12 Truly Bizarre Funeral Customs from Around the World

For thousands of years, humans have mourned their dead. Evidence from Shanidar Cave in Iraq indicates that, perhaps, Neanderthals originated the idea of a funeral. Different customs surrounding the dead have grown up in various places around the world. Funeral and burial customs are still evolving today, as technology advances. Here are 12 interesting funeral and burial customs from around the world:

1. Hanging Coffins



In China, there are coffins hanging off a cliff. These coffins contain the remains of members of the Bo. The Bo people are now extinct, but they once lived in what is now Southwest China. Instead of putting their dead in the ground, they lowered coffins down on the cliff, hanging by ropes caught on stakes pounded into the rock of the region’s mountains.

2. Custom Fantasy Coffins




If having your coffin swinging in the wind is not for you, you might consider being buried in a custom coffin, based around one of your hobbies. In Ghana, these fantasy coffins are quite common, and are built around a theme. Do you really like fishing? Your coffin could resemble a huge fish. The idea is to provide the deceased with something that he or she can enjoy for eternity.

3. Sky Burial



This is an interesting custom that includes making use of birds to help with your burial. In Tibet, monks chop up your body and grind your bones, and offer your remains to the vultures, which then take your remains to the sky. A similar rite is practiced in the Zoroastrian religion. The deceased is left at the top of a tower, where the vultures can easily get at the remains and take them to the sky. The leftover bones are tossed into the tower’s pit.

It is also worth noting that the ancient Celts believed that birds helped the spirit to the next world. Warriors were left, by their comrades in arms, for birds to eat.

4. Under-Home Burial



One of the ways that the poor among the Maya kept records was by burying items under their homes. But it wasn’t just things that were buried; some Maya also buried their relatives under their homes. This way, family histories could remain in the family, and it was possible to keep dead family members close – within the walls of the home.

5. Strangling Family and Friends



One of the more colorful funeral customs comes from Fiji. A great funeral feast was held for the deceased, and then, as part of the festivities, the members of a deceased man’s family, and even sometimes his friends, were strangled. Servants could also be strangled and buried with the man. This way, he went into the next life surrounded by friends and family.

Similar customs in ancient China and Egypt have also been seen, with treasured objects buried with the dead. In some cases servants, wives and even pets were buried with powerful and important men.

6. Sati



In order to show her devotion to her husband, a woman in India might throw herself onto the funeral pyre of her husband. This ancient Hindu custom was rather rare even at its height, and it has been outlawed in India today. However, there are still some stories of self-immolation by wives. The reward for this act of devotion? The woman was said to become a goddess.

7. Stripper Funerals



In China, your family has more luck if more people show up to your funeral. So it is a tradition to round up as many people as possible – even if these people don’t know the deceased. One way to do this is to hire exotic dancers for funeral processions. This way, more people are sure to show up to the funeral. It’s illegal, but that hasn’t stopped the practice from gaining a rather large following.

8. Famadihana



It’s a funeral celebration years after the funeral. Every few years (around seven) in Madagascar, corpses are dug up and a big celebration is held. Villages hold big parties, and everyone dances around the corpses. The shroud of the deceased is replaced with a fresh new shroud. But the old shroud doesn’t go to waste. Instead, it is torn into different pieces and passed around to married couples. The couples then place the pieces of cloth beneath their mattresses and it is supposed to help them conceive children.

9. Ecological Funeral



Those concerned about the environment are increasingly turning to biodegradable coffins and other means of being environmentally friendly. However, you don’t need a pine box to be ecologically friendly in death. In Sweden, there is increasing interest in using science to help decomposition along. First, your body is reduced to a fine powder through a special process. And, since there are metals in your body, these can be recycled. So the metals from your body are separated out and sent to be reused in various products. Then, your remains are placed in a biodegradable container and buried. Once the container breaks down, your own remains are easily absorbed, since they are in the form of an earth-friendly powder.

10. Space Burial



One of the most modern funeral customs is the space burial. It is possible to have your remains shot up into space on a missile. One astronomer, Eugene Shoemaker, is even buried on the moon. In some cases, it is possible to have a small portion of your remains sent into space for as little as $1,000.

11. Diamond Burial



Diamonds are made from carbon. Guess what the ashes of a cremated dead person contain? Carbon! If you want to carry your loved one with you wherever you go, it is possible to have his or her remains turned into diamonds. Have the diamonds set in a ring, necklace or earrings, and your loved one remains beautiful (and sparkling) forever.

