Qatar Airways is putting flights across the world on sale, offering 30 percent off travel to everywhere from Bangkok to Sydney.
Rituals around the world
21.07.2023 - 08:03 / roughguides.com
Travelling the globe you'll come across rituals around the world that might seem odd, crazy — perhaps even scary. But at the root they all share something in common; they are an expression of the local culture. So here we tell the story behind five of these unique cultural rituals...
© rweisswald/Shutterstock
The ritual of Naghol, or land diving, has become one of the strangest tourist attractions of the South Pacific and involves men leaping from crudely constructed towers of up to 100ft high, with only tree vines wrapped round their ankles as a safety measure.
Perhaps no more strange than bungee jumping, though certainly a great deal more dangerous, this ritual is said to have originated when a woman, dissatisfied with her husband, pretended to jump to her death by tying vines to her ankles. Her grief-stricken husband, unaware of her trick, then leapt to his own death.
Since then the men of Vanuatu have performed the ritual to prevent themselves from being tricked again. The diver's goal is to bless the soil by skimming his head against the ground before being whipped back aloft – guaranteeing fertile soil for the yam harvest.
Of course there is little margin for error, and for the boys who have been circumcised (at around seven or eight) the performance of the land diving ritual in the presence of elders marks passage into manhood. There has only ever been one recorded fatality, in 1974 during a performance for Queen Elizabeth II, when the vines were not elastic enough due to the ritual being held in the wrong season.
© Gekko Gallery/Shutterstock
Anyone who's been to Bali will remember the small offerings, Banten, which you see dotted in every doorway, restaurant, street, wall… These Banten are exquisitely decorated parcels of cut leaves and coloured rice, prepare by Balinese women with the daily meals, as offerings to their compatriot gods and demons, and ancestors.
Banten offerings range from the spectacular – for example the festival of Galungan, in which the gods visit earth, will be celebrated with Banten woven from coconut fronds – to the simple such as tiny canang, daily offerings of palm leaves and flowers to show hospitality to the spirits of the house.
The continuity of this ritual is fundamentally important to Balinese life — and whether it holds the universe together or not, it certainly defines and celebrates a vibrant heritage.
In fact it began in 1986, and by 2010 had drawn over 50,000 visitors or «burners». What the whole ritual signifies is open to considerable debate, but cash is virtually banned from the event, self-expression is encouraged in as many ways as possible, and the «leave no trace» principle is fundamental to the whole project; the desert space is to be left better than it
The website maxtravelz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
Top Autors
Popular Topics
insider.com
01.08.2023 / 15:19
Photos show why cities around the world are limiting cruise ships — from Amsterdam to Key West
From major European cities to small US ports, coastal communities around the world are attempting to curb the number (and size) of massive cruise ships looming over their shores.
lonelyplanet.com
28.07.2023 / 22:47
How to get around the mountainous island of St Lucia
St Lucia is a volcanic island and one of the more mountainous in the Caribbean. At only 27 miles long and 14 miles wide, the island is small enough to get from one end to the other in less than two hours.
travelandleisure.com
27.07.2023 / 20:59
The World's Shorelines Are Shrinking — These Are the Beautiful Beaches That Might Be Hit the Hardest
Carefree days lounging on the sand are a hallmark of an idyllic vacation for many travelers. But beaches themselves are a commodity, vulnerable to retreat that’s exacerbated by climate change. In fact, nearly half of the Earth’s sandy beaches could be extinct by 2100, according to a study published in Nature Climate Change.
smartertravel.com
27.07.2023 / 18:53
The NAACP Accuses the World’s Largest Airline of Racism
When Muslim Advocates and the NAACP issue a joint letter accusing the U.S. airline industry of racism, it’s big news. And when the NAACP, the “nation’s oldest and largest nonpartisan civil rights organization,” follows that up with an advisory specifically questioning the racial policies of the nation’s largest airline, American, it’s nothing less than a media firestorm. Indeed, all the major news media covered the story exhaustively. And “American Airlines” has been a trending Twitter topic for several days.
smartertravel.com
27.07.2023 / 18:53
How Did American Become the World’s Most Profitable Airline?
American Airlines today announced its financial-performance numbers for the fourth quarter and the full year.
smartertravel.com
27.07.2023 / 18:23
The 10 Best Museums in the World (and How to Skip the Lines)
Looking for a new museum to add to your travel to-do list? TripAdvisor (SmarterTravel’s parent company) has released the Travelers’ Choice Top 25 Museums of 2018, including the top 10 worldwide and the top 10 in the United States, with some surprising frontrunners. The findings also highlight bookable ways to see each winner—think VIP tours and scavenger hunts—with some offering the added perk of allowing you to skip the lines to get in.
smartertravel.com
27.07.2023 / 18:09
The 10 Best Airlines in the World, According to Travelers
Wondering what the best airlines are according to the average flyer? TripAdvisor (SmarterTravel’s parent company) gives a good idea in its Travelers’ Choice best airline rankings each year based on real travelers’ reviews. And the results are different than most trade studies that list the “best airlines.”
smartertravel.com
27.07.2023 / 18:06
The 25 Best Bargain Hotels in the World
If you want to stay at the best hotel in the United States, head to the French Quarter Inn in Charleston, South Carolina. And if you’re looking for the best bargain hotel stay in the world, it’s in a small town in northern Spain. That’s according to TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards, which just shared the best hotel ratings for multiple categories heading into 2019.
smartertravel.com
27.07.2023 / 17:57
The Happiest Countries in the World 2023
For the sixth year in a row, Finland has claimed the top spot in the World Happiness Report. The annual report, compiled by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, surveys residents in over 150 countries to determine which nations are the happiest.
matadornetwork.com
25.07.2023 / 10:39
Seriously Slow: 6 Travelers Who Walked Around the World
It takes about 20 million steps to walk around the world, not to mention several years of commitment as well as determination, stamina, trekking gear, and a state of mind that few of us can imagine.
roughguides.com
21.07.2023 / 08:49
Fire festivals around the world
A great fire festival should be on everybody’s bucket list. Here we rundown some of the greats...