One idea, many places
Weddings, birth, funerals, new year, harvest, hospitality and more, compared side by side: what the same human moment looks like in different countries.
Presented by ClearTrust Free for the curious, the homesick and the hosts.
WeddingsNo celebration is kept in more ways than the wedding. It may last an hour or a fortnight, take place in a temple, a church, a tent or a town hall, and involve dozens of rites: a bride's henna, a groom's procession, a tea ceremony for the parents, a seven-step walk around a fire, a broken glass, a ring, a veil, a dance.20 places comparedBirth and new babiesA birth is welcomed by every culture, and nearly all of them wrap the first days in special customs. The mother is rested and fed, the baby is washed and wrapped, and the family gathers to bless, name and show the child.18 places comparedNaming ceremoniesA name is a first gift, and many cultures mark it with a ceremony. The child is presented to the family and the community, a name is chosen or revealed, and prayers and blessings are said.20 places comparedComing of ageAround the world, a young person's step into adulthood is marked by a ceremony. It may be a ritual of seclusion and teaching, a religious confirmation, a party, a change of dress or a legal day when new rights begin.19 places comparedDeath and mourningEvery culture has a way to say goodbye. Funeral customs prepare the body, gather the family and community, speak the words that give comfort and mark the weeks and years that follow.18 places comparedNew YearThe new year is celebrated on more days than any other festival. In January for much of the world, in February for the Lunar New Year, in March for Nowruz, in April for Songkran, Vaisakhi and Pohela Boishakh, in September for Rosh Hashanah and Enkutatash, in October or November for Diwali in parts of India, each culture has a calendar of its own.20 places comparedHarvest and thanksgivingWhen the crop is in, people celebrate. Harvest festivals are among the oldest in the world, and nearly every farming society has one.18 places comparedHospitality and welcomeGuests are treated as a blessing in most of the world, and many cultures have elaborate rules for welcoming them. A cup of coffee in Arabia, tea in Central Asia, bread and salt in Russia, a lei in Hawaii, a kava bowl in Fiji, an extra place at the table in Greece: these are small acts with deep roots.20 places comparedGreetings and farewellsHow people say hello and goodbye tells you a great deal about a culture. A bow in Japan, a namaste with joined hands in India, a nose press in New Zealand, three kisses in the Netherlands, a long enquiry after the family in West Africa: each is a small ritual of respect.18 places comparedPilgrimageMillions of people travel every year to a place they hold sacred. The hajj to Mecca, the walk to Santiago, the bath at the Kumbh Mela, the circling of Mount Kailash, the climb of Mount Fuji, the visit to Lourdes or the Western Wall: each is a journey with a purpose beyond travel.20 places comparedFasting and feastingFasting and feasting belong together. Most of the world's great faiths set aside days or seasons for going without, and nearly all follow them with a meal of celebration.19 places comparedNew homes and beginningsMoving into a new home is a threshold in life, and cultures all over the world mark it with a ritual. The house may be blessed by a priest, entered at a lucky moment, cleansed with smoke, seasoned with a pot of boiling milk or marked with a gift of bread and salt.18 places comparedSpring and renewalWhen the days lengthen and the ground softens, people around the world celebrate. Spring festivals welcome the return of green, flowers, light and the farming year, and they are among the most colourful of all.20 places comparedMidwinter and the longest nightIn the far north the year turns on its darkest day. Around the winter solstice, in late December, many peoples have lit fires, brought evergreens indoors, feasted, given gifts and told stories to carry themselves through the cold.20 places comparedRemembering the ancestorsAlmost every society keeps a way of staying in touch with those who came before. Some set a place at the table, some sweep a grave, some light a lamp, and some tell the names aloud at every gathering.19 places comparedHealing, luck and protectionPeople everywhere have made charms, rites and habits to keep harm away and bring good fortune. A red thread round the wrist, an evil-eye bead, a horseshoe over the door, a lucky coin, a herb bundle burned for blessing, a prayer said when a child sneezes: these are small, everyday customs, handed down in families.18 places comparedRoyalty and coronationKings, queens, emperors and chiefs have been crowned, enthroned and anointed in ceremonies that are among the oldest in the world. Some are very ancient and still performed, such as the English coronation in Westminster Abbey, the Japanese enthronement and the Ashanti stool rites.20 places comparedTea, coffee and the drinking ceremonyA cup of tea or coffee is more than a drink. It is a greeting, a pause, a business deal and an act of friendship.19 places compared