Cultural Festivals Research Articles

Joint Leisure Activities of Older Vietnamese Married Couples.

Leisure activities enjoyed by older married couples play an important part in creating more meaningful married lives. The study focuses on the prevalence of joint leisure activities by older couples, the factors influencing older adults' engagement in leisure activities together, and the relationship between joint participation in leisure activities and marital satisfaction of older couples. The quantitative sample included 414 married respondents aged 55 years and above from different parts of Vietnam. The leisure activities analyzed in the paper include vacation/travel, watching movies, music, karaoke singing outside the house, walking around the house, attending cultural events and festivals, watching TV, drinking tea, and doing exercise. The study results showed that the level of joint engagement in leisure activities in places near home with less cost was higher than those engaged in elsewhere. Couples with better living standards, higher education, better health, and who lived in urban areas more actively participated in leisure activities far from home. Vietnamese couples who engage in more leisure activities together had a higher level of overall satisfaction with their marriage, and greater satisfaction in several dimensions of their marital relationship than those who did not participate in leisure activities with their partners.

A INFLUÊNCIA DA CULTURA INDÍGENA NA ALIMENTAÇÃO DA REGIÃO AMAZÔNICA

The influence of indigenous culture on the food of the amazon region reveals the importance of food traditions in the configuration of local cultural identity. The main objective of the study is to analyze how local culture determines food choices, considering historical, social and geographical factors. The methodology adopted involves a qualitative approach, using ethnographic methods to explore traditional food practices. The study highlights the biodiverse richness of the amazon and the influence of indigenous peoples on the regional food, emphasizing sustainable adaptation to local flora and fauna. The research identifies main foods such as freshwater fish and tropical fruits, analyzing how cultural festivities and traditions impact food preferences. In addition, the study investigates how globalization and climate change affect dietary practices and access to essential natural resources. Expected results include a greater appreciation of indigenous food practices and the identification of how traditional knowledge contributes to local culinary diversity. The study also aims to provide insights for public policies that support the preservation of food traditions and food security of indigenous populations. In the end, the research hopes to raise awareness about the importance of indigenous food culture and encourage the adoption of more sustainable and.

Honour, Harmony and the King of Outspokenness. The Use of Stage Plays and Festive Culture in Fifteenth-Century Flemish Coastal Communities

ABSTRACT The history of fifteenth-century theatre in the Low Countries has long been studied primarily as the history of culture, literature and theatre. It has now attracted the attention of social historians and anthropologists and is being studied as an urban history of corporations, fraternities and chambers of rhetoric. That creative and art-loving activities in the Low Countries also frequently occurred in the fifteenth-century coastal communities, which largely comprised fishermen and sailors,, usually escapes the attention of historians. I argue these communities integrated drama into a survival strategy motivated by the spatial, economic and sociocultural context in which they were living.

UNESCO heritage, remembrance, and contemporary identity: festivities of Jewish culture in small towns in the Czech Republic

ABSTRACT Třebíč is the only Czech town, but one of several in the world, to have its Jewish quarter separately listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. For more than twenty years, this small town has held not one but two events related to Jewish culture: Shamayim Jewish Culture Festival and Jewish Town Revived, a cultural and historical festivity. Based on long-term and repeated fieldwork from 2017 to the present, the article explains how the acquisition of the UNESCO World Heritage status of the local Jewish quarter determined the reinterpretation and appropriation of the tangible monuments and immaterial references to Jewish culture from a more or less tolerated and dilapidated relic of the past into an essential and prestigious identity marker of today’s completely non-Jewish Třebíč. What elements other than Jewish material cultural heritage do the Třebíč festivities refer to, and how do today’s music/dance/theatre performers – who are overwhelmingly non-Jewish – present them? How do the festivities relate to the local Jewish past and where are the limits of imagination and reference to historical realia? What other purposes do the festivities serve today and how do they affect the revitalization of the quarter?

Cultural Insiders and Graphic Stories to Promote Research Readiness Among the South Asian Community: A Focus on Purpose, Protection, and Participation