12. Mummify Yourself



This one is really hard, since it requires a great deal of discipline. But around 24 Buddhist monks in Japan have gone through the process. It requires a strict, three-year diet of seeds and nuts, and then another three years of eating only roots and bark. The monks also have a specific exercise regime that gets rid of the body’s fat. A special tea is also drunk during this time, which coats the inside of the body with a lacquer-like substance. When the monk is ready, he gets into his tomb and meditates until he dies. Once a day he rings a bell. Once the bell stops ringing, the other monks know it’s time to seal the tomb.

http://www.budgetlife.com/blog/bizarre-funeral-customs/

Sicily Crypts: Place Where The Dead Don't Sleep

A Haunting Experience in Palermo Catacomb

It has been said that Sicilians have an obsession with death. It is still very common to see elderly Sicilian widows wearing black for the remainder of their lives and a tradition of professional mourners once existed for centuries. It is hard to say where this cult of the dead comes from, either from the deep rooted Catholic faith or perhaps a holdover from ancient Greek and Roman times. Regardless of the origins, notions about death are still alive in Sicily, and no place better exemplifies this than Palermo's Capuchin Crypt. This macabre display is one of a mummy.

The Capuchin Order is an offshoot of the more famous Franciscans that branched out in the mid sixteenth century. Their names comes from the distinctive hood that the monks wear that has since lent its name to the popular coffee drink Cappuccino, whose foamed milk top it resembles. Even though this Order of the Friars Minor originated in the Marche region of Italy, their unique take on the mortal body after death make them a perfect fit for Sicily. In fact the first monk to be embalmed was placed in the crypt shortly after the Order arrived in Palermo.

Entrance to the Crypt is located at Piazza Cappuccini, which is a short walk from the Palazzo Reale. It is an unassuming building that conforms to the Order's vow of poverty and may be overlooked if you miss the signs. On arriving you may be greeted by the elderly monk who watches over the crypt as he gestures toward the cool and dark stairway that leads to the crypt. As you walk down the steps one is reminded of Dante's inscription above the gates of hell: "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." 



Once inside the crypt feels more like the set for "Night of the Living Dead" or Michael Jackson's "Thriller" than a religious community. No horror movie or amusement park haunted house can compete with hundred of bodies dressed in their Sunday's best and suspended by hooks on the wall. The bodies, in various levels of decay stare down (some with their own eyes) looking like they are ready to grab you, wanting you to join them.
A creepy, eerie feeling surrounds you as you walk along the halls. Suddenly the ghostly voice of a monk echoes through the chamber stating "no photo." It makes you wonder why anyone would want to take pictures in the first place. If ghosts could be caught on film, it would certainly be here.
Even though it seems like a hodgepodge of bodies, some hanging and some in open coffins, the crypt is organized by social status and gender. The first section contains the monks of the order, the original residents of crypt. This section includes the body of Brother Silvestro da Gubbio, the oldest member of the crypt whose grotesque remains have been welcoming visitors since 1599.

The men's section is next, all dressed in clothing of their time period and looking ready to rise and join the living. The Women's section is very interesting as there is a special area for "virgins" denoted by bodies that wear a metal band on their skulls. These maids still wearing their silk dresses and bonnets are very spooky. The professor's section is actually the area designated for doctors, soldiers another men of professions and include some famous individuals such as the painter Velasquez and sculptor Lorenzo Marabitti. The soldiers dressed in their parade uniforms are still colorful after nearly two centuries. The Priest section is small but contains numerous holy men still wearing their tattered cassocks and ghostly white vestments.



The secret to the embalming process is visible toward the end of the tour as one of the "strainer rooms" used to desiccate the bodies is open to view. The process is mainly due to the conditions in the crypt itself that naturally wicks away bodily fluids. However the bodies are then embalmed using vinegar before being dressed according to family requests.

This process was halted in 1871 with Brother Riccardo being the last buried under these conditions. However in the small chapel at the end of the tour houses the very last member of the crypt, a child that has come to be known as "sleeping beauty". Rosalia Lombardo died in 1920 and thanks to a secret chemical embalming process she looks as if she is only sleeping. Encased in a glass-covered coffin, it is hard to believe that this little girl died 85 years ago. She looks like she could open her eyes at any moment, a truly haunting vision that stays with you for days.



As you leave, you can support the convent by purchasing some freaky postcards of your favorite corpses from the crypt. As you can't take photos, they make good conversation pieces or gifts for people you hate. Otherwise visitors to the crypt shouldn't need souvenirs, as the weeklong nightmares should keep the memories fresh in you mind for a long time. This is not a tour for the squeamish, easily frightened or small children. However it is an absolute must for fans of horror movies, the macabre, mummies, and of course morticians.

