Fight!

Answer: stone

While other materials may have been used as early pillows, the stone pillows are the only ones that survived. The stone pillows were carved with a semi-circle for neck support. The head was kept off the ground, preventing insects from crawling into the head and hair.

From Quiz Country Down

Answer: Canada

Poutine is a delicious concoction of French fries, gravy and cheese curds, although different regions have different variations. Canada produces more than 80% of the world's maple syrup, with Quebec being the biggest provincial producer. Celine Dion is a Québécoise singer most famous for her hit "My Heart Will Go On" from the movie "Titanic". While ice hockey and lacrosse are the national sports of Canada, curling is also popular.

From Quiz Cultural no-no's and oddities

Answer: Japan

In Japanese, the number four sounds like the word which means death. When visiting Japanese friends, you are expected to bring gifts, but stay away from anything with the number 4.

From Quiz Belly Buttons and Lint

Answer: India

Indian women, particularly from the south of that great nation, have exposed their navels for centuries as part of the traditional dress of that land. Part of the reason for this is the symbolism associated with that part of the body. Because it is believed that the world sprang from the navel of Vishnu, the Supreme God of one of the main streams of Hinduism, the navel has been associated with life and birth ever since. There was a time, however when ancient Sanskrit texts, such as the Dharmasûtras, frowned on this practice, and the exposure of the navel was taboo. ("Taboo - booooo!" shouted Lint, who was thoroughly enjoying the midriff exposed dancing of the beautiful women before him. "Sshh!" I hissed at him as the dancers momentarily frowned, "They think you mean them!")

From Quiz International Festivals

Answer: Hollerin'

Spivey's Corner (population a bit more than 500 in 2010) has held the National Hollerin' Contest since 1969. Hollerin' (Southerners drop the final 'g' on most words) was a way to summon help, call the field workers to meals, and call hogs and other livestock to feed before phones on farms. Hollerin' isn't just noise; different sounds and cries mean different things and can vary by area. My grandmother's favorite response when she was out in the field was "Woooo!" to signify her location and "Yaaaa!" to let you know she was on her way back to the house. (Question written by Ladyleo)

From Quiz Out of the Dark and into the Light

Answer: Europe

The Sami people are indigenous to the Northern parts of Norway, Sweden, and Finland, and the extreme Northwestern part of Russia. Although European, they have in the past been subject to much of the discrimination that indigenous people of other continents experienced.

From Quiz Is it Left or Right?

Answer: right & r

Although a former British colony, Canadians have been driving on the right since the 1920s.

From Quiz Baby Driver

Answer: Cradleboard

A cradleboard allowed the mother to strap her baby securely onto her back while she went about her daily chores. If she was working in the one area, she simply placed this portable seat onto a nearby sturdy branch where the baby could see her - and be rocked gently by the movement of the branch in the breeze at the same time. The cradle board was also a comfortable and easy way to carry a child if the mother had to travel any long distance. The infant was trussed to it like a chicken about to go into an oven, but this padded device was excellent for keeping the baby's back nice and straight, even if it couldn't move its little hands. They were tucked down to its sides. As the child grew older, however, its arms were left free to enable it to develop its fine motor skills. The board was excellent for the mother's deportment as well. Some cultures in the Americas still use this device for its practicality and ease of use. The cutest thing about these efficient little carriers was that each had a small canopy, like an umbrella, above the baby's head, to protect the child from the elements. And, just like the dangling toys placed in cots above babies in western cultures to keep them amused, so Native America women tied small beaded ornaments and dream catchers around the rim of these canopies to keep their babies entertained. Even more amazingly, the soft materials used to line the cradleboards acted as nappies, and were either washed and reused when dirtied, or tossed away and allowed to break down naturally in the soil, and replaced by fresh linings. They were all made from soft plant fibres, many of which also had antiseptic qualities. How impressive is that? Free disposable nappies invented centuries before the west came up with its very expensive store bought ones.

From Quiz A Worldly Invitation

Answer: Sweet Potato Patties

In Ghana, for your breakfast birthday treat, you may find "oto" being served. Oto is a mixture of eggs and sweet potatoes formed into a patty and fried in palm oil. Later in the day, the children may have a birthday party featuring a traditional dish known as "kelewele", which is fried plantain chunks. At their birthday parties, a children's game, "Ampe" may be played. This is a very popular game in Ghana, played by two children, who clap their hands twice and throw forward one of their legs. If it results in right leg to left leg a point is given. Another way to get a point is if both players extend their left legs out to match.

