CULTURAL RICHNESS

Oktoberfest Once Had No Beer! 10 Surprising Holiday Facts

Image: Pablo Heimplatz

Cultural practices and festivals serve as a window into the diverse fabric of human traditions across the globe. From the colorful Carnival in Venice to the solemn reverence of Mexico’s Day of the Dead, each celebration tells a unique story rooted in history, religion, and society.

Let’s take on a journey around the world in just one reading to discover the magic behind these 10 spirited festivals, each offering a glimpse into the valuable heritage and diverse cultures that enrich our world. Witness the vibrancy of human expression as you learn about tradition and history.

Image: Nick Fewings

This two-day Mexican holiday honors both life and death at the same time. On these days, the departed ones are not mourned but celebrated through the offerings their families craft. Together with the offerings, families put up altars decorated with marigold flowers of vibrant colors along with pictures of their deceased relatives and their favorite meals.

These offerings are believed to beckon the souls to return and take part in the celebration.

Tokens like the marigold flowers, which are the ones that lead the way of the souls, and the smiling Calaveras, which laugh at death itself, are used to paint the country in all kinds of colors.

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Deeply rooted in religion, the Carnival of Venice has evolved in more than one way since it began back in the 1100s. Originally, the Carnival aimed at getting rid of the rich food and drink before Lent, and partying was just a natural consequence of it.

Nowadays, Carnevale is the biggest celebration in the country and it goes on for two whole weeks. During that time, over three million people visit the city to wear masks and join the celebration that includes all kinds of events, both open-to-public and private ones.

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Originating in 1812, Oktoberfest first honored the marriage of the Bavarian King Louis I to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. During this time, the holiday consisted of a five-day celebration that ended with a horse race held in an area called Theresienwiese.

Food and beer weren’t part of the festival until the late 20th century.

Oktoberfest today, always held in Munich, combines traditional Bavarian cuisine, colorful parades, and dozens of tents serving beer brewed within the city limits and served on huge mugs called maß (or mass).

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This holiday dates back to the 17th century. Nowadays, it aims to celebrate the arrival of Spring, symbolizing a fresh start where people leave the past behind.

The celebration begins with the first full moon of the Hindu calendar, and it involves giant bonfires, singing, and dancing throughout the night.

On the second day, the country gets quite literally painted over during Holi. People from all walks of life gather to celebrate and throw gulal color powders all around.

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Hanami is deeply rooted in Japan’s history and it can be traced back to the Nara period in the 700s. This timeless tradition captivates the Japanese essence through the unique beauty of sakura, that is, the cherry blossoms.

Today, Hanami honors one of the most important concepts in the culture, that of ‘mono no aware’, which means the profound awareness of the impermanence of things.

Meaning "flower watching", the Hanami annual celebration involves people gathering around cherry blossom trees and having a drink with family and friends to enjoy the view.

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Mardi Gras, the vibrant carnival celebrated in Louisiana, traces its roots back to medieval Europe. Originating as a Christian tradition marking the onset of Lent, it evolved into a jubilant holiday characterized by elaborate parades, masquerade balls, and indulgent feasts.

Today, Mardi Gras encompasses a great variety of festivities, from extravagant street processions to intricate costume competitions, dancing, music, and parties.

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Chiang Mai, in Thailand, is home to one of the most enchanting events. Yi Peng is a three-day traditional event that pays homage and shows respect to Buddha. One curious thing about this event is that the date is kept secret until shortly before its celebration.

On the first day of the Festival of Light, families prepare the materials involved in the festive activities. On the second day, families gather at a temple to make offerings to monks. On the third day, families release different types of paper lanterns that light up the night sky, making it a truly mesmerizing moment.

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This is one of India's most significant festivals, and it is a period to celebrate the triumph of good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and light over darkness. For this reason, Diwali is also called the Festival of Light, and it is celebrated by millions of people across India. It is characterized by prayers, family reunions, and, of course, fireworks.

The dates for the celebration change every year since they are based on the Hindu lunar calendar, before the arrival of a new moon between the Hindu months of Ashwin and Kartika. According to the Gregorian calendar, it is typically held between October and November.

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This is probably one of the weirdest celebrations in the world, as it is a food festival which includes a food fight. And even if it doesn’t have any religious or deep meaning, it is one of the most popular ones in the country.

Held in Buñol, Spain, on the last Wednesday of August each year, this celebration brings together thousands of people from all across the world who want to win the World’s Biggest Food Fight. How? By throwing overripe tomatoes at each other. After one hour, the fight ends, and the town is painted the most vibrant red.

The celebration concludes by cleaning the city using fire trucks to spray water down the streets.

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Inti Raymi, which means "Festival of the Sun" in Quechua, is one of the most significant celebrations in Cusco, Peru. It is held on June 24 and it has been declared Cultural Heritage.

The celebration started in 1430 as a way to pay homage to Inca Pachacútec, who rebuilt Machu Picchu.

Inti Raymi today includes all kinds of Quechua songs, traditional dances, colorful characters, and Incan clothes and customs.

The celebration concludes with the appearance of the Inca, who is transported over a golden platform by orejones (the people carrying the platform), as women sing to the Sun and the Inca.

Portents of doom

Black cats and broken mirrors: 10 bad omens throughout history

Image: Kasturi Roy

Human societies have always been fascinated by what the future might hold—and with this yearning to glimpse what lies beyond the horizon came a host of very strange ideas. From the twitch of a cat's tail to the flight of birds, cultures around the world have interpreted various natural events as imbued with prophetic significance. And many of these foreboding signs were believed to predict misfortune or disaster, often helping people make sense of the unexpected. Join us as we explore 10 of the most notorious bad omens that have instilled fear and superstition throughout the ages.

