Shoe traditions across the globe that leaves tourist wondering 'Why'?

Shoes are an important part of everyday life, but in some parts of the world, they also play an important role in culture and tradition. Across the globe, there is a wide variety of fascinating shoe traditions that have been passed down through generations, with each one offering a unique insight into the culture of the country. 

In Scotland, shoes are a symbol of good luck and are often hung above a doorway as a sign of protection. In Japan, it is customary to remove shoes before entering someone’s house, while in Mexico, shoes are placed upside down in a doorway to protect the house from evil spirits. Other traditions include throwing a bridal shoe at weddings in many Middle Eastern countries and burying shoes in the ground in some parts of Africa to ward off evil spirits. 

Each of these unique traditions offers a unique glimpse into the country's culture and the shoes that represent them. So the next time you see shoes on power lines, it’ll give you a glimpse into the local culture by enquiring what it means to them.

Scotland: Shoes as a symbol of good luck

In Scotland, people hang old shoes above the door at New Year’s Eve to bring good luck in the coming year. Scottish folklore suggests that the longer the shoes remain above the doorway, the more good luck they will bring to the household. Scottish people also believe that keeping an old shoe in the house brings good luck. Traditionally, shoes are used as a charm for many occasions and are meant to bring good luck to the household. One explanation for this tradition is that shoes have been used as a symbol of good luck since ancient times. 

The Romans believed that shoes should be placed above the door at New Year’s Eve to bring good luck in the coming year. In Scotland, old shoes were often used as decoration at New Year’s Eve, sometimes even replacing the festive decoration. The tradition of bringing good luck with shoes lives on today, and many Scottish people still keep an old pair of shoes above the door at New Year’s Eve to bring good luck.

Japan: Removing shoes before entering someone’s house

In Japan, it is customary to remove shoes before entering someone’s house. When a visitor enters a Japanese residence, they will usually place their shoes on a shoe rack before entering. It is customary to remove shoes when entering a Japanese residence because the floor of a Japanese house is tatami, a type of soft mat made from woven reeds. Tatami are used for floors because they are soft and warm. Tatami are made from the root systems of giant reed plants that grow in marshes and have been used in Japanese architecture for centuries. 

Because a tatami floor is not made to be walked on, but rather to be sat on, it is considered respectful to remove one’s shoes before entering a Japanese residence. There are usually two reasons why shoes are to be removed when entering a Japanese residence. The first is that the tatami floor is not made to be walked on, but rather to be sat on. The second reason is that when someone steps on the tatami floor with their shoes, the dirt from their shoes will be transferred to the tatami.

Mexico: Placing shoes upside down in a doorway

In Mexico, shoes are placed upside down in a doorway to protect the house from evil spirits. In some parts of Mexico, people place a pair of shoes upside down above the door of their house on May 3rd. The date is the Mexican Day of the Dead, the day when the living honor their ancestors and celebrate the lives of loved ones who passed away. Many Mexican families will also place a picture of a loved one on display during this day. The tradition of placing shoes upside down above the door has its roots in Aztec culture. 

The Aztecs believed that there were spirits that would cause harm to humans, and they prayed to the gods to keep them away. They would place animal skulls in temples and outside their homes to scare the evil spirits away. To this day, the skulls remain a symbol of the Aztec culture. The Mexican people adapted this tradition by placing shoes upside down above the door as a symbol of keeping evil spirits away from their home. The shoes represent the skulls that the Aztecs used to scare the evil spirits away.

Middle East: Throwing a bridal shoe at weddings

At Middle Eastern weddings, a bridal shoe is thrown at the newlywed couple to bring good luck and happiness. At many Middle Eastern weddings, a bridal shoe is thrown at the newlywed couple as a symbol of luck and happiness. The tradition of throwing a bridal shoe dates back to ancient times, when shoes were used as a vessel for coins. The tradition was later modified and the shoe was used to throw at the newlywed couple. 

Middle Eastern people believe that the shoe will bring good luck and happiness to the couple, and that it will be a symbol of fertility and prosperity. Many Middle Eastern people will keep the shoe as a souvenir of the wedding and will display it in their home.

Africa: Burying shoes in the ground

In some parts of Africa, people bury old shoes to ward off evil spirits. In some areas of African culture, people bury their old shoes in the ground to ward off evil spirits. The tradition of burying old shoes dates back to the 16th century when Dutch settlers arrived in South Africa. 

The settlers believed that evil spirits lived in darkness and that the light from a fire would scare them away. They would bury fire-resistant materials to create a barrier between the darkness and themselves, and the settlers discovered that shoes were a perfect material for this. The tradition has been passed down in African culture, and many Africans bury old shoes in the ground to ward off evil spirits. The shoes are buried at the entrance to the home or in the backyard to keep the evil spirits away.

Conclusion

Throughout the world, many fascinating shoe traditions and customs have been passed down through generations. In Scotland, shoes are a symbol of good luck and are often hung above a doorway to protect the house from evil spirits. In Japan, it is customary to remove shoes before entering someone’s house, while in Mexico, shoes are placed upside down in a doorway to protect the house from evil spirits. In the Middle East, shoes are thrown at weddings to bring good luck, while in Africa, shoes are buried in the ground to ward off evil spirits. These traditions offer a unique glimpse into the country's culture and the shoes that represent them.