Lil-lets - Coming Of Age How Periods Are Celebrated Around The World

Life is filled with important celebrations such as birthdays, christenings, and marriages — these events thrust someone into the spotlight for their moment of commemorations. But have you thought about when girls get their first period? For many, this can be an awkward time. Girls will go from wondering “when will I get my first period?” to, being totally embarrassed about having started it. Often, they’re given a little talk on changing bodies, given a sanitary towel and get on with it.

Have you ever thought about how other countries approach periods? 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.

The United Arab Emirates

Periods are celebrated with parties in the UAE. 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.

The Philippines

If you’re squeamish, you’ll be surprised by this 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?

Ghana

One of the more unusual celebrations take place in Ghana, South Africa, and a few other African countries. Girls swallow a whole hardboiled egg, widely practiced first-period tradition. If you fail to swallow it whole and take a bite it is a seriously bad omen for your future children!

Japan

Sekihan is food that is served in Japan when celebrating important life events. 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.

Papua New Guinea

If you’re a fan of milking celebrations for as long as you can, Papua New Guinea is the perfect place to start your period. 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.

It’s certainly interesting to see how other cultures view periods. Viewing it as a celebration can help reduce the stigma and embarrassment of starting your period, but maybe not by washing our faces with bloody water!