To what extent can violence be justified by cultural tradition?
Traditions are bits of knowledge, beliefs, or customs that are passed down through generations.
They help children form their identity and create a sense of belonging within a community, while keeping alive the cultural heritage of our regions.
However, many traditions of the past – some of which have been handed down to our present generation – have sexist and violent roots. In recent years there has been an ongoing struggle to modify or eliminate them from practice.
In some parts of the world, traditions based on violence are still celebrated despite the fact that they are humiliating and dangerous for both local residents and the individuals involved.
Thanks to a German media company that managed to document it, the world was recently made aware of a peculiar tradition that takes place on the German island of Borkum, which goes by the name of ‘Klaashom’.
‘Klaashom’ is a hundred-year-old tradition that takes place on the night of the 5th of December, with many people from Borkum returning to the island to take part in it.
On this night, men – wearing a full disguise and armed with cow horns – go out into the streets to ‘hunt for women’.
The women are then captured and beaten on their backsides with the horns multiple times. When this ‘ritual’ is over, the men are given a ginger cake for their participation.
The documentary features testimonies by women who were forced to participate.
Many of them described this experience as one of ‘horror,’ noting the bruises and wounds they were left with as unwitting participants in this tradition.
Not surprisingly, the rest of the world was unaware of this festival on the island of Borkum, as it is forbidden to document it.
The event is intentionally scheduled for a time when few tourists are visiting the area and it is done out of sight by journalists or the media.
The moral debate over Klaashom left the inhabitants of Borkum island divided.
The moral debate over Klaashom left the inhabitants of Borkum island divided.
Many men believe that it is their right to continue with this tradition, and a few women also expressed their consent to this activity.
They argue that even thoughsome people are against this tradition, they should not be deprived of the possibility to take part in it.
The counterpart argued that while we all have free will to decide whether we want to participate in activities that are considered dangerous, we should also be aware that people who do not want to do so should not be forced to do so.
As the public debate grew bigger, authorities came out and commented that this year they would make sure that the festival would take place without violence towards any person, and it seems that this was achieved.
On Friday morning, the Borkum police announced that the celebration took place without a single incident of violence.
Officials stated that more than 600 people had celebrated peacefully, and the club organizing the festival assured that violence towards women would no longer be tolerated at the annual celebration.
This violence-free year of Klaashom was thanks to an announcement by the city of Borkum that they planned to introduce telephone numbers where women could report if an unpleasant situation arose.
This situation could be considered unique, as it managed to maintain the essence of the tradition and respect the local culture while simultaneously eliminating the violent component that had characterized the celebration for so long.
This case demonstrates that it is possible to preserve significant cultural traditions while adapting them to contemporary values.
It is crucial for our society today to recognize that the evolution of traditions does not imply their destruction, but rather their adaptation to ensure that they respect all members of society.
This transformation process demonstrates that it is possible to maintain cultural richness while eliminating harmful elements, creating a new standard for the responsible preservation of cultural heritage.
Hello, I\’m Eunice(She/her), born and raised in Mexico. I write about Latin American pop culture, my writing focuses on showcasing emerging talents who are disrupting their respective industries, and to help you discover new things to break your routine.
Hoping The New Stanford Prison Experiment on Netflix would offer real psychological insights? Expect to be disappointed by this flimsy reality show disguised as science.
Ever since it was conducted in the 1970s, the Stanford Prison Experiment (SPE) has become something of a cautionary tale for psychologists. While it was presented as this landmark demonstration of the corrupting influence of power and authority, the study has also gone on...
Popularised by Gen Z and Gen Alpha, the Collins English Dictionary has crowned the term ‘mogging’ as word of the year. But what does it really mean?
In the simplest terms, ‘mogging’ means to outshine someone or something. It’s an odd word, similar to ‘mugging’ and reminiscent of Judith Kerr’s beloved character ‘Mog the forgetful cat’ (if you know you know).
But this unassuming phrase has won the hearts of Gen Z...
Both Miley Cyrus and Charli XCX have defended their shorter concerts and limited dates after backlash. Does this reflect a changing social contract between performers and their audiences?
In the last few years, a pop star’s success has come to be measured in miles. The bigger the album, the bigger the tour; the bigger the tour, the more convincing the evidence that an artist has made it.
A world tour was...
A growing number of tourist spots are tackling content creators in the hopes of preserving the broader guest experience. But who will win?
Taking photos of yourself has become a holiday rite of passage. We all love a pose before a sunset or a historic landmark, but influencer culture has reshaped tourism into something vastly different from what it looked like even ten years ago.
Nowadays, every popular tourist space – be...
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.
0 comments
