Classifications of Festivals
• Animistic
1. The Yam Festival- in some countries of West Africa, the first
crop of yams is offered to Gods and ancestors.
2. Habye- a Togo festival in which ‘death’ is stuffed into a pot
and disposed of in the mountains.
3. Alacita- a three day festival in Bolivia praising Ekeko, the
God of prosperity.
4.
• Christian Festivals
1. Christmas- celebrating the birth of Jesus, by giving gifts and celebrating
together with family.
2. Advent- is the start of the Christian year and is the four week period before.
3. Epiphany- the twelfth day of Christmas, celebrates the visit of the wise men,
or magi, to the baby Jesus.-
4. Lent- Lent is the 40 day period before Easter beginning with Ash Wednesday.
5. Easter Sunday- This is the most important date in the Church Year, when
Christians celebrate Jesus' resurrection from dead.
6. Ascension Day- commemorates the ascension of Jesus into heaven forty days
after his resurrection from the dead.
7. Good Friday- commemorates the death of Jesus
8. Palm Sunday- This is the Sunday before Easter. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on
a donkey. Christians receive palm crosses and may process around the church.
9. Harvest- Christians celebrate harvest festivals in the autumn. It is a thanks
giving to God for his beautiful and fruitful creation.
10. Pentecost- is the festival when Christians celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit.
• Muslim Festivals
1. Eid- Ul- Adha- is the celebration of sacrifice and marks the end of Hajj, the
annual pilgrimage to Mecca
2. Dhu Al- Hijja- The month of pilgrimage during which all Muslims, at least
once in their life, should try to make the pilgrimage to Mecca.
3. Ashura- The day of Ashura is marked by Muslims as a whole, but for Shia
Musli
4. Ramadan- is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and a time when
Muslims across the world will fast (do not eat) during the hours of daylight.
5. Eid- Al-Fitr- is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic
holy month of fasting.
6. Milad an- Nabi- Muslims celebrate this occasion with great rejoicing.
Muslims gather to narrate the stories of the Prophet's birth, childhood, his
character, manhood and his mission
7. Lailat al- Qadar- The night in which the prophet Mohammed received the
first revelation from God.
8. Hari Raya Poasa- celebration at the end of the feasting month of Ramadan.
Begins with a ritual of cleansing.
• Secular Festivals
1. New year’s Day- first day of Gregorian year.
2. Groundhog Day- is a popular American tradition observed in the United States and
Canada on February 2nd.
3. Valentines Day- It originated as a Western Christian feast day honoring one or two
early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and is recognized as a significant cultural,
religious, and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the
world.
4. International Women’s Day- because women gained suffrage in Soviet Russia in
1917, March 8 became a national holiday there.
5. World kidney day- is a global health awareness campaign focusing on the
importance of the kidneys and reducing the frequency and impact of kidney disease
and its associated health problems worldwide.
6. April Fool’s Day- is an annual custom on April 1, consisting of practical jokes and
hoaxes.
7. Autism Day- celebrated for people with autism to empower them.
8. Earth Day- is an annual event celebrated around the world on April 22 to
demonstrate support for environmental protection.
9. International Worker’s Day- is a celebration of labourers and the working classes that
is promoted by the international labour movement .
10. World environment Day- is the United Nations' principal vehicle for encouraging
awareness and action for the protection of our environment.
