- [Narrator] Thank you to Finimize for supporting PBS.
- Money is one of the oldest aspects of human culture,
likely predating the written word.
It's woven into the fabric of virtually all human activity,
like food, family, work, religion, and celebration.
So it's not surprising that there is a wide variety
of unique money customs around the world.
- Some of these may seem odd or superstitious,
but for those who grow up with them,
they're just a part of life.
They can be ceremonial traditions,
symbols of prosperity or remembrance,
or even functional practices that keep communities afloat.
- But they'll all make you realize
how important money is to humans,
not just economically,
but psychologically and socially as well.
- And maybe they'll encourage you
to look at your own weird money traditions in a new way.
(bright music)
Our first stop is Africa,
Kenya to be specific,
where there is a long tradition of coming together
to help community members who are in need.
"Harambee," a Swahili word
which means "everyone pulling together,"
is actually the official motto of the country.
And yes, that is where the meme-tastic gorilla got his name.
R.I.P.
- The word "harambee" can also refer
to an organized community event
that raises funds or help for a specific cause.
If someone in the community
is facing a significant problem or life event,
they can contact an elder family member or tribal leader,
who will meet with other elders
to determine whether the situation warrants a harambee.
If so, the word will go out
to friends, family, and coworkers,
who will come together to donate money, time,
and emotional support to the person in need.
Kind of like an in-person GoFundMe.
- Maybe you're not in financial trouble,
but you still find it difficult to save up money
for important life goals.
If so, you might be interested in the tradition of sou-sou
from West Africa and the Caribbean.
It's kind of like an informal group savings account.
A number of people agree
to deposit a certain amount of money
into a treasury at regular intervals.
Once the total has reached a set goal,
the entirety is given to one member of the sou-sou,
and a new recipient is chosen.
This cycle continues until everyone has been paid out.
- Though they don't pay any interest
and you only get back what you put in,
sou-sous offer group accountability,
so they can be helpful to people who have trouble saving
or don't have alternate access to a loan.
Similar arrangements exist
in Central and South American communities,
where they can be known as tandas,
cundinas, juntas, or pandeiros.
However, these arrangements typically don't involve
a formal contract or any regulation,
so you have to be sure
that you're saving with people you really trust.
- One of the biggest community events in any culture
is the wedding,
so it's not surprising
that there are a lot of wedding customs that involve cash.
In Nigerian weddings,
as the couple hits the dance floor,
guests circle around, showering money over their heads.
In Filipino culture,
the women attendees line up in front of the groom
to pin money on him,
while the men do the same for the bride.
And Italian brides sometimes wear a satin bag
for guests to drop money in.
- In Japan, the bride and groom receive cash gifts,
known as goshugi,
in a special envelope called goshugi-bukuro,
which says how much and from whom.
But you can't just put cash from your wallet
into the goshugi-bukuro.
The bills must be new and crisp.
- Most of these customs involve generosity
within a family or tight-knit community,
but many cultural traditions look to expand that to charity.
One of the five pillars of Islam is zakat,
which means to purify,
and it's essentially a call to donate money to the needy.
How much and how often can differ,
but it's usually around 2.5% of one's total wealth.
- In most Muslim countries,
zakat is voluntary and up to the donor
to decide who the recipient should be.
But in others, like Pakistan, Libya, and Malaysia,
zakat is mandatory and collected by state representatives,
essentially like a tax.
It functions not just to help those in need,
but to reinforce the spirituality of the giver.
By donating a small percentage of your wealth,
you purify the rest of it.
- In Turkey, one way to fulfill zakat
is with a practice called askida ekmek, or "hanging bread."
When you go to the bakery,
you can pay for an extra loaf,
which the vendor is supposed to set aside
for whoever can't afford to buy one.
The act of charity is considered to be more powerful,
because the donor is anonymous.
- The Italians have a similar custom
known as caffe sospeso, or "suspended coffee,"
which originated in the working-class cafes of Naples.
If someone had a good day, they can pay it forward
with an anonymous free coffee to an unknown person.
You may have seen this practice pop up
in some American coffee shops.
- Superstition and money go hand in hand in all cultures.
In China, cash given to children during the Lunar New Year
shouldn't contain the number four,
as it sounds a lot like "death" in Chinese
and is, therefore, considered unlucky.
The Chinese also have a tradition
of burning fake money at funerals,
known as Joss paper,
so that the souls of the deceased
will have good fortune in the afterlife.
- In Turkey, it's said that sleeping with gold in your hand
will bring you wealth and success.
In Greece, an empty wallet is considered bad luck,
so be sure to put a bill or two inside
before giving one as a gift.
At Christmastime in England,
puddings are often baked with a coin in the mixture,
bringing good fortune
to whoever gets the piece with the coin in it.
And, of course, here in America,
if you see a penny on the street and pick it up,
all day long, you'll have good luck.
- You know, the more we talk about
these different money customs,
the more similar they feel.
They all seem to relate to family, community, charity,
or good fortune.
- Yeah, even though money is a very functional tool,
you can see there's a lot of human emotion tied up in it.
It's a symbol for prosperity and happiness
and also the glue
that holds families and communities together.
- Oh, I've got one more
really weird money tradition for you.
Apparently in some Western countries,
they believe in a magical creature
who pays real money for, get this, children's teeth.
- What?
- Not a joke.
When the child loses a tooth,
they put it under their pillow while they're sleeping,
and then this elf or goblin or whatever
sneaks in, takes the tooth, and leaves money behind.
- Ew, what does it do with all those teeth?
- I don't know.
Maybe that's the currency in Nightmare Land or something.
- Super creepy.
- Yeah
- [Both] And that's our "Two Cents."
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(bright music)
- Do you have an interesting money custom
we may have missed?
Tell us about it in the comments.
(bright music)