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In many cultures, and particularly in Western folklore, a black cat crossing your path is seen as a bad omen. This belief likely stems from the association of black cats with witchcraft during the Middle Ages, when they were often believed to be witches' familiars. However, in some instances, black cats could be considered symbols of good luck, and sailors were known for favoring black cats for company aboard their ships.

While many people today keep black cats as pets and no longer associate them with any superstition, the myths surrounding these felines remain well-known and frequently appear in fiction.

Image: Mick Haupt

Breaking a mirror is said to bring seven years of bad luck, a belief that originated in ancient Rome, where mirrors were seen as portals to the soul. The idea was that damaging one's reflection could harm the spirit or even anger the gods, who were also believed to spy on mortals through mirrors.

To be fair, in antiquity mirrors were difficult to manufacture and considered prized possessions, so it's understandable that various social fears and taboos arose around breaking one. But why seven years of bad luck specifically? Romans believed the body renewed itself every seven years, meaning technically no curse could last longer than that.

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The combination of Friday and the number 13 has long been considered particularly unlucky in Western culture, with roots in both Norse mythology and Christian tradition. In Christianity, the Last Supper featured thirteen attendees, with Judas Iscariot's betrayal occurring on a Friday, cementing the date as one of ill fortune.

Similarly, in Norse mythology, twelve gods were feasting in Valhalla when the uninvited trickster god Loki arrived as the thirteenth guest. His presence caused chaos, ultimately leading to the death of Balder, the god of joy. The extent of the myth surrounding the number 13 is such that, even today, some buildings skip the 13th floor entirely, and in the United States alone, nearly 20 million people are estimated to avoid traveling or following their normal routines on this date.

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Crows and ravens have long been associated with various myths and legends throughout the ages. The ancient Romans believed that a crow’s call foretold impending doom, while Celtic traditions linked these birds to battle and death. In the Norse pantheon, Odin was often accompanied by a pair of ravens, who were considered messengers —or sometimes spies—of the gods.

For Native Americans, ravens were often seen as tricksters, much like coyotes, playing pranks on unsuspecting mortals or following their own mysterious designs. These superstitions deserve some credit, as corvids are known to be among the most intelligent species on the planet, with cognitive abilities comparable to those of great apes, according to some scientists.

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We have co-evolved with dogs to the point where we are highly attuned to their barks, howls, and tail wags—signals that our furry friends use to greet us or even alert us to unseen dangers. However, dogs weren’t always the friendly companions we know today, and there was a time when the howling of wolves in the dark could only mean imminent danger.

So, it should come as no surprise that howling wolves were often interpreted as portentous by ancient cultures. For example, Virgil noted that howling wolves were among the many omens that foretold the assassination of Julius Caesar and the onset of civil strife.

Image: Jason Tuinstra

Spilling salt has been seen as an ill omen for centuries, and even today, some people can’t help but flinch at the sight of a fallen salt shaker. The belief, however, might be rooted in practicality. In ancient times, salt was so valuable that it was often used as payment—hence the origins of words like "salary" or "soldier."

To counteract the bad luck associated with an accidental spill, some believe that tossing a pinch of the spilled salt over the left shoulder can ward off evil spirits. However, the most practical remedy might simply be to gather up as much of the spilled salt as possible and return it to the container.

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In various East Asian cultures, the number 4 is considered highly unlucky because it sounds similar to the word for "death." This aversion has led to buildings skipping the fourth floor and even changing phone numbers to avoid the ominous digit.

While the aversion to the number 4 may seem akin to the fear of 13 in Western cultures, the phobia associated with 4 far surpasses its Western counterpart. It is so deeply ingrained in the culture that even the business world takes significant precautions to avoid the number in any context.

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In Slavic cultures, whistling indoors is often seen as a bad omen, believed to invite misfortune or bad luck into the house. Whistling outdoors, however, is generally considered acceptable. This superstition may have originated from the belief that whistling could summon spirits or disrupt harmony within the home.

Among sailors, whistling aboard a ship was thought to encourage the wind to pick up, which could be either beneficial or detrimental depending on the weather—you might accidentally end up whistling up a storm.

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For millennia, strange animal behavior has been seen as an omen of impending misfortune. Interestingly, this superstition may have roots in actual truth, as the phenomenon of animals fleeing or behaving restlessly before natural disasters has been observed repeatedly. And there is ample historical evidence to support this belief.

The Greek historian Thucydides reported in 373 BC that rats, dogs, snakes, and weasels deserted the city of Helice in the days leading up to a catastrophic earthquake, and throughout history animals have been known to predict disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and even volcanic eruptions with remarkable precision. Some scientists even suggest that many animals can instinctively detect minute electromagnetic changes in the atmosphere, which might often precede impending earthquakes and other natural disasters.

Image: Steve Busch

Comets have historically been viewed as bad omens, often seen as harbingers of disaster or significant change. Their bright trails frequently incited panic and hysteria among the public, and recurring comets like Halley's Comet were even linked to the death of kings and other calamities.

More recently, during Halley's Comet's passage in 1910, spectroscopic analysis revealed the presence of the toxic gas cyanogen in the comet’s tail. This led to sensational newspaper reports claiming that the gas would contaminate the atmosphere and potentially extinguish all life on Earth. Despite reassurances from scientists that the gas posed no threat, mass hysteria ensued, leading people to buy gas masks and even "anti-comet pills."