La Pourcailhade
La Pourcailhade or the festival of the pig is organized on the second sunday in August in Trie sur Baïse, Hautes-Pyrénées, France. The organizer of this festival is La Confrérie du Cochon or the Brotherhood of the Pig. The first festival was held in 1975.
The main sensation of this unusual festival is the pig squealing championships. Competitors try to imitate sounds made by pig. Different sounds have to be imitated like for example when pig is born or having sex. The festival also includes a black pudding eating competition, a piglet race and the best piggy costume contest.
Hare Pie Scramble and Bottle Kicking
Hare Pie Scramble and Bottle Kicking is a traditional event held on the Easter Monday in the English village of Hallaton, Leicestershire. The event starts with a hare pie procession from the local Fox Inn to St. Michael’s Church. The procession includes several characters. It is lead by a man dressed in green who carries a pole with a metal hare on its top. He is accompanied by a woman in the ancient clothes. She holds a basket full of penny loaves. Penny loaf (bun) used to be a common English bread which was sold at one old penny when there were 240 pence to the pound.
Boryeong Mud Festival
The Boryeong Mud Festival (in Korean Boryeong meod chukje) has been organized in Boryeong, South Korea since 1998. The festival started as a promotion of the local mud rich in minerals that have positive effects on human health.
Nowadays the festival also draws attention of many who just want to have a good time. The festival includes mud wrestling, mud marathon, mud painting and numerous photo contests. Each year about two million people from all over the world arrive the festival. In 2010 the festival will be organized between the 17th and 25th of July.
New Year celebration in the Dominican Republic
The same as everywhere else people of the Dominican Republic enter the New Year with hopes for the better future. Several traditions are observed for this occasion. Locals clean their homes very thoroughly. It is believed that it brings good luck.
Colour of the clothes worn on the New Year's Day dependes on your wishes for the coming year. Wearing green means that your main priority is to improve your financial situation. Red clothes means wish for a bright future. Yellow clothes represent your fish for an improvement at your work. Wearing white symbolize your wish for good health.
Ladybug
Ladybug (Lady Beetle or Ladybird Beetle) is one of the most popular bugs. There are about 5,000 ladybug species in the world. Many of them have spots on them. The most popular ladybug is the one with black spots. Ladybug can have up to 20 spots on her body.
ladybug
Tajik wedding
Tajik wedding is a week long event. On the first day bride and groom declare to everyone that they are to be married. In next three days bride and groom hold separate parties with their families. On the fifth day the groom with his cousins and friends go to the bride's home.
traditional Tajik wedding
Omamori
Omamori (in Japanese o-mamori means honourable protector) is a traditional Japanese charm dedicated to some Shinto Kami (gods, angels, spirits) or Buddhist figure. Omomori is usually made of cloth. People keep omamori together with a piece of wood or paper with prayers written on it.
omamori - traditional Japanese charm
Kris dagger
Kris (keris, kalis) is a double-edged dagger exisiting in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand (Patani), Philippines (Mindanao) and Cambodia (Cham). What makes this dagger rather unusual is its wavy blade. I have never seen such a blade. Nobody really knows why this shape has been used. Kris in Indonesia has the title Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, which was awarded to this country in 2005 by the UNESCO.
Traditional drums of Sri Lanka
Drums have been part of everyday life in Sri Lanka for more than 2,500 years. It is believed that there are about 30 traditional drums. But only some 10 of them are used today. They are Geta Bera (Bera drum), Yak Bera, Davula, Thammattama, Udakkiya, Dakkiya, Bummadiya, Hand Rabana, Bench Rabana and Dandu Beraya.
Sinulog
The Sinulog is a festival organized in Cebu City, Philippines on the third Sunday in January. The festivals is dedicated to the the Santo Niño (Holy Child) or Baby Jesus. The festival commemorates Pagan past and acceptance of Roman Catholicism by the local people. The festival lasts for 9 days. The highlights of Sinulog are held close to its ending.
