Across cultures, eating or catching fish seem to attract more superstitions than any other activity. On , ’s Aissatou Ba confirms without hesitation that the head of the fish should go to the eldest person at the table. It’s said to be “unlucky” not to, but in truth, this traditional practice ensures that the most nutritious part of the fish goes to the person who needs it most.
When it comes to fish heads, superstitions abound. It’s said that you should eat the head of the fish on the night of Rosh Hashanah in order to ensure that you “think with your head, not your tail” during the new year. At a Chinese new year gathering, the head of the fish should be positioned towards the most honourable member of the group. However, whoever eats the head should leave some behind, in order to ensure plenty of surplus in the year ahead. In Sicily, leaving a fish head on the doorstep of your enemy will keep them away at any time of year.
You should eat the head of the fish on the night of Rosh Hashanah in order to ensure that you “think with your head, not your tail” during the new year.
It’s not just the heads that get superstition all riled up. There are many superstitions attached to seafood, fish and the sea. It seems that most cultures around the world are deeply suspicious of all three. It’s not all bad, though. There are just as many fishy superstitions attached to good luck as there are attached to bad. Unless you’re a fisherman, who are pretty much all doom and gloom.
Get the recipe for fish head curry .
Fish head curry is a great way to ensure everyone at the table gets a head. Source: Sharyn Cairns
Fish flipping fiasco
Did you know that it’s bad luck to flip over a cooked fish? If you grew up in any number of fishing regions in China, this superstition would be embedded on your very soul. (Or should that be sole?) Flip a cooked fish and you’ve doomed a ship to capsize.
In Sicily, leaving a fish head on the door step of your enemy will keep them away at any time of year.
So how exactly do you eat the other side of your fish? “In my family, we pull the meat from beneath the fish, leaving the bone in place,” says Rachel Yu Chen, whose family emigrated to Sydney from Guangzhou in the Guangdong Province. “I don’t really believe that a boat is going to capsize, but I still wouldn’t dare flip the fish.”
Get the recipe for this deep-fried snapper with green mango salad .
Boats across the world are begging you: do not flip this fish! Source: Sharyn Cairns
Fishermen are bananas
As demonstrated by an entire culture’s fish flipping avoidance, fishermen and other seafarers are arguably the most suspicious people in the world. Some of their curious beliefs include the fact that sailing with women causes treacherous sea conditions; whistling on board ‘whistles up a storm’, and not shedding blood in a fight or accident prior to the fishing season means you’ll have bad luck.
I don’t really believe that a boat is going to capsize, but I still wouldn’t dare flip the fish.
There’s also the fact that stirring your tea with a knife or fork will invite bad luck… or just bad manners. Also, having a redhead on a boat means you won’t catch anything unless you speak to them before they speak to you. Actually, chances are they won’t be speaking to you ever again after you mention that having them around is bad luck.
(presumably very lucky) Thai-style smoked of fish wrapped in betel leaf.
No idea what a fisherman would make of a fish dish wrapped in banana leaves... Source: Food Safari Water
Of all the strange fishing superstitions, though, the banana on a boat theory has got to be the wildest. They are believed to be so unlucky that having a single banana on board means a ship will become lost. No idea what cargo ships transporting whole boatloads of bananas back in the day made of that…
Not-very-koi pet
According to the Chinese, fishermen would be wise to forget the bananas and keep fish rather than catch them. Owning a fish is considered a good move, due to the Mandarin characters for fish and water being associated with ‘plenty’.
“Most Chinese families try to keep a pet fish,” confirms Chen. “A red or gold dragonfish or arowana is considered especially beneficial as they are also the lucky colours. Arowana sells for many thousands of dollars in China.”
Bananas are so unlucky that having a single banana on board means a ship will become lost. No idea what cargo ships transporting whole boatloads of bananas back in the day made of that…
Koi is another fish that is favoured by the Chinese for its special lucky powers. The same is true in Japanese culture, where the koi carp has come to represent everything from courage and perseverance, to good fortune and prosperity. Initially, koi symbolised love and friendship, as the word for koi is a homophone for the word for “affection”.
Arowana are prized for their beauty and are the most expensive aquarium fish in the world. Source: Getty Images
Carping on and on
An ancient story about koi swimming up a waterfall inspired , an annual national holiday in Japan on 5 May. Traditionally, every family flew homemade koinobori, giant carp windsocks, from flagpoles next to their houses in the month leading up to Children’s Day and for a couple of weeks after. These days koinobori can be purchased from toy stores and many families still honour the Children’s Day carp flag fest.
While koi is sacred in China and Japan, in Trinidad and Tobago, it is the cascadoux, a member of the catfish family, which is legendary. It is said that once you eat cascadoux, you will stay in Trinidad for the rest of your days. That’s one way to flout visa laws for this beautiful island nation. A word of warning, though: Trinidad is positively brimming with bananas.
You can watch the seafood celebrations unfold in the entire series of with Maeve O'Meara via . Visit the for recipes, videos and more.