Secret Societies - Brotherhood of Snake

The Secret Societies have been present in the history of man for a very long time. It all started thousands of years ago with the "Brotherhood of the Snake", a secret society set up by an alien named Ea or Enki. This story is very carefully told in the Sumerian scriptures, which go back at least 6000 years. There it says man was created by draconian aliens, who came to this planet to exploit its resources - especially gold. But the work was heavy, so the alien race wanted someone else to do the hard work. Thus Ea, who was a brilliant scientist, created homo sapiens as a hybrid between a primitive earth life-form and the alien race.

First homo sapiens was only meant for slave labor and couldn’t breed. Later on this was changed. Ea didn’t like, though, how his created race was treated and wanted to enlighten them by telling them who they were and where they came from. He also wanted to tell them the well hidden truth that each individual is a spirit inhabiting a body and that after body death the spirit lives on and reincarnates on Earth.

Ea’s superiors didn’t agree to this, as they were afraid of chaos and turmoil, but Ea told them anyway. The early homo sapiens revolted against their Masters, but were forced to retire. Ea then started this secret society, the Brotherhood of the Snake, to enlighten people in secret. But he was discovered and judged by the alien laws, which meant that Ea was deported to Earth for eternity - to die here and be reborn here in endless cycles, using fragile, short living human bodies. If this is right, he might still be here ...

In the meantime, as time passed by, the "Brotherhood of the Snake" was infiltrated by the Draconian Master aliens and the knowledge was distorted to trap man instead of enlighten him. The Egyptian Era was in fact real "space opera", with aliens walking around among us, even taking the throne as pharaohs on mostly. By that time the Brotherhood was very infiltrated and its purpose to manipulate the masses, making them believe in false gods and masters.

In the background through all history there are the secret societies. The original Brotherhood soon split up in cults, when certain people on top were in disagreement with each other and different powers of control developed, with them even fighting each other (which still is the case today) totally above an ignorant population.

They invented the different religions and sects and cults so man would be busy doing something else instead of looking into what the Brotherhood was doing. It was also a way to control people by not telling the truth about God and Jesus, so that people would miss the point and never be able to be set free. Religion has always been connected with guilt and punishment, which is NOT the way it is supposed to be. They put themselves in charge of the churches to entrap people and to spread conflicts between different belief systems. Most wars throughout history have been religious wars.

Out of the original Brotherhood came Freemasonry, the Rosicrucians, The Knight Templars, Ordo Templi Orientis, Knights of Malta and more. They all knew, on the highest grades, the truth about the origin of man and that we all are spiritual beings and thus immortal. They know God is the REAL and only source, but they distorted that power as we let them deceive us and used the power of God that we have inside of us for their evil purposes. This knowledge is a very well kept secret and they have done everything in their power to hide the truth from people, and one must say they succeeded quite well. People who for some reason or another have stumbled upon the road to truth has either been ridiculed, slandered or even killed.

Now you might say that the Freemasons, for example, is a charity organization and even Christian to its belief. Yes, that’s what we’re told and that is what most members of the secret society believe. Most people involved are good people, who are ignorant of what’s going on upon the highest grades. Because up there is Satanism and worship of the dark forces. They don’t serve God, they serve Satan or Lucifer and that is the key to what is happening in the world of today.

Adam Weishaupt (1748-1811) basically a Jew, converted to become a Catholic Priest and ended up starting a "new" secret society called the Illuminati. Actually it was not new at the time; it’s been there long before then, but during Weishaupt’s lifetime this organization was revealed publicly. It’s unclear if he was the master-mind behind it, but most researchers, including me, are more or less certain that Weishaupt was just a puppet for the Elite of the Freemasons.

The Freemasons had recently started a new branch of Freemasonry - Freemasonry of the Scottish Rite with its 33 degrees of initiation. It’s still today one of the most powerful secret societies, including members within high politics, religious leaders, businessmen and other "useful" persons. Things point in the direction that Weishaupt was sponsored by the Rothschilds, who then were (and are) the heads of Freemasonry.

The Illuminati had its own grades ABOVE (or rather beside) the 33 degrees of Freemasonry. Even persons who were initiated to the higher degrees of Freemasonry had no knowledge of the Illuminati grades - it was that secret. Up there Weishaupt planned the take-over of the planet, and he made up distinct targets for a One World Government and a New World Order. All this was written down in something called the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion", with an evil purpose to put the blame on the Jews(!) if something would leak.

And it did leak! A courier for the Illuminati was struck by lightning when he rode over a field and the Protocols were found, where the takeover was carefully written down. This was in The 1770’s. Weishaupt and his Illuminati "Brothers" had to flee and work underground, as their organization was banned. It was decided that the name Illuminati should never be used officially again, but front groups should be used to fulfill the purpose of world domination, with the rest of the population made into slaves. One of the front groups were the Freemasons, who had a better reputation ...

It is believed that Weishaupt was killed by his Freemason Brothers, as he was unable to keep his mouth and still continued to use the name Illuminati. There could also have been other reasons.

The secret goal, however, survived Weishaupt and the Rothschilds were now heads of the Illuminati (and still are today, together with David Rockefeller). A good help to reach the goal came from the Freemason Cecil Rhodes, who in the 19th Century tried to build a One World Government with the British Empire on the top. This was of course sponsored by the Rothschilds and it was also Rhodes who created the Round Table, a secret society in itself, named after King Arthur’s Round Table, where the Brotherhood Elite are gathering up to this day.

World War I and II were both attempts to take over. After the Second World War people were so tired of all this killing that they welcomed the United Nations, when it was founded. The official policy of the UN was to safeguard the peace, so nothing like WW II would ever happen again. But indeed the UN was another important front organization for the Illuminati, to unite the countries of the world into one. This led to the EU project, which anyone, with his eyes open, can see goes right into the direction of the biggest fascist state known to man, where each country gets less and less power and sovereignty.

By galloping inflation the International Bankers (read the Illuminati) have succeeded in making us believe that the only solution is a One Currency - the EMU. When that project is safeguarded, the Central European Bank (Illuminati) has all the power over the economy in Europe and can lead us in whatever direction they want. Some politicians are just stupid and ignorant, others are aware of facts and work for and with the Illuminati. The innocent people, being deceived, are the ones who will suffer the most. This is a betrayal beyond comprehension.

The EU then will expand into the United Nations of Africa, Asia and South America and the end phenomenon will be that all those United States will be united into one big fascist state, which will last in a thousand years, regarding to their occult belief. It’s the Golden Age - the Age of AntiChrist.

The secret societies and the Illuminati believe in the power of symbols. The world is full of their magical and black magic symbols. The problem is, we are so used to seeing them all over the place, that we don’t even think about it. The Illuminati believe that the more symbols around, the more magical power to them. The insignia of the Illuminati and the New World Order is the "Pyramid with the All-Seeing- Eye", which you can study on the back of the US One Dollar Bill(!)

A few years ago this symbol was also on a series of stamps coming from the Vatican(!) The All-Seeing-Eye is the Eye of Horus, which is the Eye of Lucifer, and goes back to the Egyptian era. Other common symbols are the pentagram (five-pointed star), the hexagram (six-pointed star - The Star of David), the Swastika reversed (the way Hitler used it) and the pyramid in general.

Lara Fabian

http://www.larafabian.com/

Lara was born in January 1970, in the Belgian town of Etterbeek. Her Flemish father and Sicilian mother, inspired by the theme song of the film Doctor Zhivago, named her Lara. From the age of five, Lara knew she wanted to sing. Accompanied by her musician father, a former guitarist and backing vocalist for Petula Clark, she began her singing career at 14 in Brussels' boîtes à chanson. A few years later, she entered a number of European competitions and won several prizes. Then, at 18, she sang the song "Croire" in the prestigious Eurovision competition and was awarded fourth prize.

It was at this time that her first recordings, both on the French Tréma label, found an appreciative public. Her songs "Croire" and "Je sais" sold 500,000 and 300,000 copies respectively. A year earlier, she had recorded a first single, "L'aziza est en pleurs".

Following her European successes, Lara traveled to Quebec to promote "Je sais" and fell in love with the place. With her friend Rick Allison at her side, two suitcases and $1,000 in her pocket, she decided to embark on a career in North America. A first album, simply entitled 'Lara Fabian', that had been recorded earlier in Belgium was released in Canada in August 1991. The success of songs like "Le jour où tu partiras", "Les murs" and "Qui pense à l'amour" gave Lara the exposure she needed on the radio. Her skill as a songwriter was particularly highlighted with the success of the single "Je m'arrêterai pas de t'aimer", and her debut album went on to be certified gold in 1993 and then platinum the following year. Lara received several nomations at the 1993 ADISQ awards and a poll published around that time revealed that Lara was considered Quebec's most promising singer.

'Carpe Diem,' Lara's second album, was released three years after her eponymous album and proved that her popularity with the Quebec public was more than just a flash in the pan. In less than three weeks, the album went gold and three of its songs "Tu t'en vas", "Si tu m'aimes" and "Leïla" found themselves on the Top-50 radio hit parade. The following year, the album went triple platinum and Lara’s SRO tour attracted more than 150,000 fans. This phenomenal success was recognized at the 1995 ADISQ gala in which Lara received two Félix awards: Best Show Of The Year and Best Female Singer Of The Year (a category voted upon by the public).

In January 1995, at the request of Serge Lama, Lara joined the singer on the stage of the Paris venue Palais des Congrès to perform "Je suis malade", a song she had sung on her 'Carpe Diem' album. Upon seeing the audience's response to the duo, Serge Lama right away asked Lara to sing the song once more on her own to the great delight of those present. This contact with the French public was just a sample of what would come less than two years later.

The Walt Disney Studios immortalized Lara's voice in 1996 when they asked her to do the voice for the character Esmeralda and sing a song in the animated feature The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Disney also included Lara's French version on the English film’s soundtrack album beside that of Bette Midler's version, a first.

That same year, 'Pure,' Lara's third album, was released in October and went platinum in less than two weeks. For this recording, Lara was awarded a Félix for Popular Album Of The Year at the 1997 ADISQ gala and was also nominated for two Juno awards in the Best Female Singer and Best Selling French Album categories.

This recognition once again attracted the attention of movie studios. The producer of Daylight, starring Sylvester Stallone, entrusted her and Rick Allison with 'Tant qu'il y aura de l'amour', the French version of the song performed by Donna Summer and Bruce Roberts, and produced by David Foster.

When Lara signed a contract with the French Polydor label for several albums, French-speaking Europe was in for a stirring comeback. With the release of 'Pure' in June of 1997, Lara's European career skyrocketed. Sales of 'Pure' hit the 2 million mark, while the singles "Tout ", "Je t'aime" and "Humana" each sold more than 1 million records. In January of 1998, the French got the chance to hear Lara sing a duo with Johnny Hallyday at a benefit concert given for the Restos du Cur, as well as on Lara’s own tour that included two sold-out shows at L'Olympia. A month later, on that same stage, Lara was given the Discovery Of The Year award during the Victoires de la musique gala. Soon after, to satisfy public demand, Polydor released 'Carpe Diem' in Europe.

After a sold-out two-night stint at the Paris Palais des Sports in April, Lara was even more in demand. Once again she was invited to perform with Johnny Hallyday during several concerts given at the Stade de France in front of 240,000 fans. The following fall, Lara undertook a European tour that reached more than 100,000 fans.

Lara's tremendous popularity is perhaps exemplified by the famous Grévin Wax Museum's decision to unveil her wax effigy, as a Quebec City museum had already done. She thus became the first female Canadian singer ever to be honoured by the Paris institution.

By November of 1998, the praise was multiplying: in Quebec, Lara received the Félix award for Artist With The Most Recognition Outside Quebec at the ADISQ gala. Furthermore, in December, she was chosen Revelation Of The Year by the magazine Paris Match, which put her on its front page to mark this occasion.

Lara spent most of fall 1998 in France, where she embarked on an extensive tour of 24 cities including Paris, Lyon, Marseilles, Geneva and Monaco. During this sold-out concert tour, Lara performed in front of more than 150,000 people. In May 1999, Lara was honoured at the World Music Awards in Monaco, where she was given the award for Best Selling Record for the year 1998 for her album 'Pure.'

In July 1999, with over 6 million records sold across French territories, Polydor, in order to satisfy the demand, released Lara’s eponymous album. The European version of this early album contained slight modifications, such as a new album cover and the addition of the song "Croire".

In the summer of 1999, Lara crossed the Atlantic to record her first English-language album in New York and San Francisco for the Sony label. The songs were written and produced with the help of her partner Rick Allison and Dave Pickell as well as with Walter Afanasieff, Glen Ballard and Pat Leonard, who are all regular contributors to the work of several international stars.

If the past is any indication of what's to come, one can easily imagine that Lara's English-language debut album, simply titled 'Lara Fabian' will, once again, enthrall a new audience and then win over still more fans to her unique talent.


JE SUIS MALADE - Original by Serge Lama

Je ne rêve plus je ne fume plus
Je n'ai même plus d'histoire
Je suis sale sans toi je suis laid sans toi
Je suis comme un orphelin dans un dortoir

Je n'ai plus envie de vivre ma vie
Ma vie cesse quand tu pars
Je n'ai plus de vie et même mon lit
Se transforme en quai de gare
Quand tu t'en vas

Je suis malade complètement malade
Comme quand ma mère sortait le soir
Et qu'elle me laissait seul avec mon désespoir

Je suis malade parfaitement malade
T'arrives on ne sait jamais quand
Tu repars on ne sait jamais où
Et ça va faire bientôt deux ans
Que tu t'en fous

Comme à un rocher comme à un péché
Je suis accroché à toi
Je suis fatigué je suis épuisé
De faire semblant d'être heureux quand ils sont là

Je bois toutes les nuits mais tous les whiskies
Pour moi ont le même goût
Et tous les bateaux portent ton drapeau
Je ne sais plus où aller tu es partout

Je suis malade complètement malade
Je verse mon sang dans ton corps
Et je suis comme un oiseau mort quand toi tu dors

Je suis malade parfaitement malade
Tu m'as privé de tous mes chants
Tu m'as vidé de tous mes mots
Pourtant moi j'avais du talent avant ta peau

Cet amour me tue et si ça continue
Je crèverai seul avec moi
Près de ma radio comme un gosse idiot
Écoutant ma propre voix qui chantera

Je suis malade complètement malade
Comme quand ma mère sortait le soir
Et qu'elle me laissait seul avec mon désespoir

Je suis malade c'est ça je suis malade
Tu m'as privé de tous mes chants
Tu m'as vidé de tous mes mots
Et j'ai le cour complètement malade
Cerné de barricades t'entends je suis malade

ELVIS

Όταν ήμουν μικρούλα είχα μια μεγάλη φωτογραφία του Elvis πάνω απ' το κρεβάτι μου! Θυμάμαι τη μητέρα μου που μου έλεγε: <<βγάλε το πεθαμένο πάνω απ' το κρεβάτι σου παιδάκι μου>>. Εγώ την κοιτούσα και χαμογελούσα, χωρίς να διαμαρτύρομαι για τις παρατηρήσεις της... Μια μέρα γύρισα από το σχολείο και η φωτογραφία του Elvis έλλειπε από τη θέση της. <<Βάψαμε το σπίτι>>, μου είπε, και από τότε δεν ξαναείδα τον αγαπημένο μου Elvis, μόνο τη βελούδινη φωνή του άκουγα στο κασετοφωνάκι μου, που φοβόμουν μην εξαφανιστεί κι αυτό κάποια μέρα με κάποια εύκολη δικαιολογία,...Kαι, κάθε φορά που έφευγα από το σπίτι το έκρυβα στη μυστική μου κρυψώνα να μην το βρει κανείς... Πέρασαν τα χρόνια, μεγάλωσα, οι κασέτες του Elvis πάλιωσαν, χάλασε και το κασετοφωνάκι μου. Τον Elvis όμως δεν τον ξέχασα, αλλά ούτε και κείνος...

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BELLY DANCE

Ο χορός οριεντάλ (η χορός της κοιλιάς, όπως είναι ως επι το πλείστον γνωστός στον δυτικό κόσμο) είναι ο κατ' εξοχήν χορός της ανατολής. Η ιστορία του χάνεται στα βάθη των αιώνων. Σύμφωνα με διάφορες θεωρίες προέρχεται από τις τελετουργίες γονιμότητας της κεντρικής Αφρικής ή από τις τελετουργίες προς τιμήν των Θεών της γονιμότητας (όπως η Αστάρτη, η Αφροδίτη κλπ) της μέσης Ανατολής και της Μεσογείου. Στη σημερινή του μορφή είναι κυρίως διαδεδομένος στον αραβικό χώρο, καθώς και στην Τουρκία, Ελλάδα, Βαλκάνια, Περσία και σε ορισμένες περιοχές της Ινδίας.

Παρότι φαινομενικά ο χορός της κοιλιάς είναι αρκετά ελεύθερος, στην πραγματικότητα διέπεται από αυστηρούς κανόνες, και ειναι εκτελεστικά ιδιαίτερα δύσκολος.

Υπάρχουν πολλά είδη χορού της κοιλιάς, ανάλογα με τη μουσική, την προέλευση και το επιθυμητό αισθητικό αποτέλεσμα.

Αίγυπτος
Στην Αίγυπτο συναντάμε την μεγαλύτερη ποικιλία διαφορετικών χορών που χωρούν κάτω από την ομπρέλα 'οριεντάλ, από τα παραδοσιακά είδη έως τη σύγχρονη μορφή του χορού της κοιλιάς. Χαρακτηριστική είναι η κατά κόρον κατακερμάτιση (διαχωρισμός) του σώματος.

Από το Raks el Baladi, Raks el Asaya, Raks el Semandan έως τις πιο σύγχρονες μορφές η χάρη στην κίνηση είναι πάντα παρούσα.

