Is it a universal thing, or are does it have roots in a particular group of cultures? Any ideas, theories or WAGS? Thanks!
Once in a while you can get shown the light
in the strangest of places
if you look at it right…
In Alaska, the eskimos kiss by rubbin’ noses together . . .
[admiring my own impressive schnozz in mirror]
I’d be the Jayne Mansfield o’ THAT joint!
This is a custom that goes back to Cave Man Days, all the way back to Alley Oop and Ooola.
When approaching a potential adversary, the Cave Man sought to ascertain whether this person was armed. The Handshake was a method of determining whether there was a heavy club in his hand; the French Kiss, whether or not he was concealing a sharp blade in the mouth.
The Cave Men of old Gaul were particularly handy with their knives, hence the popular appellation.
Uke
You sure about that Eve? I’ve kind of relegated that image to the same bin containing Native Americans holding up a hand and saying 'hau!".
If it is a custom among some Eskimos (or Inuits, to be PC) is it thought of as the same type of lip-smacking goodness as a ‘regular’ kiss? Come to think of it, I’d really hate to get the kiss of death from the Nanookian Mafia…. BLECH!
I don’t have any references to back this up, but I remember reading that it started out as a custom in the Middle Ages. Lords would kiss the lips of their wives to get close enough to smell them, thus indicating if they have been with somone else. I guess because bathing was unheard of in those days, other peoples’ smell could easily rub off onto others.
-Dragwyr
“If God had meant for man to eat waffles,
he would have given him lips like snowshoes”
-Rev. Billy C. Wirtz
Kissing began right here: http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000195.html