Spitting on Newborn

There is a strange tradition of spiting on newborn in Africa. People of Masai tribe in Kenya and Tanzania spit on one another while greeting their friends. Moreover, when a new child is born, the Masai men will spit on it and avoid praising as they believe praising will curse the child to a bad life. Before greeting, elders spit on their hand before offering it for a handshake.

Wolof people of Mauritania have belief that human saliva has the power to retain human words and feeling. Wolof women spit on the face of newborn and Wolof men spit in the ear of newborn. In ancient times mothers lightly spit at their children to protect them against evil eye or “Nazar” in rural parts of North India. Now the practice has diminished and putting black mark with kohl or “kajal” on forehead or cheek of child has taken place of it.