To French Or Not To French: Romantic Kissing Across Cultures
Start writing a post
Relationships

To French Or Not To French: Romantic Kissing Across Cultures

Different cultures express affection in different ways.

105
To French Or Not To French: Romantic Kissing Across Cultures
Piandao.org

Studying Mouth-to-Mouth

In a paper published in the American Anthropologist, Jankowiak, Volsche, and Garcia found that, of the 168 cultures that they studied, only 46%, or 77 of them, had any traces of romantic kissing. The remaining 91 cultures that were studied had no hard evidence of romantic kissing. Previously, it was assumed that most cultures practiced romantic kissing, as many anthropologists and psychologists argued that lip kissing had an evolutionary purpose, in that it could be used to assess a potential mate's health and genetic compatibility, as well as test their romantic interest and sociosexual prowess, as Jankowiak, Volsche, and Garcia noted in their study.

The study found that romantic kissing is most common among Middle Eastern and Asian cultures, and least common among Central American cultures. In northern Asia and North America, kissing is seen as not just a private matter, but also a public matter, and is a commonly accepted public display of affection. None of the ethnographers, or researchers that study culture in-depth, found any instances of romantic kissing in Sub-Saharan Africa, New Guinea, or the Amazonian rain forest.

"They Eat Each Other's Saliva and Dirt"

In some cultures, the idea of romantic kissing is completely foreign to them, and, upon having the custom explained to them, or witnessing it, they either note that it is amusing, disgusting, or that they are simply not interested in the practice. Additionally, in some cultures, kissing, romantically or platonically, is seen as strange, because, in their culture, kissing carries other meanings, such as ritual worship or respect. For example, the Amhara people, who live in Ethiopia, kiss each other on the cheek after a long period of separation, with older or superior in terms of status kissing the other first. The Nahua people of Central America strictly use mouth-to-mouth kissing in religious ceremonies.

The Tapirapé people of Central Brazil do not use kissing to display a romantic affection for their partner. Instead, a husband may walk with his wife around the village with his arm draped over his wife's shoulder, and, during a conversation with other's, the husband may have his arm draped over his wife's shoulder while his wife has her arm wrapped around his hips. When the idea of romantic kissing was introduced to the Tapirapé, they found it both strange and, to a point, disgusting. The Trobriand people, who live on an island in the Pacific Ocean, first witnessed the practice among Europeans, and found it rather amusing. A member of the Tsonga tribe, which lives in Southern Africa, upon seeing Europeans kiss romantically, said "Look at these people! They suck each other! They eat each other's saliva and dirt!"

What one culture sees as romantic and beautiful, another culture may see as strange and ugly. Thus, people around the world use a variety of different methods to express physical and emotional intimacy. Just ask the Inuit, who rub their noses together to express affection for one another. As Duncan Pryde, who spend time researching Inuit tribes during the early 1970s, said: "The Perry Island people didn't engage in kissing, but they certainly knew how to rub noses, and rubbing noses can be very exciting if it is done the right way with the right noses."

Information Collected From the Following Sites:

http://hraf.yale.edu/romantic-or-disgusting-passionate-kissing-is-not-a-human-universal/, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/aman.12286/full#aman12286, and http://ehrafworldcultures.yale.edu/document?id=nd08-037

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

19428
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

947419
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

123926
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lots of people sat on the cinema wearing 3D glasses
Pinterest

Ever wonder what your friend meant when they started babbling about you taking their stapler? Or how whenever you ask your friend for a favor they respond with "As You Wish?" Are you looking for new and creative ways to insult your friends?

Well, look no further. Here is a list of 70 of the most quotable movies of all time. Here you will find answers to your questions along with a multitude of other things such as; new insults for your friends, interesting characters, fantastic story lines, and of course quotes to log into your mind for future use.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments