Eskimo kiss: Why some people use their noses to kiss each other

Here are some cultures that do this and why:

They have a distinctive greeting known as “Hongi,” in which they push their foreheads and noses together. They do this because they feel that exchanging lives and building a connection with the person being greeted are important. This unusual welcome is thought to be a way to show devotion.

They employ kunik, a non-sexual but intimate way of greeting. Unlike a kiss, it’s not romantic. Instead, one person gently presses their nose and upper lip against the other person’s skin, often on the cheek or forehead. They then breathe in slightly, creating a small suction that pulls the other person’s skin or hair in for a moment.

In countries like Oman, nose kissing is practised. The ‘nose’ of a haughty person is used by the Quran as a metaphor for both punishment and humiliation. Some believe that this symbolism explains why people give each other the “nose salute.”

In addition to greeting someone, you are conveying a message about your relationship with them when you give them the “nose salute.” Because the nose is a symbol of pride, pressing your noses against each other signifies humility and the fact that you are an equal.

Mongolian nomads of the Gobi Desert share a similar custom. In Southeast Asia, various cultures like the Bengali, Khmer, Lao, Thai, Vietnamese, and several indigenous groups in Indonesia greet each other in this way.