Carnival in Italy

As a new year begins, revelers of traditional and colorful festivals turn their attention and excitement to carnival season.  While the ancient origins of carnival celebrations suggest they were timed as New Year’s festivals, the modern-day carnival evolved to be more closely associated with the beginning of the solemn Christian period of Lent.  The Roman Catholic liturgical […]

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GEREWOL Festival: The Celebration of Nomad Love

By Francesca Lungarotti UIG contributor Giovanni Mereghetti’s vast archive of world cultures feature coverage of some of the most interesting and fascinating festivals worldwide.  One such festival is the Gerewol Festival. The Wodaabe people, also known as the Bororo or Mbororo, are a subgroup of the Fulani ethnic group. This ethnic group is part of the […]

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Carnival in Italy

As a new year begins, revelers of traditional and colorful festivals turn their attention and excitement to carnival season.  While the ancient origins of carnival celebrations suggest they were timed as New Year’s festivals, the modern-day carnival evolved to be more closely associated with the beginning of the solemn Christian period of Lent.  The Roman Catholic liturgical […]

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Day of the Dead

Day of the Dead occurs annually on November 2, following Halloween and All Soul’s Day.  The holiday, which was recognized by UNESCO in its Tangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list in 2008, is an important cultural day in Mexico and is also celebrated worldwide by people of Mexican descent. While “Death” is the main theme of the day, […]

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