Pearl of the Orient, Ceylon, Teardrop of India – whatever you call Sri Lanka, one thing
is true about it: this beautiful country has unique traditions you won’t see anywhere
else in the world. Coconut smashing, full moon celebrations, and hotels without beds
– these are just a drop in the bucket! Let’s count down from:
14. Celebrating the full moon Every single full moon (or “Poya”) is
officially a public holiday, which makes Sri Lanka the #1 country in the world when it
comes to frequency of holidays. Each of these monthly Poyas has its own name, and the dates
obviously change every year. This tradition is a way to commemorate important events in
Buddhism. For example, the January Poya is celebrated to remember the first of Buddha's
3 visits to Sri Lanka, and the one in May celebrates his birthday, enlightenment, and
achievement of Nirvana.
13. Shaking their head as a sign of agreement If you ask someone in Sri Lanka if the weather’s
going to be good today and they start shaking their head, it doesn’t mean a thunderstorm
is on its way. It’s quite the opposite – it means “Yeah, it’ll be a nice day!” (in
the context of this example, of course). In fact, Sri Lankans don’t just shake their
head but “waggle” it by making a figure 8 in the air. A short waggle is also a way
of saying “hey” to a passerby, and a more energetic one means “yes”. It’s not
easy to get the movement down just right, so you better practice!
12. One word for many emotions The Sri Lankan “aiyo” is a peculiar slang
word. It’s been officially acknowledged by the Oxford dictionary, but putting a definition
to it isn’t quite as easy as you’d think. If you ask 10 locals what it means, you’ll
most likely get 10 (or more) different answers! “Aiyo” is super versatile and can express
anything from joy to sorrow, pity to disgust, and awe to anger. So whenever you’re talking
to a Sri Lankan, throw a casual “aiyo” and they’ll be impressed!
11. Beethoven means breakfast time! If you go to Sri Lanka, you’ll hear Beethoven’s
“Für Elise” in the streets every morning. Bread trucks (or “tuk tuks”) have chosen
it as their anthem for some reason. In any case, when locals hear the tune, they know
the bakery-on-wheels is making its way through the neighborhood! Kind of like “turkey in
the straw” in the US for the neighborhood ice cream truck.
10. The birthplace of cinnamon Now, it might’ve been made popular by the
ancient Egyptians, but the first cinnamon in the world comes from the central hills
of Sri Lanka. The island is still the #1 cinnamon exporter in the world, and there are 8 types
of it in the country. So next time you spice up your meals or coffee with some cinnamon,
don’t forget to thank the Sri Lankans!
9. March Madness Cricket is more than just a sport in Sri Lanka
– it’s a way of life! And, of course, a favorite pastime for millions, from school
kids to their grandparents! While everyone in the States is going crazy for basketball,
March Madness in Sri Lanka is the time of the Big Match. Different schools compete to
become the big cricket champion, and the whole country watches. But it’s not just about
the competition – the spirit is just so contagiously inspiring! If you choose March
for a visit, you’ll hear chanting, see parades, and flags everywhere. And if you aren’t
that much into cricket, I’m sure you’ll still enjoy the stage performances, jazz evening,
and shopping festivals that are organized along with the tournament.
8. Eating out only for special occasions If you’re used to grabbing some lunch with
your coworkers or meeting up with friends at a restaurant on a typical Friday, then
I assume you’re not in Sri Lanka. There, eating out is reserved for special occasions
like birthdays, anniversaries, or some other important milestone. It’s not because they
don’t have any restaurants – there are plenty of those and the food is amazing! It’s
just that Sri Lankan moms see cooking as their privilege and will wake up at 5 a.m. to make
lunch-to-go for every family member!
7. Roomless hotels Imagine this: you’re traveling around Sri
Lanka, and after a happily exhausting day of sightseeing, you walk into a hotel and
request a room only to get a smile and a menu instead. It’s not that the receptionist
doesn’t like or understand you – it’s because not every hotel in Sri Lanka is a
place you can sleep at! Quite a lot of restaurants, cafes, and bars are called “hotels”. No
one knows the exact reason for that, but there is one theory. Some time ago, hotels were
the best place to get delicious and beautifully served food, so they became associated with
eating out. Therefore, before you request a room, make sure the “hotel” you’re
at even offers sleeping accommodations!
6. Serious tea business If you’re an avid tea drinker, chances are
you’re sipping on some warm Sri Lankan greetings every day. The island country is 4th on the
list of top tea-exporting countries, making $721 million in 2018 alone! So, yeah, tea
is Sri Lanka’s biggest export, and the industry employs over a million people. The first tea
was brought from China to Sri Lanka by the British in 1824. And back then, the island
was called , which basically became synonymous for “tea”. Locals have it first thing
in the morning and at around 4 p.m. So, at least 2 cups a day, and there’s no upper
limit!
5. Powered by water Hydropower used to make up over 50% of all
the power used in Sri Lanka. And even though it’s at around 20% now, it’s still impressive!
This hydro-powered electricity is possible thanks to waterfalls, rivers, and abundant
rains in the country.
4. The largest Christmas tree in the world You’d expect some wintery place like Finland
to hold this record, but the tallest Christmas tree in the world was registered by Guinness
World Records in Sri Lanka in 2017. It stood at 236 feet (72 m) tall and was made from
metal and wood with 600,000 LED bulbs that lit it up at night. The tree that looked more
like a space ship to many cost the country about $80,000.
3. Smashing coconuts No, not pumpkins – coconuts! Any Sri Lankan
can break a coconut, and it’s as easy to them as tying their shoes. Smashing (or “dashing”)
a coconut, however, has deep symbolism and can help you in different situations if you
believe in it. They can be positive situations, like if you want your favorite team to win,
or negative ones, like a way to punish an enemy! There’s even a special dashing ritual
for good luck and for bad luck. The main thing is to not mix the two up!
2. The first country with a female prime minister In July 1960, Sirimavo Bandaranaike became
the first female head of government in the world. She was re-elected twice and remained
prime minister until she resigned in 2000 for health reasons.
1. Who to thank for the word "serendipity" Sri Lanka was once known as “Serendip”
to the Arabs and Persians. Back in 1754, English writer Horace Walpole came across this word
in the title of a Persian fairy tale, The Three Princes of Serendip, and loved it. The
princes in that story were able to make lucky guesses and unexpected but important discoveries.
The writer added an ending to the word, and it’s been widely used in the English language
ever since!
Hey, would you like to visit Sri Lanka, or maybe you’ve already been there? Let me
know down in the comments! If you learned something new today, then give this video
a like, share it with a friend, and here are some more cool videos to check out from the
Bright Side of life!