Βασικές κατηγορίες Αιγυπτιακού χορού
Raqsharqi μεταφράζεται ως "Ο χορός της Ανατολής" ή "Oriental". Τεχνικά μόνο οι Αιγυπτιακοί χοροί ονομάζονται έτσι. Ο χορός είναι προ-ισλαμικός και είναι μια παράδοση η οποία εξελίσεται μέσα στους αιώνες. Κάποιοι πιστεύουν ότι ξεκίνησε από την λατρεία της Θεάς Ίσιδας. Στην σημερινή του μορφή ωστόσο το Raqs Sharqi περιέχει και πολλά στοιχεία από δυτικούς χορούς, όπως μπαλλέτο (κλασσικό και μοντέρνο) και λατινοαμερικάνικους χορούς. Σε αυτή τη μορφή εξελίχθηκε κυρίως στα μεγάλα νάιτ κλάμπ του Κάιρο απο τη δεκαετία του τριάντα και μετά (και εξακολουθεί να εξελίσσεται μέχρι σήμερα)Αυτοσχεδιασμοί χρησιμοποιούνται σε μεγάλη συχνότητα, και είναι εκπληκτικά όμορφο να δεί κάποιος "κόντρα" χορεύτριας με μουσικό που παίζει τουμπερλέκι. Το χαρακτηριστικό γνώρισμα του Raqs Sharqi είναι η απόλυτη αρμονία της κίνησης με την μουσική. Η μουσική είναι περίπλοκη, οι ρυθμοί αλλάζουν συνεχώς και η χορεύτρια εκφράζει απόλυτα τη μουσική με τις κινήσεις της. Η κυρίως τέχνη στο αιγυπτιακό στύλ, είναι το να μπορεί η χορεύτρια να κάνει ορατή τη μουσική με το σωμα σας.
Sha'abiyya ο παραδοσιακός χορός των Φελλάχων (κάτοικοι της επαρχίας), συχνά ως γιορτή στην διάρκεια γάμων. Διαφορετικές κοινότητες χρησιμοποιούν διαφορετικά βήματα, αλλά υπάρχουν κάποια συγκεκριμένα στυλ όπως το Saaidi από την Ανω Αίγυπτο. Οι μουσικοί του Νείλου παραδοσιακή μουσική με όργανα όπως, mizmar, tabla, arghul και rababa. Το στυλ του χορού είναι χαλαρό με πολλά "τρέμουλα" (γνωστά ως shimmies).
Το Ghawazee είναι πιο δυναμικό με γρήγορες στροφές και πιο αρσενικό αίσθημα. Η μουσική Saiidi επίσης χορεύεται από άντρες με ραβδιά.
Baladi ή Beledi θα μπορούσαμε να πούμε από την χώρα, είναι ένα αστικοποιημένο στυλ χορού που αναπτύχθηκε στις αρχές του προηγούμενου αιώνα στο Κάιρο, από τους εγχώριους μετανάστες. Η μουσική έγινε πιο εκλεπτυσμένη και όργανα όπως το ακορντεόν προστέθηκαν. Το Baladi θα μπορούσαμε να πούμε ότι είναι η εξέλιξη των χορών της ενδοχώρας της Αιγύπτου. Περισσότερες κινήσεις, εντυπωσιακότερα κουστούμια και ποικιλία στα βήματα. Υπάρχει ένας "δρόμος" στην μουσική. Το "Achra Baladi" είναι μια παραδοσιακή μορφή της μουσικής όπου μουσικοί παίζουν live. Ξεκινάει με εισαγωγή, ταξίμι, awaadi (τουμπερλέκι, όργανα και χορεύτρια μαζί) και το tet όταν η ταχύτητα των τουμπερλεκίων πλησιάζει στο τέλος του κομματιού.
Τουρκία
Η Τουρκική μορφή του χορού της κοιλιάς χαρακτηρίζεται από μεγαλύτερη κίνηση μέσα στον χώρο, χαμήλωμα στο πάτωμα, με εντυπωσιακές φιγούρες έως παραδοσιακές μορφές κοντά στον ελληνικό καρτσιλαμά και τον χορό γάμου με τα κουτάλια και μέσα στο ταψί. Μπορούμε να δούμε από πολύ αργές κινήσεις και ρυθμούς έως πολύ γρήγορους στροβιλισμούς. Σε γενικές γραμμές όμως περιέχει ο τούρκικος χορός της κοιλιάς πολύ λιγότερες κινήσεις απο τον αιγυπτιακό καθώς και η μουσική, με την οποία χορεύται, είναι πολύ πιο απλή στη δομή της απο την αραβική μουσική του αντίστοιχου αιγυπτιακού στύλ.

