Culture
Mate sharing
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Friends pass a gourd of mate around, and one person usually pours for everyone. The shared cup is a sign of friendship across Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
Tradition: Shared herbal drink
Map / Culture
World cultures: food, customs and everyday traditions
Culture is what people eat, wear, make and do every day. This page lists the culture pins on the atlas, grouped by country: dishes, drinks, customs, games and traditions tied to a place.
Use the GI tag filter on the map to see products legally linked to the place they come from, and open the Etiquette cards for everyday manners in many countries.
76 pins in 34 countries.
Jump to a country
- Argentina 2
- Brazil 1
- Canada 1
- China 3
- Denmark 1
- Ethiopia 1
- Fiji 1
- Finland 1
- France 2
- Germany 1
- Ghana 1
- India 24
- Indonesia 2
- Ireland 1
- Italy 2
- Japan 5
- Jordan 1
- Mexico 1
- Morocco 3
- Nepal 1
- New Zealand 1
- Peru 1
- Russia 1
- Senegal 1
- South Africa 2
- South Korea 3
- Spain 1
- Sweden 1
- Taiwan 1
- Thailand 2
- Turkey 2
- United Kingdom 2
- United States 2
- Vietnam 1
Questions about culture
What is cultural heritage?
Cultural heritage is what a community inherits and passes on. It includes buildings and objects (tangible heritage) and living traditions such as festivals, crafts, music and food (intangible heritage).
What is a GI tag?
A Geographical Indication (GI) tag is a legal registration that links a product's name to the place it comes from, such as Darjeeling tea. In India, GIs are registered under the Geographical Indications of Goods Act, 1999, through the GI Registry in Chennai.
Culture: Argentina
Culture
Gaucho culture
San Antonio de Areco, Argentina
The gauchos of the Pampas became a symbol of Argentine identity, known for horsemanship, asado barbecues and the wide-brimmed hat and bombachas trousers.
Tradition: Horsemen of the pampas
Culture: Brazil
Culture
Capoeira
Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Developed by enslaved Africans in Brazil, capoeira mixes fighting, acrobatics and music, played in a circle called a roda with a berimbau.
Tradition: Dance-like martial art
Culture: Canada
Culture
Poutine
Quebec, Canada
A Quebec comfort food of fries topped with squeaky cheese curds and hot gravy, now eaten across Canada.
Tradition: Fries, cheese curds and gravy
Culture: China
Culture
Yum cha and dim sum
Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
In Guangzhou and the wider Cantonese world, families gather over tea and small steamed dishes, often pouring tea for others before themselves.
Tradition: Tea with small shared dishes
Culture
Shaolin Kung Fu
Dengfeng, Henan, China
The Shaolin Temple's monks developed a style of martial arts that is practised as a discipline of body and mind. The temple complex lies near Mount Song.
Tradition: Buddhist temple martial arts
Culture
Peking duck
Beijing, China
A dish of roasted duck with crisp skin, sliced at the table and eaten wrapped in thin pancakes with sauce and spring onions. It is closely associated with the Chinese capital.
Tradition: Roast duck with thin pancakes
Culture: Denmark
Culture
Hygge
Aarhus, Denmark
A Danish idea of warmth and ease: candles, soft light, hot drinks and the company of friends, especially in the long dark winter.
Idea: Cosy togetherness
Culture: Ethiopia
Culture
Ethiopian coffee ceremony
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Coffee beans are roasted, ground and brewed in a clay pot, then served in several rounds to guests as a sign of hospitality. Ethiopia is regarded as the original home of coffee.
Tradition: Coffee roasted and brewed in front of guests
Culture: Fiji
Culture
Kava ceremony
Suva, Fiji
Across Fiji and the Pacific, a drink made from the kava root is shared in a formal ceremony to welcome visitors and mark important occasions.
Tradition: Shared drink of the kava root
Culture: Finland
Culture
Finnish sauna
Tampere, Finland
Finland has millions of saunas, roughly one for every two people. Many people go weekly, often followed by a dip in a lake or a roll in the snow. The tradition is on UNESCO's intangible heritage list.
Tradition: Steam bathing
Culture: France
Culture
Baguette bakeries
Paris, France
The artisanal know-how and culture of the baguette were added to UNESCO's intangible heritage list in 2022. Many French people still buy a loaf fresh from the neighbourhood boulangerie each day.
Tradition: Daily fresh bread
Culture
Wine culture
Bordeaux, France
The region around Bordeaux has produced wine for about two thousand years. Estates, classifications and vintages are part of a long regional tradition.
Tradition: Vineyards and tasting
Culture: Germany
Culture
Dirndl and Lederhosen
Munich, Bavaria, Germany
Dirndls and lederhosen are traditional Alpine clothing that people in Bavaria still wear at festivals and village celebrations.
