The Matchmaking Cultures of the World

It’s no surprise to us that the varying kingdoms and countries of the world all have their own unique dating cultures and matchmaking habits.

Given enough time, cultures like these flourish through generations upon generations of practice, successfully establishing a solid societal standard for determining matches - effectively determining the history of nations and the way their paths played out.

In ancient times, many different parts of the world saw a traditional practice of deciding who, how, when, and why any two people should be unified by marriage for whatever reason.

That’s called matchmaking, and it’s a tradition as old as time, observed all over the world in many different cultures.

The people who came before us had their own values and beliefs - all complex and reflective of the social and political climate of the times they lived in, influenced by rulers, emperors, religion, or ways of the past that they have resonated with for thousands of years.

Any specific belief or tradition that an ancient civilization practiced was likely something passed down through an indefinitely vast amount of time by which the people who came before them practiced the same thing religiously. Through this cycle, modern matchmaking cultures have flourished into what they are today - a reflection of the past that stretches into the future.

The world as we know it is composed of so many different cultures and ways of thinking that we’ve seen so many different blends of them, like different genetic strains of a plant crossbred with any of the thousands of variant hybrids, much like dialects of different mindsets and attitudes that continue to shift and evolve, forming the modern constructs that we see today.

Larger cities with bigger, Westernized populations tend to adapt to more modern thoughts towards matchmaking, whereas rural and provincial places that are situated so close to each other tend to adapt to ideas from their neighbors - resulting in an even more diverse mix of ideas borrowed from and incorporated into their own.

It’s only natural that different cultures who have historical roots together practice similar ideas.

Some are progressive, some outdated. Some are so peculiarly ancient that they seem barbaric by modern standards, and on the other hand, some are so wholesome that you wonder why it’s so rare nowadays.

With that being said, let’s take a look at a few of the matchmaking cultures that are observable in different nations in every part of the world today, their historical backgrounds, and the implications they have on modern society.

Arranged marriage

The concept of somebody deciding on a life partner for you is perplexingly illogical for most modern day Western thinkers, as it’s very rarely practiced in the United States or in Europe.

For the most part, current Western perceptions towards arranged marriages probably picture out the highly intricate and stylized Hindu wedding ceremonies, or unsurprisingly, the matchmaking scene from Mulan that we grew up thinking about.

It’s a widely-criticized practice, and many still debate about the moral and ethical implications it has on the rights of human beings. Despite this, nearly all traditional Hindu denominations still exercise some version of this, and so do some orthodox Jews.

In the Western world, it’s extremely rare to see marriages like these. However, many modern day cultures have relevant implications in traditional Muslim cultures, royal monarch families, African tribes, and Amish societies.

Many parts of ancient Asia used to practice this (and still do). Many argue that closely-knit communities that practiced this form of marriage for centuries had no issue with it since they saw beyond their personal desires, prioritizing the welfare of the entire community.

This is also why so many tribal societies practiced this.

The unity of a tribe was usually in the collective interest of everyone in it, and hundreds upon thousands of years have ingrained an innate responsibility in these people to prioritize the political, economic, and sustainable welfare of the group as a whole.

Some cultures that were known to practice this in the past have declined in prevalence, and it really depends on a person’s parents and how involved they are in these traditional communities.

Some no longer practice arranged marriage, and they have gravitated more towards Western perceptions of such a concept.

The modern wingman

This is probably the most common form of matchmaking, aside from going out and finding a match yourself.

At some point in our lives, we’ve experienced this dynamic at play - often in middle school and high school, up until now. Social gatherings and outings where different young people socialize are where your friends are most likely to try to be a wingman for you.

If you haven't heard of the term, a “wingman” or “wingwoman” is any person (usually a friend or family member) who helps their friend meet and mingle with other potential love interests.

A wingman will make arrangements to introduce you to their friend, and they will see to it that you two are well acquainted in hopes of a romantic spark emerging.

This has happened for all of human history.

Online international matchmaking

This form of matchmaking is a marvel of the modern world and a testament to the wonders of advanced technology and communication abilities.

Currently (and since the late 90’s and early 2000’s), online matchmaking agencies and international dating apps have found an efficient way to pair up any two people from any two parts of the world.

These services have real, verified men and women registered with the company which guarantees their genuineness.

Aside from this, one main feature of these services is that you have the ability to curate the type of partner you’re looking for, down to specifics like race, height, weight - all of that.

In general, most of these services seek to pair young Asian or European girls with Western men, and these services are available to all.

These are just a few of the countless matchmaking traditions practiced by both the previous and current generations, but what they all have in common is the pursuit of a positive outcome.

Through matchmaking services, one can only hope to find someone with whom they can share a long lasting relationship, one that can possibly lead to a happy married life.

Regardless of the different types of matchmaking cultures that have existed throughout the years, one thing is for sure: These services are here to stay.

As such, for those who have had their doubts about this modern dating platform and experience, the best time to immerse yourself in such an exciting culture is now.