This was brought up watching Bloodsport. I know, shitty 80's movie, But it hold a place in my heart, and watching the crowd with such diversity, It made me ask myself this question.
hi! there's always room for more contributions, but FYI this question has come up a few times; see here for previous responses
When did people start clapping to show appreciation?
How did the round of applause come into being?
When did the act of applause become commonplace?
How/when did clapping become an appropriate form of appreciation?
In Patrick French's biography of Sir Francis Younghusband he tells of the British entry into Lhasa in 1904, after Britain's invasion of Tibet. Younghusband was very gratified when the local population lined his route and 'applauded'. He didn't realise that clapping was the Tibetan way of chasing away demons or bad spirits. This has stayed with me, as a metaphor for Younghusbands life. I wonder if clapping as applause has been adopted in modern Tibet.