Tradition: Bavarian regional dress
Culture: Ghana
Culture
Kente cloth
Bonwire, Ashanti Region, Ghana
Kente is woven in narrow strips that are sewn together. Each pattern and colour has its own meaning, and the cloth is worn on special occasions.
Tradition: Hand-woven strip cloth
Culture: India
Culture
Chai culture
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Roadside tea stalls are social hubs across India. In Kolkata, tea is often served in small disposable clay cups that return to the earth after use.
Tradition: Tea served in clay cups (bhar)
Culture
The sari
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
A single length of cloth, often five to nine metres long, draped in many regional styles. Varanasi is known for its woven silk saris.
Tradition: Unstitched draped garment
Culture
Gujarati thali
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
A thali brings sweet, salty, sour and spicy dishes together on a single large plate, eaten in a set order. Gujarat is known for its vegetarian thalis.
Tradition: Many small dishes on one plate
Culture
Hyderabadi biryani
Hyderabad, Telangana, India
A dish of fragrant rice layered with marinated meat and sealed in a pot to cook in its own steam, a speciality of Hyderabad's old Nizam kitchens.
Tradition: Layered rice and meat, slow cooked
Culture
Dosa and the Udupi kitchen
Udupi, Karnataka, India
The crisp dosa, served with sambar and chutneys, is eaten across South India. Udupi's temple kitchens spread vegetarian restaurants across the country.
Tradition: Fermented rice-and-lentil crêpes
Culture
Puchka and Kolkata street food
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Puchka (also called golgappa or panipuri) are crisp shells filled with spiced water and potato. Kolkata's street carts also offer rolls, jhalmuri and more.
Tradition: Snacks from street carts
Culture
Yoga
Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India
Yoga began in ancient India as a set of spiritual and physical disciplines. Rishikesh, on the Ganges, is a world centre for study. International Yoga Day is on 21 June.
Tradition: Practice of posture, breath and meditation
Culture
Maidan cricket
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
On Mumbai's open maidans many games run side by side, with a ball hitting whichever pitch is nearest. Many Indian international cricketers began on grounds like these.
Tradition: Street and park cricket
Culture
Darjeeling tea
Darjeeling, West Bengal, India
A delicate tea grown on steep Himalayan slopes. It was one of the first Indian products to receive a Geographical Indication tag, which protects the name.
State: West Bengal · GI tag: Yes
Culture
Assam tea
Dibrugarh, Assam, India
Strong, malty tea from the Brahmaputra valley, where India's commercial tea growing began in the 19th century.
State: Assam · GI tag: Yes
Culture
Nilgiri tea
Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, India
Fragrant tea grown on the Blue Mountains of southern India and often used for iced tea.
State: Tamil Nadu · GI tag: Yes
Culture
Coorg Arabica coffee
Madikeri, Karnataka, India
Coffee grown in the shade of tall trees in the hills of Kodagu, in estates that also grow pepper and cardamom.
State: Karnataka · GI tag: Yes
Culture
Malabar pepper
Thalassery, Kerala, India
The spice that drew traders from Arabia and Europe to Kerala's Malabar coast for centuries.
State: Kerala · GI tag: Yes
Culture
Kashmir saffron
Pampore, Jammu & Kashmir, India
Deep-red saffron threads are hand-picked from crocus flowers on the plateau around Pampore each autumn.
State: Jammu & Kashmir · GI tag: Yes
Culture
Ratnagiri Alphonso mango
Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India
A sweet, saffron-coloured mango from the Konkan coast, in season from April to June.
State: Maharashtra · GI tag: Yes (Ratnagiri Hapus)
Culture
Nagpur orange
Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
Loose-skinned sweet oranges from the Vidarbha region, which has given Nagpur the nickname Orange City.
State: Maharashtra · GI tag: Yes
Culture
Mahabaleshwar strawberries
Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra, India
The hill station's cool climate makes it the centre of India's strawberry growing, with fruit sold at roadside stalls in the winter season.
State: Maharashtra · GI tag: Yes
Culture
Banglar Rosogolla
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
A spongy sweet of chhena cheese in sugar syrup. West Bengal received a GI tag for its version in 2017.
State: West Bengal · GI tag: Yes (Banglar Rosogolla)
Culture
Odisha Rasagola
Pahala, Odisha, India
Odisha's own version of the sweet, offered at the Jagannath Temple in Puri. The state received its GI tag in 2019, and both states' versions are recognised.
State: Odisha · GI tag: Yes (Odisha Rasagola)
Culture
Tirupati laddu
Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
A large sweet made at the Tirumala temple and given to pilgrims as prasadam. It holds a GI tag.
State: Andhra Pradesh · GI tag: Yes
Culture
Bikaneri bhujia
Bikaner, Rajasthan, India
A crisp, spiced snack made from moth bean flour, which began in the desert city of Bikaner.
