Traditional Festivals: A Multicultural Encyclopedia, Volume 2This illustrated reference work covers a wide range of festivals that have sacred origins and are or have been part of a folk tradition, a world religion, or a major civilization. Traditional Festivals: A Multicultural Encyclopedia travels around the world and across the centuries to uncover an often unexpected richness of meaning in some of the major sacred festivals of the world's religions, the hallowed calendars of ancient civilizations, and the seasonal celebrations of tribal cultures. From Akitu to Yom Kippur, its 150+ entries look at the content and context of these festivals from a number of perspectives (including those relating to theology, anthropology, folklore, and social theory), tracing their historical development and variations across cultures. Readers will get a vivid sense of what each festival means to the people celebrating it; how each captures its culture's beliefs, hopes and fears, founding myths, and redemptive visions; and how each expresses the universal need of humans to connect their lives to a timeless spiritual dimension. |
From inside the book
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Page 294
... plays straight and right . If he does not play straight he will lose all . . . The game is sacred , for it is the Great Spirit's game . It represents life , to some extent . The sacrifice , playing straight to win the reward , and the ...
... plays straight and right . If he does not play straight he will lose all . . . The game is sacred , for it is the Great Spirit's game . It represents life , to some extent . The sacrifice , playing straight to win the reward , and the ...
Page 310
... Play of Rama " ) is the highlight of this festival of the Tenth Day . For the war led by the seventh avatar of ... played in different episodes on successive nights by young actors in elaborate costumes and masks . In Delhi , many ...
... Play of Rama " ) is the highlight of this festival of the Tenth Day . For the war led by the seventh avatar of ... played in different episodes on successive nights by young actors in elaborate costumes and masks . In Delhi , many ...
Page 324
... play games . At home , this is the day to " attract wealth and draw in treasures " by displaying pictures of the God of Wealth ( Cao Shen ) . Somebody often dresses up to play his part and hand out money and sweets to children , like ...
... play games . At home , this is the day to " attract wealth and draw in treasures " by displaying pictures of the God of Wealth ( Cao Shen ) . Somebody often dresses up to play his part and hand out money and sweets to children , like ...
Common terms and phrases
ancient Bahá'í birthday blessing calendar called Carnival celebrated century ceremony China Chinese Christ Christian Christmas Church cult custom Cybele dead deities Dionysia Divali divine Dragon Dusshera Easter Epiphany evil fast feast festival fire folklore Friday Games gifts girls goddess gods Greece Greek Gregorian Hindu holiday holy honor Indian Islamic Japan Jerusalem Jewish Jews king known Korea lunar Martinmas Matsuri Mawlid Midsummer Monday month moon Mother Muslim Naadam Naked Festival Navaratra Naw Ruz night observed offerings Ňsun Panathenaea Paryushana Passover potlatch powwow prayer priest procession Prophet Puja Purim Ramadan References religious rice rites ritual Roman Rome Rosh Hashanah Rosh Hodesh Sabbath sacred sacrifice Saint George Saint Nicholas Samhain Saturday Saturnalia seasonal Sekku Shalako Shavuot shrine spirits spring Sukkot Sun Dance symbolic temple Thursday tion Torah traditional Tuesday Vaisakhi Vaishakha Vasant Panchami Vikram village Virgin Mary Wednesday week Whitsuntide women Year's Day Yom Kippur