South Asians living in the United States are frequently underrepresented in health research. Their lack of participation limits the generalizability of research to them and keeps them from receiving the high-quality care and innovation that some studies may offer. “Research Ready” is a five-panel, community co-created graphic-style story that encourages discussion around the purpose of research, safety/protection while participating, and why diverse participation—including South Asians—improves study results and leads to more effective interventions/treatments. This study leveraged trained young adult “cultural insiders” to invite attendees of a Midwestern South Asian Cultural Festival to read the story aloud together as the characters in English or Hindi and used a decision guide to invite discussion. Post-discussion surveys (N = 104) were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Participants spanned from 10 to 79 years, with 42% < 18 years and more females (61%). Only 18.3% indicated having prior research participation. Adults 40+ years (60%) requested the story/discussion in Hindi, compared to 2.3% of adolescents and 6.7% of younger adults. After the discussion, participants indicated their willingness to consider participation, with most being open to participating in surveys/interviews (95.2%); only 52.9% would consider studies requiring the taking of medicines. Adolescents, females, and adults with higher education were more willing to participate in medication studies. Nearly all (97.1%) said they would feel safe participating in research, and 88.5% shared that the discussion would help them better decide about future participation. In conclusion, “Research Ready” discussions shared by cultural insiders effectively encourage South Asians to consider future research participation.

Manifestation and Management of Cultural Heritage: An Analysis of the Old Towns of Kenyan Coastal Region

The study examined the current manifestation of intangible and tangible cultural heritage of old towns of Lamu and Mombasa in the coastal region of Kenya, with a view of evaluating management efforts by heritage managers in the region. An exploratory research design with a mixed method approach was used to generate new ideas and assumptions regarding how cultural heritage is manifested. A sample size of 110 participants from both towns was selected through multistage cluster sampling, out of which 15 heritage managers, 40 community household leaders and 55 community elders were selected using purposive and snowball techniques. The study utilized semi structured interview guides, photography and observation as data collection methods. Descriptive analysis, content analysis-specifically attribution and designation analysis were used to analyze data. The study established that cultural heritage in the old towns is manifested through symbols, values and artefacts and architecture. Among the most evident manifestations in both old towns are in the form of wedding ceremonies, burial rituals, and limited cultural festivals especially during key religious practices Manifested architectural heritage undergoing shocks is restored for tourism purposes. However, intangible heritage is preserved, not for tourism purposes but as part of local’s way of life and as dictated by cultural values such as religion. Most organizations concerned with management of cultural heritage recognize its importance and have adapted reconstruction and restoration methods of tangible heritage especially old architecture. Among preferred recommendations were that tourism as the main economic activity in the region should be developed to benefit cultural heritage. The article advocates promoting resilience of heritage through gainful economic activities such as tourism to promote its posterity.

Early Modern Diplomacy and French Festival Culture in a European Context, 1572-1615

Early Modern Diplomacy and French Festival Culture in a European Context, 1572-1615

Examining Filipino Popular Piety in the light of Vatican II’s <i>Directory of Popular Piety and the Liturgy</i>: Principles and Guidelines

Celebrating popular piety in different regions reflects the vibrant, diverse, and festive culture of the Philippines. The innumerable religious practices through rites and ceremonies show the intensity and vibrance of Filipino Catholic spirituality. It is part of theheritage and unique identity of the Filipino Catholic Church to the extent that it also impacts the local liturgical calendar. Given this distinctive characteristic of popular piety, finding its harmony with the liturgy is challenging. The focus on the ritual aspect of popular piety diverges from orthodoxy, raising conflict between its praxis and Church teachings, which allows for misinterpretation and syncretism. This paper will employ a descriptive research design to assess the reception of Vatican II’s Directory of Popular Piety and the Liturgy: Principles and Guidelines (DPPL), using the method of critical reflection. It comprehensively analyzes the reception of DPPL and its profound impact on Catholicism in the Philippines. This study aims to establish an understanding of popular piety as a valid form of worship through analysis and evaluation of the process of inculturation to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of these practices. It enriches theological discourse on the realm of inculturation, which leads to the preservation of cultural heritage and the understanding that popular piety is an encounter of evangelization and culture that should be treated with profound respect and mutual understanding.

This Is the Sacrifice: Language, Ideology and Religious Identity Performance in Erei Personal Names

This paper examines personal names derived from traditional religious beliefs and practices among the Erei people in Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State in South-South, Nigeria while utilising insights from the multidisciplinary inferences of socio-onomastic theory to account for the cultural, social and situational contexts that create the religious content of the names. Data were obtained by means of participant observation and semi-structured interviews during six months of fieldwork involving 40 participants who were the name-givers, name-bearers and name-users. Our findings highlight the socio-onomastic tradition of Erei people in which personal names are bestowed through a conscious application of symbolic linguistic resources to express and perform ideologies and identities that are rooted in the traditional religion’s foundations and sociocultural practices that represent Erei people’s indigenous beliefs system and spiritual worldview. Focused on the ideals of African traditional religion, religious identities are constructed through the use of personal names related to idol worship, the mysteries of death, reincarnation and commemoration, cultural festivals and performances, symbolic objects, familial rankings and other aspects derived from their environment that also bear traditional religious significance. And because this set of personal names is now predominant among the ageing population and is losing contemporaneity due to an increasing subpopulation with a new (Christian) beliefs system, this study serves to preserve a transiting and endangered Erei socio-onomastic practice that represents the people’s traditional cosmology.

We are stronger when we are connected: Queer counterpublics and the Korean Queer Culture Festival

This paper examines the emergence of queer counterpublics in South Korea through a case study on the opening ceremony of the Korean Queer Culture Festival (KQCF) in 2015. Due to an outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), the organizers live-streamed the event via YouTube instead of inviting the participants to the Seoul City Plaza, where they set up the stage. During the opening ceremony, social media platforms momentarily became alternative spaces for queers to interact with each other on a real-time basis. In analyzing a series of concerted actions, such as lining up in front of a police station for a permit, setting up a stage, writing a statement, shooting a video for broadcast, watching the event on YouTube, posting messages and pictures on social media, and exchanging messages with friends, I discuss how queer counterpublics emerge, contesting the heteronormative and heteropatriarchal public sphere in South Korea.

Experimentation on Sargassum wightii as a flash powder igniter for attaining eco-friendly combustion on pyrotechnics

Firecrackers are a vital element of cultural festivities that happen worldwide. However, the hazardous by-products they emit have a significant impact on environmental pollution, leading to the greenhouse effect and climate change. Aluminium powder serves as the fuel in the traditional flash powder mixture, nitrate of potassium serves as an oxidizing agent, and sulphur acts as the igniter at exact concentrations. The presence of sulfur in the flash powder mixture is critical as it acts as an igniter, contributing to the formation of sulfur dioxide, which can cause environmental harm. We carried out an experiment employing Sargassum wightii brown seaweed powder as a replacement for sulphur at specific amounts to lessen the effects of sulphur in flash powder. We discovered that Sargassum wightii brown seaweed powder may replace up to 50% of the sulphur significance in the flash powder mixture without impairing the flash powder's traditional performance. Our experiments included impact and friction sensitivity, SEM, and FTIR analyses to evaluate the improved flash powder composition. The results revealed that the modified flash powder mixture SP5 and SP10 emits less emission by 12% and 21%, and produces similar noise performance of 108 and 107 dB(A) to the normal flash powder composition (SP), affirming that the SP10 flash powder is a viable alternative. Moreover, in our relentless pursuit to mitigate the detrimental effects on our environment, we have ingeniously introduced a novel product—the Chinese cracker made from vegetable waste paper. Not only does this innovative solution address concerns regarding land pollution, but it also presents a sustainable approach to consumer goods.

Analyzing the Coverage of Queer Culture Festival Using Structural Topic Modeling: Focus on Analysis of the Coverage From 2000 to 2023

Analyzing the Coverage of Queer Culture Festival Using Structural Topic Modeling: Focus on Analysis of the Coverage From 2000 to 2023

Food culture, lifestyle & traditional food festivals: a narrative on the public health relevance of the traditional yam recipes in the Afikpo New Yam Festival

Food culture has over the years remained the centre for socio-cultural linkages among people in a community, with generational transmission giving birth to cultural affinity and cultural heritage. Besides its primary aim of nourishment, enhancement of growth and body functions, it also defines religious and traditional belief systems. Several communities, tribes and nation states such as China, Italy, Japan, India, Europe and Americas, have been associated with unique food cultures. In North and West African countries like Tunisia and Nigeria respectively, food cultures abound. In South-East Nigeria, the Igbo tribe conduct yam rituals as food cultural festivals. Afikpo, a community in the Igbo-speaking part of Nigeria, celebrates an annual yam ritual called Ikeji Festival, part of which, as the new yam is harvested, is preparation of traditional yam recipes. This article reviews the nutritional content of the various traditional yam recipes consumed in such ceremonies and the associated drinks. A literature search revealed that yam, an energy-giving food with a carbohydrate content of 15 – 40.6%, could be prepared with vegetables, legumes, fish, meat, melon seeds, red palm oil, African black beans, pumpkin fruit pulp, eggplants, African oil bean, piper guineese, plantain, solanum americanum, vitex donians, pterocarpus santalinoids, which are sources of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, dietary fibres and polyunsaturated fatty acids, all of which have been documented as beneficial in the management of chronic diseases. Alcoholic and various soft drinks are consumed with the yam recipes during the ceremony and there are possibilities that if awareness is not created, overindulgence could constitute to abuse.

Художественные практики современных российских немцев в контексте традиций и новаций: на примере программы фестиваля культуры «Немецкая Слобода» (2015–2022 гг.)