From Quiz Home Sweet Home

Answer: A Screw

Phillips bought the rights to this invention from John Thompson, who had not been able to interest existing screw manufacturers in something new. The Phillips screw took a while to catch on, but eventually the non-skid and self centering properties made it a common fastener. Of course, it's not much help to those of us who can only find a flat tip/head when we need a Phillips and vice versa. Submitted by tamrof

From Quiz One Man's Expedition

Answer: Russian

With over 160 different ethnic groups and indigenous peoples, Russia has a diverse cultural heritage. Shchi is a cabbage soup - usually eaten with rye bread. Borsch, blini, dressed herring, stuffed cabbage rolls and pelmeni are just a few of the traditional foods enjoyed in Russia. There are distinctive styles of folk music among the different ethnic heritages, and in addition to the gusli, typical instruments include the balalaika and garmoshka. Folk music, handicrafts, fairy tales and traditions all vary somewhat throughout the country. Samara is located in the southeastern part of European Russia, and was at one time home to Alexey Tolstoy (writer) and Dimitri Shostakovich (composer).

From Quiz You Can When You're Old Enough

Answer: Walkabout

The rules of the walkabout varied among villages and tribes, but involved long periods of isolation in the outback fending for oneself. The adolescent male was expected to obtain his own food and water, as well as engaging in spiritual contemplation. Successfully completing your walkabout was marked by a tribal celebration at which the young man was accepted as an adult warrior. Occasionally, an adult male would also engage in a walkabout to seek spiritual healing or enlightenment. These usually lasted a much shorter period of time.

From Quiz Miscellaneous Multipedal Mixture

Answer: Ants

Whilst most see the hard-working ants as a positive sign, others view their tireless efforts as too much. Ants also feature in world myth, of which the ant-lion is an interesting example. Accounts of these creatures are rare, but their origins seem to lie either in the Navajo tribe or the Ashaninka tribe of Peru. Said to be born to a male lion and a female ant, the ant-lion was usually depicted with the head of its father and the body of its mother. Due to the large difference between its parents' dietary habits, there was originally said to be no prey suitable for the ant-lion, which would therefore quickly die after birth. This detail was later adapted and the ant-lions became known as cannibalistic creatures. This cannibalistic quality was later linked to the larvae of a certain group of insects, which were thus named "antlions".

From Quiz What in the World is THAT?

Answer: A musical instrument

The berimbau is a Brazilian musical instrument. It consists of a long wooden bow with a steel string and an emptied gourd attached to it. To play it, we strike the string with a small stick.

From Quiz A Gesture in Another Culture

Answer: The "thumbs-up"

There is an increasing debate over the origin of the "thumbs-up" gesture. Although originally thought to have come from the decision made in the Roman Coliseum as to whether a gladiator should live or die, there is little evidence of this. Some believe the widespread use of the hand action to be much more recent, coming from World War 2 pilots who would signal to each other whilst in mid-flight. Either way when someone in most western countries has their thumb up they tend to mean "yes" or "good job". In parts of Greece and Italy the thumbs-up gesture tends to carry the same crude sexual connotations as that of the "middle finger" and so it is not recommended that you hitch-hike in Sardinia with your thumb erect. Some countries in the Middle East see the sign as one of the most offensive gestures and can become incredibly insulted by an unbeknownst outsider. It has even been said that the negative meaning of this gesture can be misinterpreted by people in English speaking countries such as Australia, thus showing that a seemingly simple positive gesticulation is not always taken well.

From Quiz Around the World in Ten Anchovies

Answer: Sudbury, Ontario

Started as a way to offset running cost for the Ukraine Senior's Center, the Garlic Festival has become a yearly event in Sudbury. Run by volunteers, the festival started in 1992, and begins with the "Great Garlic Walk" in Senator Hnatyshyn Park. The fourth weekend in August was chosen to accommodate the garlic growing season. During the 1994 festival, a record breaking garlic braid was created, measuring in length 78 feet and 4 inches. Question written by jojanne1974

From Quiz Condolence and Support

Answer: To grieve together

The word derives from "com" (together) and "dolere" (to grieve). This underscores the basic message that one can give to one who is grieving: "You are not alone."

From Quiz Monsters of the World

Answer: Japan

"Gojira" in the original Japanese, this famous dinosaur-like creature's first appearance was in 1954 in the movie "Gojira." Since then there have been tons of Godzilla movies. Some of the most recent ones were "Godzilla" in 1998, starring Matthew Broderick and Jean Reno, and "Godzilla 2000," which was made in Japan.

From Quiz The Wonderful World of Death

Answer: the Sea

In 1820, when the Essex was sunk by a whale, the survivors, in three small boats, decided to resort to cannibalism so that some could survive. When one member of the crew became unconscious, the rest decided to kill him and eat him. When they were rescued a few days later, the surviving crew members were charged with breaking The Custom of the Sea, since they didn't draw straws to see who would be murdered, and were charged with murder.

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Last Updated Apr 18 2026 6:00 PM

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