Bangladesh
Rakher Upobash: A Festival of Devotion and Light in Bangladesh
The Rakher Upobash festival is an important and visually stunning Hindu festival in Bangladesh, primarily celebrated by the Hindu community. It involves a ritual of fasting and prayer in honor of Baba Lokenath, a saint revered for his wisdom, ascetic life, and teachings of compassion.
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Hausa people show their power at the Durbar Festival
The Durbar Festival is a cultural, religious and equestrian celebration held by the Hausa people annually, usually coinciding with major Muslim festivities. It was born as military parades in the 14th century. During the celebration of the Durbar Festival, each noble house parades before the Emir, acting as a regiment, to demonstrate their loyalty to him as well as displaying that they are ready to defend him in the event of war.
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The Hindu ceremony Ganga Aarti
The Ganga Aarti is a Hindu ceremony held at dusk on the steps or ghats of cities such as Varanasi. The Ganga Aarti is a symbolic tribute to the power and sanctity of the Ganges River, which is considered the manifestation of the goddess Ganga, mother, purifier and protector of life.
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The syncretic bwiti religion
Bwiti is a cult or spiritual movement practiced by the Fang tribe of Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon and Gabon, as well as other ethnic groups such as the Punu and Mitsogo. The bwiti would be that which allows a person to obtain freedom from it. The bwiti incorporates animism, ancestor worship, and, in some cases, Christianity into a syncretic belief system.
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The Bonda people, inhabitants of the remote hills of Orissa
The Bonda people of India are a fascinating group with a rich cultural tradition and a deep connection to their natural environment. Their way of life, aesthetics and religious practices offer a unique window into one of the oldest and most resilient tribal cultures of the Indian subcontinent.
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The Mursi tribe, struggling to survive in a changing world
The Mursi are fighting because their lifestyle is under threat and they are suffering abuse by the dominant society. Despite the constant pressure, most Mursi are adapting to the new situation. That is a characteristic of the Human species: to survive or die. The Mursi want to continue living.
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