5 Countries with Unique Festivals, Including Scotland's Burns Night

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Countries around the globe each have their own unique festivals that are tied to the nation’s cultural identities. These festivals undoubtedly attract both domestic and international visitors who wish to bask in the joyous and festive atmosphere during the celebration period. 

Deriving from the plethora of festivals around the world, Tempo has compiled five countries with some of the most interesting ones to explore as listed below. 

Countries with Unique Festivals 

1. Japan

The East Asian country is notable for its unique tradition of celebrating the blooming of cherry blossoms across the country. Known as Hanami (flower viewing), this festival brought Japanese and tourists abroad to enjoy the transient beauty of cherry blossoms by holding picnics under the blooming trees with family and friends. This festival is generally held annually during springtime, from late March to early April. 

2. India

Diwali is a five-day festival in India, known as the Festival of Light. Diwali celebrates the victory of knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and light over darkness. Many fun activities are part of the celebrations, including traditional dances, decorating houses with lights and diyas, exchanging gifts and sweets with family and friends, and performing special prayers. Different parts of India give their own meaning to Diwali celebrations.

3. Scotland

The Scottish have their own one-of-a-kind festival celebrating the birth of Robert Burns called the Haggis Festival or Burns Night. The celebrations range from a simple gathering to elaborate ceremonies with the common thread being the Burns Supper, with haggis as the star of the meal. Robert Burns’ ode To a Haggis will be recited along with other songs and poems of the notable Scottish poet. This festival is lively, with a hearty mixture of seriousness and humor.

4. Brazil

One of the biggest festivals in Brazil is the Rio de Janeiro Carnival, which features the Samba Dance parade. The Brazilian dance is vibrant and requires. The carnivals draw tourists from around the world in a global community that celebrates performance art, culture, and tradition. 

5. China

China has the Dragon Boat Festival which celebrates water, floods, and rain as symbols of good luck and goodness. There are various activities during the festival, including the mesmerizing dragon boat race. This festival is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. The most popular story behind this thousand-year-old festival is the death of Qu Yuan, a poet who drowned himself in the Miluo River after being sent into exile for warning the empire of a possible expansion. 

AULIA ULVA

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