Ritual practices still done in the world

Putting Elderly Out to Die in the Ice (Eskimos) One of the most well-known stories about the Eskimos is the strange practice that they have adopted when facing death and old age. When old age strikes, the elderly Eskimos are taken out to sea and set adrift on a floating iceberg. Alone on their iceberg, the elderly must inevitably freeze or starve to death. Because the Eskimos believed that another world awaits their dead, they would be sending the elderly to move on to the afterlife with dignity, a way to gracefully exit without becoming a burden for the family. However, there are concerns that this practice is still in use among modern Eskimos. Drinking from Human Skulls and Practicing Cannibalism (India) The Aghoris of northern India are a splinter sect of Hinduism who still practice cannibalism. They consume the flesh of the dead bodies floating in the Ganges, in pursuit of immortality and supernatural powers. Members of the Aghori drink from human skulls and practice cannibalism in the belief that eating human flesh confers spiritual and physical benefits, such as the prevention of aging. Eating Dead People's Ashes (Venezuela and Brazil) The Yanomamö attribute a large fraction of deaths to the actions of malevolent shamans who send demons to consume the souls of people. Owing to this reason, upon death the corpse is very quickly burned. The men then collect and pulverize the bones and pour the ash into a set of gourds. After about a year, close relatives and villagers consume the ash, which is mixed into a large trough of plantain soup. This type of endocannibalism demonstrates affection for the dead and solidarity with the deceased's relatives. It also helps insure that the souls of the dead will find their way to a paradise, according to their tradition. Pulling a Tooth during Adulthood (Australia) In this ritual a man lies down on his back, resting his head on the lap of a sitting man. Later, he fills his mouth with fur string for the purpose of absorbing the blood, deadening the pain, and preventing the tooth from being swallowed, as well. The same man then takes a piece of wood in which a hole is made, usually the sharp end of a spear, presses it firmly against the tooth, and strikes it sharply with a stone.