Kissing appears to be a natural part of our lives. There are also a number of ways to kiss. Some cultures kiss each other on each cheek as a means of greeting and this can take place between opposite and same sex. A kiss on the forehead is often used by a parent to a child. But, the one we will discuss here will be the lip-on-lip type which is related to romance and love.
However, as natural and universal as this might appear, it is not practised by everyone. Many other cultures have their own version of expressing their attraction to someone. If we consider the results of research undertaken by a university, out of 168 cultures around the world, only 46% identify with romantic lip-to-lip kissing.
Some cultures rub noses together. The people of Malay are known to adopt a very different way of showing emotional attachment. The woman would squat on the ground whilst the man bent over them. They would then take a quick sniff of each other. The first person to report this was apparently Charles Darwin. In the area of Papua New Guinea, some people will sit opposite each other and then nibble each other’s eyelashes.
So, why do we kiss on the lips? There are several theories as to why this may be so. One of them says that it is because it might be a carry-on from babies who are breastfed. It is thought that this lip touching is an innate reflex we are born with. Another theory states that this might be connected to ancient times when a parent would pre-chew food before passing it directly to a small child or baby. Evidence to perhaps support this is the fact that apes do this now.
Finally, why do other animals not kiss on the lips? One possibility is it has all to do with receiving the scent of the other person. Humans have a bad sense of smell when compared to many animals. Therefore, we humans have to get up close when animals can smell from afar.
John Pullen 