The subject of research in this article is the artistic practices of modern Russian Germans, implemented within the framework of the cultural festival “German Sloboda”. It is proved that festival artistic practices belong to the “culture of ethnos” (according to V. G. Babakov’s classification), that is, they are a combination of ethnic and externally introduced components. The latter are the artistic practices of postmodernism, such as performance, happenings, environment and their varieties. The scientific novelty of this work is the consideration of the traditional culture of Russian Germans in the context of artistic forms, methods and techniques of modern times. The objectives of the work include: an analysis of the artistic practices of the cultural festival of Russian Germans “German Sloboda” from the point of view of correlating ethnic content and modern forms of its presentation, as well as the development of the above-mentioned artistic practices in the history of the festival. To achieve the set goals and objectives, a historical-genetic method is used, which allows us to trace the relationship between ethnic traditional and modern innovation in artistic practices, as well as a structural-functional method that demonstrates the artistic practices of modern Russian Germans as an integral part of their spiritual culture. As a result of the analysis of the artistic practices of the cultural festival of Russian Germans “German Sloboda”, a conclusion is made about the culture of modern Russian Germans as a synthesis of the immanent and transcendent, as a combination of following the sociocultural experience of previous generations – traditions – and the desire of the current generation for changes – innovations. The “culture of ethnos” of modern Russian Germans is in the stage of modification and transformation of its forms, creative experimentation, search for an individual-personal beginning with constant reliance on the collective traditional experience of the past. The seven-year history of the cultural festival of Russian Germans “German Sloboda” clearly demonstrates the active use of postmodern artistic practices, in which art leaves traditional spaces (galleries, museums, concert or theater halls) and conquers new spaces that are not necessarily associated with art.

Festive culture, social hierarchization, and urban inequality: Analysis of the fallas of València (1981–2019)

ABSTRACT Festive rituals have been analyzed as rituals of interaction with great capacity to generate group membership and economic impact. However, the conflictual dimension of these rituals should be taken into account, as festive rituals are also spaces of conflict and exclusion. In this sense, ritual festivities can lead to urban cohesion and the generation of local identities, but they can also reinforce internal social divisions, reproducing social inequalities and expressing the social hegemony of the dominant elites. In this sense, the fallas of Valencia constitute a carnivalesque festive ritual that shows exactly these effects, since the organization of the fallas commissions represents one of the city’s principal forms of social participation and cohesion, but at the same time reproduces the social hierarchization of urban districts. Thus, one of the main formats is found in the stratification by neighborhoods. The fallas reflect the economic strength of the traditionally socially dominant neighborhoods, but also show the emergence of new high-income neighborhoods, with new commissions defined by high resources. In this way, studying the fallas is a way of studying the urban hierarchy of Valencia, as they have gone hand in hand throughout the period studied.

Mumbai to Dubai: Promotional strategies and the celluloid journey of Bollywood films to the UAE

In recent years, the cinematic migration of Bollywood films from Mumbai to Dubai has captivated attention, prompting a focused investigation. This study aims to scrutinize the promotional strategies used in distributing Bollywood films in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) through meticulous analysis of questionnaire responses. Executing an extensive survey for UAE moviegoers and industry professionals, the research seeks quantitative data on the efficacy of diverse promotional strategies. The study underscores the importance of cultural variables in Bollywood-UAE film promotion, examining cultural similarities between India and the UAE, portraying UAE culture in Bollywood films, and using cultural festivals for marketing. Economic factors driving this collaboration, including box office success, coproductions, and the impact of Bollywood tourism on the UAE economy, are systematically analyzed. The study explores technological advancements in film promotion—social media, internet streaming, and virtual reality—and their impact on the relationship between Bollywood and the UAE. The survey investigates audience preferences, advertising impacts, and awareness levels by examining specific advertising tactics in the UAE, such as premieres, endorsements, tours, and participation in festivals and award shows. In addition to providing a comprehensive understanding of the promotional environment, the questionnaire data analysis identifies trends influencing the trajectory of Bollywood films in the UAE, offering empirical support to film studies and marketing. The hypothesis is tested on the Chi-square, Pearson Correlation, and Mann‒Whitney. The research’s conclusions contribute to understanding the globalization of the Bollywood film industry, guiding producers, marketers, and researchers in cross-cultural film promotion and global industry partnerships.

