Festivals

y In Vietnam, the most important festival is Tet (short for Tet Nguyen Dan, meaning the first day ) which occurs in late January/early February at the same time as Chinese New Year. Officially, Tet celebrations last a week but in practice the festivities continue much longer. Before the New Year begins, crowds throng in the streets setting off firecrackers to repel the evil spirit Na A, who is frightened away by noise and bright lights. y The new year is celebrated in mid-April in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar but the name and celebrations differ from country to country. Known as Songkran in Thailand, Pimai in Laos, Chaul Chnam Thmey (or simply Cambodian New Year) in Cambodia and Thingyan in Myanmar, the common elements are three day of festivities and water. Water is thrown on everyone in Thailand, Laos and Myanmar while in Cambodia it is more restrained with people washing themselves, their parents and grandparents as well as statues of Buddha. The throwing of water originated as a way to pay respect, by capturing the water after it had been poured over Buddha statues and then using this blessed water to give good fortune to elders by gently pouring it on the shoulder. y Another fun event is the two-day Laotian festival of Boun Bang Fai (rocket festival) which has its origins in pre-Buddhist rain-invoking ceremonies. Large bamboo rockets are built and decorated by monks and carried in procession before being blasted into the sky to invite rain. A rocket builder gets more praise the higher a rocket goes, while designers of failed rockets are thrown in the mud. The festival is accompanied by parades, singing, dancing and general merrymaking. y In Cambodia, Prachum Benda, (colloquially called Pchum Ben) is a 15-day observance in mid-September to commemorate ancestors spirits. For fourteen days, special food is prepared for ancestral spirits to enjoy. Before noon, candles and incense are lit and a prepared list of names is recited and burned by monks to alert and direct wandering souls to the location of their families. The fourteen day lead-up to Pchum Ben is a time of remembrance and an opportunity to accumulate good karma on behalf of one s ancestors. Pchum Ben, the fifteenth

and final day, involves large gatherings and festivities at the local Buddhist temple and communal feasts. y Loy Krathong Held on the full moon of the 12th month on the traditional Thai Calendar (generally early November) Loy Krathong is one of Thailand s most popular and elegant festivals. A krathong is a raft about 6-10 inches in diameter, traditionally made from banana tree bark (modern-day versions use bread 'flowers' and/or styrofoam). These krathongs are decorated with elaboratelyfolded banana leaves, flowers, candles and incense. On the night of the full moon, people release they re small rafts on a river or body of water, giving thanks to the goddess of water Phra Mae Khongkha. In addition, fireworks and beauty contests take place during the festival. y The end of the fasting month of Ramadan is a big event in Muslim countries such as Indonesia, Brunei and Malaysia. Known as Lebaran in Indonesia (Hari Raya in Malaysia and Brunei) it is a time when Muslims visit family and friends, traditional foods are eaten, new clothing is worn and visits are made to recreational parks. The end of Ramadan begins with mass prayer gatherings early in the morning at mosques, parks and on major streets. Watching rows of hundreds of Muslim women all dressed in white, head-to-toe prayer gowns performing the synchronized prayer ritual is an incredible sight. y In Brunei, the end of Ramadan involves three days of celebrations and the first day is the only day of the year that the Istana Nurul Iman royal palace is open to the public. In December, Muslims commemorate Prophet Ibrahim with the Festival of Sacrifice. This involves the sacrifice of cows and goats with the meat being given to the poor, as well as friends and family. y In Malaysia s Sabah state, Sabah Kaammantan (aka Harvest Festival) in May is the native festival of the Kadazan-Dusun, Sabah s largest ethnic group.The Harvest Festival is a celebration in honor of Bambaazon, the spirit of the rice padi. y Another notable festival in Malaysia is the Tamil Hindu celebration of Thaipusam. At the full moon in late January, many thousands of worshippers

congregate at the entrance of the Batu caves north of Kuala Lumpur to ask Lord Muraga, the god of war, to cleanse their sins and to ask for good health and prosperity in the coming year. y Thaipusam is also celebrated in the multi-religious Singapore, along with Deepavali, the Festival of Lights in October/November when Hindus adorn their homes with lights and oil lamps. Singapore also hosts big Chinese and Buddhist celebrations such as the Lantern Festival (September/October) which involves the lighting of fireworks, folk dancing and floating lanterns on the lake. Locals head to the gardens at night to eat Chinese pastries and mooncakes while lion dancers wander the streets accompanied by a cacophony of cymbals and drums. Vesak Day in April/May celebrates Buddha s birth, enlightenment and death and is marked by the release of caged birds, the giving of gifts to the poor and mass candlelight processions with thousands of devotees chanting sutras. y The vast majority of Filipinos are Catholic but they celebrate their faith like no other country and barely a day goes by when there is not a festival (fiesta) in some part of the country. The month long Feast of the Child Jesus honors the young Jesus and consists of processions and performances. Perhaps the wildest celebration is the Ati-atihan festival held on the third weekend of January. Participants wear colorful costumes, paint their bodies black and perform tribal dance to the distinctive beat of Hala bira . y The Flores de Mayo, known as the Queen of Filipino Festivals, is a week-long festival held in May which sees street processions in almost every town honoring Queen Helen and Constantine. Beautiful, young Filipinas accompanied by handsome escorts walk the streets under elaborately adorned hand-carried bamboo arcs. The Philippines also has the longest Christmas celebration in the world, starting on the 16th of December and ending on the 6th of January, with huge masses and gatherings to celebrate the birth of Jesus.