Learn about the Various Cultures of South America, China and India
July 31st, 2010It doesn’t matter where you are travelling to, going abroad is always a wonderful adventure. One of the prime lessons one can acquire by traveling abroad is that each culture has its own quirks and eccentricities, but is of level importance to all other threads in the quilt of humanity. Every regional color works together in weaving a cultural story of the world. Cultures differ in their dances, customs, and perhaps most interestingly, their holidays. Looking at the 3 prominent regions, we can visualise how South Americans, Chinese and Indians celebrate holidays.
South America holidays are primarily Catholic in nature. Because of this, Saints festivals are some of the most common holidays in South America; Dia de Todos Los Santos for instance celebrates all Catholic saints, but each day of the year celebrates a specific saint. Individuals in South America are often named for the saint whose day they were born on. One of the most best-known festivals in South America is Carnaval, the equivalent of Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday. This festival celebrates the day before the forty-day Catholic festival of Lent and involves vast celebrations of excess, samba music, and parades.
Holidays in China can be very different for the locals and are very different to other countries. China is recognized for its unique culture where the sacred and orthodox meets the modern and the eccentric. The chinese celebrate their holidays with great spiritual importance. The spring festival, or Chinese New Year, is the largest holiday celebrated in China. Virtually all of the different ethnic groups in China hold the day sacred, partaking in many rituals and ceremonials to ensure luck in the next year. More modern holidays such as Women’s Day is also celebrated, this is where all women in China are permitted to take time off work.
Holidays in India have a different tone than either of the aforementioned regions. These holidays range from those associated to Hinduism to Christian holidays, to Muslim festivities. For the Indian population, holidays come every day of the year. The most famous civic holiday celebrated is the birthday of celebrated civil rights leader, Mohandas Gandhi. Gandhi’s natal day has been declared as a day of non-violence, and no alcohol is traded on this day in his respect.
World travel is made more interesting when you research a little bit about the culture in which you’ll be staying. These holidays are a short list of the many wonderful and breathtaking holidays seen abroad.
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