Λίβανος
Η χάρη και η θηλυκότητα σε όλο της το μεγαλείο. Η μελωδία ανταμώνει την κίνηση και το θέαμα είναι εκπληκτικό και ρέει. Παραδοσιακοί ρυθμοί και μορφές χορού δίνουν την διαφορετικότητα όπως το Debke. Το λιβανέζικο στύλ μοιάζει πολύ με το αιγυπτιακό, αλλά είναι περισσότερο δυναμικό και οι χορεύτριες κινούνται περισσότερο στον χώρο.

Σαουδική Αραβία, Κουβέιτ, Υεμένη (Περσικός Κόλπος)
Khaleegi είναι είδος χορού από τον ευρύτερο χώρο του Περσικού Κόλπου. Μια μακριά χρυσοποίκιλτη "ρόμπα" είναι το κοστούμι. Μικρά βήματα, μικρές κινήσεις των χεριών, στο πλάι και μπροστά στο στήθος, αλλά βασικά η κίνηση των μαλλιών είναι αυτή που δημιουργεί την μαγική εικόνα. Το Bandari είναι αρκετά κοντά με το Khaleegi, αλλά πιο συντηριτικό στο ντύσιμο. Οι γυναίκες φοράνε φερεντζέ με φιλτραρισμένο ύφασμα μπροστά. Ο χορός είναι ενεργητικός και δυνατός.

Ιράν (Περσία)
Μπορεί να είναι ενεργητικός χορός όπως και πιο λυρικός και όμορφος. Τα μάτια είναι πολύ σημαντικά, οι γοφοί χρησιμοποιούνται πολύ λιγότερο από ότι τα χέρια και ο κορμός. Στροφές χρησιμοποιούνται αρκετά όπως και χορός στο πάτωμα.

Μαρόκο
Φολκορικό είδος χορού με κινήσεις που αναπαριστούν καθημερινές δραστηριότητες, όπως τίναγμα χαλιών, φυτεύοντας σπόρους και χαϊδεύοντας τον ήλιο. Πολλά βήματα των Αιγυπτιακών χορών χρησιμοποιούνται από τους μαροκινούς. Το Schikhatt αρχικά χορευόταν σαν χορός πριν τον γάμο. Η Guedra είναι trance πνευματικός χορός που εκτελείται από γυναίκα καθησμένη στα γόνατά της. Χρησιμοποιεί συγκεκριμένες κινήσεις με τα χέρια για να δώσει ευχές. Ξεκινάει να χορεύει όρθια, πέφτει στα γόνατα και μπορεί να συνεχιστεί για ώρες.

Αλγερία
Περιλαμβάνει κινήσεις που συναντάμε και στους Αιγυπτιακούς χορούς όπως shimmies, κύκλους γοφών και πτώσεις γοφών. Υπάρχει ισχυρή επιροή από τους Ανδαλουσιάνικους χορούς (Φλαμένκο) οι οποίες φαίνονται στις κινήσεις των χεριών περισσότερο. Ο Αmel Tafsout είναι ένας αλγερινός χορευτής ο οποίος ειδικεύεται στο Maghreb χορό.

Τυνησία
Έχει την τάση να είναι πιο φοκλορικός με κινήσεις που δεν συναντούνται σε άλλες χώρες συχνά. Οι χορεύτριες μιμούνται κινήσεις της καθημερινότητας, φυτεύοντας, μαγειρεύοντας κ.λπ. Στροφές του γοφού μπροστά και πίσω είναι συχνές. Ο ρυθμός είναι συχνά δύσκολος για χορευτές που έχουν συνηθήσει στους αιγυπτιακούς ή τούρκικους ρυθμούς. Αξίζει όμως την προσπάθεια "αν" βρούμε κάποιον που πραγματικά το ξέρει να το μάθουμε. Πιθανότατα στην ίδια την Τυνησία.

Ελλάδα
Το γνωστό σε όλους μας "τσιφτετέλι", απομεινάρι της 400ετούς κατοχής του Ελληνικού χώρου από τους Τούρκους, που επανεισάχθηκε μαζί με τα γνωστά και ως "Σμυρνέικα Τραγούδια" μετά την καταστροφή της Σμύρνης, θα μπορούσε να θεωρηθεί η ελαφρά μορφή του χορού της κοιλιάς. Χαρακτηρίζεται από ελεύθερη μορφή κίνησης σύμφωνα με τον ρυθμό, χωρίς συγκεκριμένους κανόνες.