Homecoming Traditions Around the World, from China to Saudi Arabia
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9 April 2024 11:19 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Homecoming is a tradition that is routinely carried out by Indonesian people, especially Muslims, before Eid al-Fitr. Homecoming is a general term for the activity of returning to your hometown or land of birth.
Gadjah Mada University (UGM) anthropologist Heddy Shri Ahimsa-Putra said that the term “mudik” or homecoming became widely known in the 1970s. At the time, the New Order regime carried out massive development of economic centers in big cities, such as Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, and Medan, which resulted in people from across the country moving to the big cities to work and settle down.
For these people, especially Muslims, Eid al-Fitr became one of the rare times they could reconvene with their families in their hometown.
4 Countries With Similar Homecoming Traditions
1. China
In China, the homecoming tradition does not only take place during Eid but also occurs during Chinese New Year celebrations. According to ibtimes.co.uk, Chinese New Year celebrations in China are much more lively than Eid al-Fitr. Many residents use this moment to return to their hometowns so they can celebrate with their families.
2. Saudi Arabia
Muslims in Saudi Arabia also carry out the homecoming phenomenon ahead of Eid al-Fitr. Just like in Indonesia, families in their hometowns decorate their houses as beautifully as possible and prepare various typical Eid dishes to welcome other family members who will visit.
3. Japan
Golden Week is a week-long holiday in Japan that typically falls at the end of April and the beginning of May each year. Many Japanese use this opportunity to leave urban areas such as Tokyo for their hometowns. During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Japanese government mandated its citizens to stay home during the Golden Week, which turned the holiday into a “Stay Home Week”.
4. Malaysia
As a neighboring country of Indonesia, both countries have similar Eid homecoming traditions.
According to Nur Yamsi Zakina, an Indonesian migrant worker in Johor Bahru, Malaysians often bring homemade cakes to their hometowns for families to enjoy. Typically, people in Malaysia will start traveling home two days before Eid al-Fitr.
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