When the World Stops Celebrating - Around the World in 4 Unique Festivities
From radish people to chasing after giant cheese wheels, countries around the world began to reintroduce some of their most unique and absurd celebrations after a global pandemic had shaken our planet out of its festive spirits.
During the uncertainties of COVID-19, the whole world was forced into social isolation. In a world infested with a new viral disease taking the lives of many, all morale was lost. The normal hustle and bustle of the life that we had known came to a halt.
All social gatherings and activities were put on a pause, and so was the spirit of populations across the globe. With so many people stuck stagnant at home, it was almost like the world had stopped spinning too.
Socialization is an essential feature of human nature and is the primary way we connect with each other. In a world no longer healthy enough to carry out festivals—adored and valuable to local and global populations—an essential cultural importance of socialization was lost.
On our social planet, celebrations and festivities are shared by members of groups and organizations across the globe, holding significance to individuals' identities in connection to not only their friends and family, but their roots, traditions, and cultures.
Here are four unique and seemingly odd celebrations that bring large crowds of people together every year.
1. Noches de Rábanos
Photo Courtesy of Ted McGrath
Noches de Rábanos, translating to Night of Radishes, is a celebration local to Oaxaca city in Mexico. The city hosts a unique Christmas tradition of carving the plump and vibrant red vegetable into beautiful sculptures that are displayed in the town plaza.
The tradition dating back over 100 years began as a way for merchants to attract more customers towards their produce around the holiday season, and was declared an official celebration in 1897. During the days leading up to the official gathering for intricately sculpted and designed radishes, artists would work on their designs of nativity scenes, animals, flower arrangements, centerpiece decor, and more.
Photo Courtesy of Rove.me
The popular festival has since continued to pique the interest of people from all over the city to come visit the whimsical attractions as an expression of culture and tradition. Artists and radish enthusiasts alike are also encouraged to participate in the annual radish sculpting competition for the chance to win a cash prize.
2. La Tomatina
The town of Bunol in Spain, hosts the world's largest food fight festival, Tomatina. All the townspeople of Bunol anticipate the chaos to come before huge crowds from all over the world flood the streets to throw overripe tomatoes at each other in a battle that is every man for themselves.
Photo Courtesy of The Atlantic
The summer festival takes place on the last Wednesday of August, and first began around 1945. The absurdity and scale of this festival bursting with energy… and exploding tomatoes, is extremely popular and exciting for so many. Since 2013, tickets have been limited to 20,000 sold yearly, with previous years seeing up to 50,000 participants, hosted in a city with a population of only 9,000.
Tomatia provides an excuse to let loose, get messy, laugh, and enjoy a friendly food battle under the warm Iberian Peninsula sun.
3. Kanamara Matsuri
Photo Courtesy of Atlas Obscura
Kanamara Matsuri, also known as the penis festival, expresses a more bizarre side of Japanese culture, however, it holds its own historical and social significance. The festival takes place in the Kanayama shrine, in the city of Kawasaki.
The shrine historically was warshiped by sexworkers that would seek protection from the Gods over STDs such as HIV. When the AIDs epidemic was on a rise in the 1980s, patrons would visit the shrine regularly, hoping to ward off the disease. The celebration that takes place every spring is now often viewed as a good omen for fertility and marriage while further raising awareness and funds for HIV foundations.
Phallic statues, candies, candles, jewelry, and other souvenirs become an amusing attraction for a festival that raises awareness on safe sex and revokes taboos of sexuality by rather celebrating new life.
4. Cheese Rolling
Cheese rolling is an unusual British tradition, and a signifier of British culture and history. With the tradition dating back over 600 years, some suggest cheese rolling began as a Pagan ritual for fertility. Taking place on Cooper's Hill in Gloucester, United Kingdom, many thrill seekers take up the dangerous challenge of chasing a large, three to four kilogram wheel of Double Gloucester cheese down the steep hill.
Participants tumble down the hill, often crashing into each other in the process, the first person to reach the bottom of the hill is claimed the winner for the annual competition. However, this game is not for the faint of heart as previous winners have been left with several injuries which include: broken bones and ligaments or concussions. This led the city to close down the official race in 2008 due to safety concerns. However, locals are still holding onto the tradition by hosting their own cheese race annually.
Photo Courtesy of The Atlantic
Why the world needs to celebrate:
Sharing customs with each other is not just an excuse to throw a party…
It also helps build community which provides a sense of belonging and a feeling part of something bigger than oneself. Regardless of how silly these festivities may seem, they all provide a reason for locals and tourists to come together, share their cultures, and provide a bit of irrationality and foolishness as a reminder to not take ourselves so seriously.
All of these unique festivals have either resumed operation in 2022 or expect to pick up again in 2023, as worry around the Coronavirus has begun to die down. As life slowly returns back to a more social environment, I believe all of us are receiving some well deserved connection to each other through such festivities which celebrate just how unique we are.
