Weird Superstitions in Malaysia (and maybe other places around the world)

Inspired by a post made by SAYS. #Weirdsuperstitions


Since their list of superstitions isn't exactly complete, I thought of adding a few more of the superstitions that I've heard from my "youth".

I'll probably rewrite all the superstition they have on their Facebook post too since their grammar is atrocious... heh :P

Right, so here goes!

• Don't swallow the seeds of watermelon (or any type of fruits with small "eatable" seeds). If you do swallow them, the seeds will sprout in your tummy.

• If you don't finish your food/ if you waste food, you'll go straight to the lowest level of hell (the "lucky" number 18th) when you die.

• If you suddenly smell something odd in the middle of the night, you mustn't react to or say anything about the smell no matter how nice (perfume)/ bad (something rotten) it is or the ghost that's hanging around will latch onto you. 

The same superstition applies if you spotted "something odd" in the mirror, behind you/ from the corner of your eye or if you hear something really odd like someone calling out your name when you're home alone.

• Don't walk under a ladder (those portable ones) or you'll be very unlucky

• Don't point at the moon or you'll get an unexplained cut on your ear lobe.

• Don't use red ink to write a person's name. If you do, it's like you're cursing that person to die an early death.

• When you go jungle trekking, don't bend over and peer behind you through the gap in between your legs (especially when you're tying your shoelaces) or you'll see something that you really don't want to see.

• If you need to pee or defecate in the bushes, you must say a quick prayer to the NaTuk Kong first.

• Don't talk about how you're not afraid of ghosts while you're in the jungle or the "spirits" there will take you up on your challenge and follow you home.

• Don't sleep with your feet facing any sort of doorway. Only corpses are allowed to be positioned that way.

• Don't give anyone a clock for their birthday. If you do, it's like you're saying that their time on Earth is limited and that they will die an early death.

• Don't sit on pillows or anything that's too soft or you'll grow BiSui (a form of painful blister or boil) on your butt, making it incredibly difficult to sit without accidentally squishing it.

• Don't cut your nails at night or the ghosts will come and find you.

• Don't whistle at night either or the ghosts will come and find you.

• Don't comb your hair after midnight or you'll see a ghost in the mirror.

• You must take a proper (not Mandi kerbau-type) bath after returning from a funeral or the spirits will stick around with you.

• Don't step or sit on books or you'll become stupid.

• Don't play hide and seek at night or you'll disappear... forever...

• Don't shake your leg when sitting or you'll "shake" all your fortune/ good luck away and you'll become poor in the future

• Knock on the door before entering a rented room (like in a hotel/ motel). This is mainly used as a sign of respect to any spirits in the room and to let them know that you'll be staying there for awhile.

• Don't stab your chopsticks upright on your bowl of rice (or any food for that matter). This is because the chopsticks will then look like incense to the spirits and they will come and feast on your food instead. (Note: Food that is "eaten" by spirits will become somewhat tasteless.)

• Don't go near any banana trees in the middle of the night. There's where all the Pontianak (Malaysian vampires) like to hang out.

• Pending - I'll see if I can remember anymore superstitions that I've heard in my childhood.

I'll create share-able posts on my Facebook page this weekend (maybe) so you can easily share them to your friends.


Bonus: a TED talk on the origins of superstitions and why they still exist