State: Rajasthan · GI tag: Yes
Culture
Dharwad pedha
Dharwad, Karnataka, India
A caramel-brown milk sweet associated with Dharwad for more than a century.
State: Karnataka · GI tag: Yes
Culture
Hyderabad haleem
Hyderabad, Telangana, India
A slow-cooked stew of wheat, lentils and meat, eaten widely in Ramadan. Hyderabad's version is among the first meat dishes in India to receive a GI tag.
State: Telangana · GI tag: Yes
Culture
Lakadong turmeric
Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya, India
A turmeric from Meghalaya with a very high curcumin content, grown by small farmers in the Jaintia Hills.
State: Meghalaya · GI tag: Yes
Culture: Indonesia
Culture
Nasi tumpeng
Yogyakarta, Indonesia
A cone of yellow rice surrounded by side dishes, served at Javanese celebrations as an expression of gratitude.
Tradition: Cone of rice for celebrations
Culture
Canang sari offerings
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Balinese Hindus place small woven palm-leaf trays of flowers, rice and incense at homes, shops and shrines every day as thanks and blessings.
Tradition: Daily flower offerings
Culture: Ireland
Culture
Pub culture
Temple Bar, Dublin, Ireland
In Ireland the pub is a place to chat, hear live traditional music and meet neighbours. Many are family-run and over a century old.
Tradition: Pubs as community spaces
Culture: Italy
Culture
Pasta traditions
Bologna, Italy
Bologna is known for tagliatelle with ragù and for hand-rolled fresh pasta made with eggs and flour.
Tradition: Fresh egg pasta
Culture
Neapolitan pizza
Naples, Italy
Naples is the birthplace of pizza. The art of the Neapolitan pizzaiolo, including tossing and baking in a wood-fired oven, is on UNESCO's intangible heritage list.
Tradition: Wood-fired pizza
Culture: Japan
Culture
Japanese tea ceremony
Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
A choreographed ritual of preparing and serving powdered green tea, shaped by ideas of harmony, respect and calm. Uji is a historic tea-growing area.
Tradition: Chanoyu or sado
Culture
Sushi
Tokyo, Japan
Edo-style nigiri developed in Tokyo as a quick street food. Today it ranges from supermarket packs to long omakase meals.
Tradition: Vinegared rice with fish or other toppings
Culture
Sumo
Ryōgoku, Tokyo, Japan
Sumo is wrestling steeped in Shinto ritual, with salt purification and formal ceremonies. The main tournaments in Tokyo are held in the Ryōgoku Kokugikan hall.
Tradition: Ritual wrestling
Culture
Onsen bathing
Beppu, Ōita, Japan
Japan sits on volcanic land with thousands of hot springs. Bathers wash thoroughly first and then soak without clothes in a shared bath. Beppu has more springs than any other Japanese city.
Tradition: Hot-spring baths
Culture
Ramen
Fukuoka, Japan
A noodle soup of Chinese origin that Japan adapted into many regional styles. Fukuoka's Hakata ramen has a rich pork-bone broth and thin noodles.
Tradition: Noodle soup
Culture: Jordan
Culture
Bedouin hospitality
Wadi Rum, Jordan
Bedouin communities of the Arabian desert welcome guests with cardamom coffee and sweet tea. The generosity shown to travellers is a core value.
Tradition: Welcome with tea and coffee
Culture: Mexico
Culture
Tacos al pastor
Mexico City, Mexico
Tacos al pastor developed in Mexico City from Lebanese immigrants' shawarma traditions, adapted with local chillies and pineapple.
Tradition: Spit-roasted pork on corn tortillas
Culture: Morocco
Culture
Couscous
Fez, Morocco
Steamed semolina served with vegetables and meat, traditionally shared from a communal dish after Friday prayers. Couscous is on UNESCO's intangible heritage list.
Tradition: Friday family meal
Culture
Moroccan mint tea
Marrakesh, Morocco
Green tea with fresh mint and sugar, poured from a height to create foam, is offered to guests as a gesture of welcome.
Tradition: Poured from a height
Culture
Jemaa el-Fnaa
Marrakesh, Morocco
The great square of Marrakesh fills each evening with storytellers, musicians, and food stalls. It is recognised by UNESCO for its oral and intangible heritage.
Tradition: Square of storytellers and food stalls
Culture: Nepal
Culture
Namaste greeting
Kathmandu, Nepal
The namaste greeting, palms together with a slight bow, is used across South Asia as a respectful hello or goodbye.
Tradition: Palms pressed together
Culture: New Zealand
Culture
Haka
Rotorua, New Zealand
A forceful group performance of chanting, stamping and gestures, once used before battle and now at welcomes, celebrations and sporting events.