Evaluating the Key Elements Contributing to Visitor Contentment at Cultural Festivals

This study analyzes the elements that influence visitor contentment at cultural events by developing and testing several hypotheses. This framework considers visitor contentment as the dependent variable (DV) with independent variables (IVs) including program content, event logistics, social atmosphere, facilities, customer service, and accessibility. A survey of 270 visitors was conducted to evaluate these variables and their impact on visitor contentment. Statistical analysis was evaluated using SPSS 25. ANOVA, multiple linear regression, and chi-square tests were among the statistical techniques used to assess the effects and associations of each factor. Chi-Square test results show that all hypotheses have substantial relationships (p-values < 0.05) and that each independent variable has a significant effect on visitor contentment. ANOVA supports the results that program content (F=7.45,p<0.001), facilities (F=8.20,p<0.001), and other factors significantly impact visitor contentment. According to multiple linear regression analysis, program content (coefficient=0.421,p<0.001) and facilities (coefficient=0.512,p<0.001) have the greatest impact on visitor contentment, followed by event logistics (coefficient=0.308,p=0.003), customer service (coefficient=0.189,p=0.028), accessibility (coefficient=0.294,p=0.002), and social atmosphere (coefficient=0.267,p=0.001). These results emphasize the significance of every element in improving visitor contentment, with facilities and program content being especially important.

Cultural Event Development Model for Quality Improvement of Tourism Event: Case of the 3rd Fishing Boat Festival in Sungsang Village IV, Banyuasin Regency, South Sumatra Province

Tourism related to events is a representation of the selling power of the location where the event is held. Festival events have an important role in increasing the selling value of destinations, but this study found that the 3rd Fishing Boat Festival event has not been packaged properly and there is no target market database targeted as tourists. This study aims to create a model for the development of cultural festivals, based on 5 basic stages, namely research, design, planning, coordination, evaluation and compiling a template for providing a database of targets and target tourists using the definable, sizeable, reachable, relevant segmentation method. This study used a combination method or mixed method with a sequential explanatory design with a sample of 100 respondents with 3 data collection techniques, namely by direct observation, document study and interview. This research resulted in 5 stages consisting of 40 steps of festival event management, as well as the targeted tourist segmentation profile. The research contributes to the achievement of the goal of improving the quality of cultural events in tourism villages.

Analisis Kebudayaan Batak Pakpak di Sumatera

Batak Pakpak regional culture is an integral part of the richness of Indonesian culture spread across the Sumatra region. Geographically, the Pakpak Batak tribe inhabits the high hilly areas around the North Tapanuli area. Their culture encompasses various aspects, including language, customs, traditional arts, music, dance, and unique beliefs and value systems. The customs of the Pakpak Batak tribe are very strong in everyday life, with norms that regulate various aspects of social, economic and religious life. Traditional arts such as carving, weaving and stone carving are deep cultural expressions and have high value for the Pakpak people. Apart from that, traditional Batak Pakpak music and dances, such as gondang sabangunan and tortor, are important media in traditional ceremonies and cultural festivals. They are also known for their beliefs and value systems that value living in harmony with nature and the continuity of generations. This research aims to dig deeper into the cultural diversity of the Batak Pakpak in Sumatra and understand the role and cultural values in strengthening their identity. Through this analysis, it is hoped that it can provide a more comprehensive picture of this cultural richness and its implications in the context of Indonesia's cultural diversity.

Socio-Anthropological Analysis of Musical Characteristics and Contemporary Status of Naxi Chinese Folk Songs

Background and Aims: The musical heritage of the Naxi people, an ethnic minority in Yunnan Province, China, embodies a unique blend of traditional and contemporary influences, serving as a vivid example of cultural resilience. The aim is to analyze the socio-anthropological aspects of the musical characteristics and contemporary status of Naxi Chinese folk songs. Materials and Methods: A qualitative research approach was employed, integrating ethnographic fieldwork in Tacheng Township, Yulong Naxi Autonomous County, Lijiang City, Yunnan Province, China, semi-structured interviews with three key informants, and participant observation. The data were collected in Tacheng, a region known for its rich Naxi musical culture. This approach allowed for an in-depth exploration of the interactions between the Naxi community and their musical traditions, focusing on how cultural practices are transmitted, adapted, and sustained in contemporary settings. Results: The study revealed that Naxi folk songs, particularly the genre "Guqi," are not only artistic expressions but also crucial carriers of community memory and identity. Adaptation strategies such as incorporation into cultural festivals and modern media were observed. Challenges include a generational gap in the transmission of knowledge and the impact of economic development on traditional practices. Conclusion: Naxi folk songs demonstrate significant resilience through adaptation and continuity, reflecting broader themes of cultural sustainability and identity negotiation. Recommendations for enhancing youth engagement and leveraging digital media for cultural preservation are proposed to ensure the longevity of these musical traditions.