Tue, Feb 4, 2020
In the heart of the Amazon rainforest of Brazil, the Sateré-Mawé people have a rite of passage to adulthood where a show of bravery turns boys into men. According to tribe members, this painful initiation prepares the young men for life and proves they are capable of fulfilling their reproduction obligations.
Thu, Feb 13, 2020
The tattooing practiced in Samoa is not comparable to the fashionable trend in Europe. In Samoa, tattooing is above all a rite signifying that the individual belongs to a group, and it is extremely painful. The more painful it is, the more Stivi approaches the state of a real, accomplished man.
Wed, Feb 19, 2020
Every year in Jacmel, on the south coast of Haiti, festivities take on an intensity that is not found elsewhere. The Haitians do not depict dream-like characters in their parades, but instead monsters or specters. This is a way for them to deal with the difficulties of the past, and also those of the present.
Thu, Feb 6, 2020
Simple colored powder can break down the barriers between people. Since the dawn of antiquity, to mark the spring equinox, the whole of India celebrates Holi, the festival of colors. During this celebration, Indians of all castes throw colored powder in the faces of people they meet.
Sun, Feb 16, 2020
Holy Week is among the most important rituals in Christianity. The week before Easter, Holy Week celebrates the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Seville, Spain, from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, dozens of processions take place, each one led by one of the 60 brotherhoods in the city.
Tue, Feb 18, 2020
Simply put, "Ukuli Bula" is a bull jumping ceremony. The idea for those who participate is to perform three consecutive jumps over three large bulls, without falling over. If the young man, or "Ukuli," fails in his endeavor, he will be mocked by the village, and will not be allowed to marry.
Mon, Feb 10, 2020
Each May, the Quechuas of the high plateau converge on Macha a spectacular and violent ritual called Tinku, a fertility ritual in the form of fighting. The blood that is shed feeds Pachamama, the Earth Mother, who is responsible for good harvests, fertility in women, and a large herd of llamas.
Mon, Feb 17, 2020
On May 24 each year, travelers from Europe flock to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer in France for a festive ritual in honor of Patron Saint Sara with whom travelers greatly identify. For one week, between 8,000 and 10,000 travelers travel to Camargue, filling the streets, squares, and seafront with energy.
Tue, Feb 11, 2020
"First marriage and then love." This Indian proverb describes Indian society quite accurately in terms of how the tradition of marriage is perceived and experienced in the country. In India, people do not just marry whoever they wish. It is the family that decides in an arrangement called Shaadi.
Wed, Feb 12, 2020
Each year in Tangbyon an important ritual takes place where thousands of Burmans ask their mediums to dance so they may contact the Nats, spirits that can offer them a better future. Since homosexuality is illegal here, the ritual provides a space where L.G.B.T.Q. people can exist without hiding.
Thu, Feb 20, 2020
From July to September each year, the people of Madagascar organize a traditional rite: the Famadihana, or the "return of the dead." During the ceremony, bodies are removed from their vaults and their descendants happily carry the exhumed body of the deceased on their shoulders, and dance.
Wed, Feb 5, 2020
On 1 November each year, in the cemeteries of the Sacatépequez region of Guatemala, Guatemalans communicate with the deceased in a unique and poetic way, using kites. Guatemalans believe with all their heart that the kites spiritually link them to communicate with their beloved ancestors.