Customs are the common practices, norms, or legal systems of a particular community. They act as social principles that enforce traditions.

Examples

1. Burial ceremonies are a tradition, while the principles and practices followed during the burial are customs.
2. Informal education through initiation is a tradition, but the specific principles used in the initiation process are customs.

Traditions and customs are created and passed down from one generation to the next. A tradition starts as a custom, which originates from individual or group behavior and then spreads throughout the society. When a community adopts these customs, they influence traditions.

However, traditions and customs may be lost if they are ignored or abandoned. Therefore, it is important for a society to carefully maintain and promote appropriate traditions and customs.

While customs play a crucial role in shaping traditions, bad customs and harmful practices must be strongly condemned. If such practices are accepted and adopted, they may influence traditions and become part of the culture.

With time, some traditions and customs may become outdated and contradict the interests of society. It is our responsibility to identify and eliminate such outdated and harmful traditions while preserving the valuable ones.