Life is full of occasions celebrated with our nearest and dearest — christenings, marriages, and birthdays all put someone at the centre of attention. But did you know that a first period is celebrated, too? For many, starting your period can be an embarrassing and confusing time, Britain is certainly guilty of this. We hand our young girls a sanitary towel and the awkward ‘your body is changing’ chat, and that’s that. Girl will privately make their journey through sanitary towels up to tampons without applicator, and it isn’t spoken of again.
Other cultures however have different approaches. From unusual rituals to huge family gatherings, some cultures like to make a big deal over someone’s very first menstruation. The reasons vary: some rituals are based in spiritual beliefs; for some, nutritional benefits are central to the custom; and for others, it’s all about celebrating a young woman’s coming-of-age. Let’s explore some period-related customs from around the world and see if there’s anything we could learn here in the UK.
Party in The United Arab Emirates
Your first period is the UAE is certainly not private! Some young people living in this country receive gifts and a prolonged celebration. On the first day of bleeding, the girls’ parents will call all their family and friends to announce the good news. This will be followed by gifts and congratulations, marking an important moment in a young woman’s life. On the final day of the period, girls will have a bath, followed by special ceremony.
Face Wash in The Philippines
You might want a party when you hear about this unusual ritual. When a young girl begins her first period, tradition dictates that the mother will wash the bloodstained underwear and then the daughter will wash her face with the same water. Washing your face with the blood from your first period is traditionally thought to ward off pimply skin in your later teenage years — worth it? Or would you take your chances with the pimples?
Eggs in Ghana
Certainly unusual, Ghana in South Africa has their young girls swallow a whole hardboiled egg. If you fail to swallow it whole and take a bite it is a seriously bad omen for your future children!
Beans in Japan
In Japan, when something is celebrated, they eat Sekihan, the traditional food served at special life celebrations. The dish (which translates as ‘red bean rice’) consists of sticky rice with adzuki bean and is slightly red in colour — perfectly fitting for a first-period dish! This food is also consumed at birthdays and weddings. Evidently, in Japanese culture, starting your period is considered an important event to celebrate, on par with these other landmark moments.
More Partying in Papua New Guinea
Have you heard of people claiming it’s their birthday month as an excuse to party all month? The tradition for those who live in the Bougainville Island in Papua New Guinea is slightly more long-winded. For a whole month after first starting their period, it is the custom for girl to remain indoors. During this time, female relatives will provide her with medical herbs and tama tama, a traditional dish. After the month is up, the party begins. Like elsewhere in the world, a woman’s first period in Papua New Guinea marks her transition from girl to woman, and this is celebrated by the entire village. After her solitude, the woman is bathed and scrubbed with medicinal herbs. Next, she is paraded around the village and congratulated by everyone on becoming a woman. The excitement ends with an extravagant feast, as female family members whisper her new duties and responsibilities to her.
The British approach to periods is certainly unlike other countries, who view this as a transition to the next stage of your life! Reducing stigma around the world is a positive step to avoid girls feeling embarrassed around something natural and wonderful, so let’s celebrate!