Tradition: Māori ceremonial performance
Culture: Peru
Culture
Andean textiles
Pisac, Cusco Region, Peru
Quechua communities weave bright patterned textiles in alpaca and sheep wool, with designs that differ from village to village.
Tradition: Woven ponchos and mantas
Culture: Russia
Culture
Russian banya
Saint Petersburg, Russia
A steam bath tradition where visitors sit in a hot room, sometimes tapping their skin with bundles of birch twigs, then cool off and drink tea.
Tradition: Steam bath with birch twigs
Culture: Senegal
Culture
Jollof rice
Saint-Louis, Senegal
A one-pot rice dish found across West Africa. It likely began with the Wolof people of Senegambia, where it is called thieboudienne, and every country claims its own favourite version.
Tradition: Spiced tomato rice
Culture: South Africa
Culture
Ubuntu philosophy
Johannesburg, South Africa
A Nguni Bantu idea that a person becomes a person through other people, often summarised as shared humanity. It has influenced South African public life.
Idea: I am because we are
Culture
Braai
Cape Town, South Africa
A braai is a barbecue with friends and family, often with boerewors sausage and lamb chops, and treated as a social gathering as much as a way to cook.
Tradition: Social barbecue
Culture: South Korea
Culture
Hanbok
Seoul, South Korea
Hanbok is traditional Korean dress with a short jacket and full skirt or trousers. It is worn at weddings, holidays and ceremonies.
Tradition: Traditional dress
Culture
Kimjang (kimchi making)
Jeonju, North Jeolla, South Korea
Families and neighbours gather in late autumn to prepare large batches of kimchi for the winter. Kimjang is on UNESCO's intangible heritage list.
Tradition: Communal winter kimchi preparation
Culture
Hallyu (the Korean Wave)
Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea
From the late 1990s, South Korean music, television and film grew into a global phenomenon, with K-pop groups and series reaching audiences on every continent.
Tradition: K-pop and K-drama
Culture: Spain
Culture
Tapas and the paseo
Seville, Spain
Small plates and evening strolls are part of daily social life in southern Spain, where bars serve tapas with drinks.
Tradition: Small plates shared socially
Culture: Sweden
Culture
Fika
Stockholm, Sweden
Fika is a daily pause to enjoy coffee and a pastry with friends or colleagues. It is as much about taking time to connect as the drink.
Tradition: Coffee break with something sweet
Culture: Taiwan
Culture
Bubble tea
Taichung, Taiwan
Tea shops in Taiwan began adding tapioca pearls to cold milk tea in the 1980s. The drink has since spread worldwide.
Tradition: Milk tea with chewy tapioca pearls
Culture: Thailand
Culture
The wai greeting
Bangkok, Thailand
Thais greet each other with the wai, and the height of the hands and depth of the bow show respect to elders and seniors.
Tradition: Palms-together bow
Culture
Thai massage
Wat Pho, Bangkok, Thailand
A traditional healing art that combines acupressure and assisted yoga-like stretches. Wat Pho in Bangkok is a historic school, and the practice is on UNESCO's intangible heritage list.
Tradition: Stretching and pressure massage
Culture: Turkey
Culture
Turkish bath (hamam)
Istanbul, Turkey
A public bath with a warm marble platform, steam rooms and an attendant who scrubs and washes you. Historic hamams in Istanbul are still in use.
Tradition: Steam, scrub and rest
Culture
Turkish coffee
Istanbul, Turkey
Finely ground coffee is simmered in a small pot called a cezve and served with the grounds settled. Turkish coffee culture is on UNESCO's intangible heritage list.
Tradition: Coffee brewed in a small pot
Culture: United Kingdom
Culture
Highland dress
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Tartan patterns are associated with Scottish clans and regions, and kilts are worn at weddings, games and ceremonies.
Tradition: Kilt and tartan
Culture
Afternoon tea
London, England, United Kingdom
A light meal of tea, small sandwiches, scones with cream and jam, and cakes, said to have been popularised in England in the 1840s by Anna, Duchess of Bedford.
Tradition: Tea with sandwiches and scones
Culture: United States
Culture
Surf culture
Waikiki, Hawaiʻi, United States
Surfing was practised by Polynesians and became closely tied to Hawaiian culture. Duke Kahanamoku of Waikiki spread the sport around the world in the early 20th century.
Tradition: Wave riding
Culture
Kansas City barbecue
Kansas City, Missouri, United States
American barbecue has strong regional styles. Kansas City is known for slow-smoked meats with a thick sweet and tangy sauce, as well as burnt ends.
Tradition: Slow-smoked meat
Culture: Vietnam
Culture
Phở
Hanoi, Vietnam
A fragrant noodle soup that began in northern Vietnam and is traditionally eaten at breakfast from street stalls.
Tradition: Noodle soup with herbs