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EveryParampara

Royal, civic and national ceremony

Coronations, courts, parades, oaths and national days.

Royal, civic and national ceremony covers the public rituals of a country: coronations, inaugurations, parades, national days, oaths, flag raisings and the opening of parliament. They give a nation a shared moment and a set of symbols, and many reach back centuries. A coronation in Westminster Abbey, the Changing of the Guard, a Fourth of July parade and the Independence Day march in India each tell a different story of who a people think they are. EveryParampara describes them factually, with the history behind them.

Crowns, thrones and oaths

Ceremonies of rule use regalia, oaths, anointing, processions and acclamation to show authority conferred. They may be kept by an ancient monarchy, a traditional chief or a modern republic with its own rites of inauguration. The words and objects are often very old, and the ceremony stays much the same from reign to reign. Together they set out a link between rulers and the people they serve.

National days and parades

National days commemorate independence, revolution or the founding of a state, usually with parades, speeches, flags, fireworks and public meals. Many also include remembrance of those who died in war, with minutes of silence, poppies or wreaths. These days draw citizens together, though they can also be contested. EveryParampara lists them on the calendar and explains the customs that go with them.

About this page

Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background on Royal, civic and national ceremony (kind of tradition). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

RegionSouth AsiaSoutheast AsiaEast AsiaCentral Asia and the CaucasusMiddle EastNorth AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaEuropeNorth AmericaLatin America and the CaribbeanOceania
MealBreakfastLunchDinnerSupperTea-time and snacking customsTea, coffee and drinking ceremoniesSweets given and sharedFeasts and festival mealsFasting and breaking the fast
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 4 moreValentine's Day A Christian feast day and cultural celebration of love kept on February 14 in many countries.Festival 🇺🇸 Philadelphia, United States and 1 moreIndependence Day The United States' national day of parades, barbecues and fireworks, kept each July 4Ceremony 🇧🇯 Porto-Novo, Benin and 3 moreZangbeto A traditional security institution and night-guardian cult among the Ogu people of West Africa.Ceremony 🇲🇱 San, Mali and 1 moreBògòlanfinibɔgɔlanfini A handmade Malian cotton textile dyed with iron-rich mud, worn for protection and identity.Dress 🇰🇭 CambodiaApsara Danceរបាំទេពអប្សរា A classical Cambodian court dance inspired by the stone carvings of AngkorPerformance 🇳🇿 Auckland, New ZealandMāori Language WeekTe Wiki o te Reo Māori An annual nationwide week promoting the learning and use of te reo across New ZealandCeremony 🇺🇸 New York, United StatesFlag Day An annual American observance marking the 1777 adoption of the national flagCeremony 🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreCharro traditionCharro The equestrian skills, formal attire and rodeo arts of the Mexican horseman.Game 🇮🇹 Naples, Italy and 5 moreCaffè sospeso An anonymous gift of a paid cup of coffee for a stranger in needTable custom · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies 🇬🇧 London, United KingdomChelsea Flower Show A five-day May horticultural festival held in London by the Royal Horticultural SocietyFestival 🇸🇬 Singapore, SingaporeNational Day Parade Singapore's annual independence day celebration of parades, music and fireworksCeremony 🇵🇷 Ponce, Puerto Rico and 1 morePlena Puerto Rican folk songs and dance sharing community news with rhythmic frame drumsPerformance 🇳🇴 Bergen, NorwayBuekorps Youth marching groups of Bergen's neighbourhoods, with drums, banners and a May paradeCeremony 🇮🇳 IndiaIndian national calendar India's official civil solar calendar, designed to bring unity to timekeepingSeasonal 🇺🇸 Washington, United StatesState of the Union address The US president's yearly report to Congress and the nation, given in the House chamberCeremony 🇺🇸 New Orleans, United StatesKrewe Carnival clubs that stage parades, balls, and pageantry along the Gulf CoastFestival 🇨🇳 Tianjin, ChinaManchu-Han Imperial Feast滿漢全席 A grand multi-day banquet uniting Manchu and Han culinary traditions in ChinaTable custom · Feasts and festival meals 🇨🇳 China and 2 moreCuju蹴鞠 An ancient Chinese kicking game played without hands using a stuffed or air-filled ballGame 🇺🇸 Los Angeles, United StatesSuper Bowl The annual championship game of American professional football, held every February.Game 🇸🇦 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and 4 moreMajlis A traditional sitting room and community assembly for hospitality and civic counselEtiquette 🇦🇫 Kabul, Afghanistan and 1 moreJirgaجرګه A traditional consultative council of elders that settles disputes through consensusCeremony 🇺🇸 New York, United StatesVillage Halloween Parade An annual costumed puppetry march through Greenwich Village on Halloween nightFestival 🇰🇼 KuwaitDewaniya An evening gathering and reception central to Kuwaiti social, business, and civic lifeEtiquette · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies 🇸🇦 Mecca, Saudi Arabia and 2 moreBay'ahبَيْعَة An Islamic oath of allegiance pledged to a ruler or spiritual guideCeremony 🇻🇦 Vatican City and 1 moreConclave Cardinals sealed in the Sistine Chapel, voting until two thirds agree on a new popeSpiritual 🇮🇳 Kolkata, IndiaJana Gana Mana India's national anthem, from a Bengali hymn of 1911, sung at civic occasionsCeremony 🇲🇲 MyanmarYoke théရုပ်သေး A classical Burmese string puppet theatre performed with complex marionettes and music.Performance 🇺🇸 United StatesTalking stick A carved staff that shows who may speak at a Northwest Coast gatheringCeremony 🇬🇷 Olympia, Greece and 1 moreOlympic torch relay The ceremonial journey of the flame from Olympia to each host city of the Olympic GamesCeremony 🇺🇸 New Orleans, United StatesSecond line A New Orleans parade where clubs march and a crowd dances along behind the bandFestival 🇮🇷 Isfahan, Iran and 3 morePersian gardenباغ ایرانی An ancient tradition of creating walled, geometric sanctuaries of shade and flowing waterCraft 🇲🇱 Bamako, Mali and 5 moreGriotjeli, ߖߋ߬ߟߌ in N'Ko script West Africa's hereditary keepers of spoken history, praise and musicPerformance 🇻🇦 Vatican City and 1 morePontifical Swiss GuardPontificia Cohors Helvetica The Swiss military corps charged with guarding the Pope and the Apostolic PalaceCeremony 🇬🇧 Pilton, United KingdomGlastonbury Festival A five-day summer performing arts festival held on Somerset farmlandFestival 🇸🇦 Saudi ArabiaArdahالعرضة A traditional Arabian group dance of facing lines, drums, poetry, and swordsPerformance 🇳🇿 New ZealandKarakia Māori incantations and prayers recited for spiritual guidance, safety and ceremonySpiritual 🇳🇬 Calabar, NigeriaCalabar Carnival An annual December street festival and cultural gathering held in Calabar, NigeriaFestival 🇵🇱 Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland and 1 moreMarch of the LivingMarsz Żywych (Polish) · מצעד החיים (Hebrew) An annual two-week journey to Poland ending in a silent walk from Auschwitz to BirkenauCeremony 🇳🇪 In-Gall, NigerCure Salée A yearly gathering of Tuareg and Wodaabe nomads in In-Gall to mark the end of the rainy season.Festival 🇵🇭 Cebu, PhilippinesArnis The national martial art of the Philippines using sticks, bladed weapons and open handsGame 🇺🇸 Falcon Heights, United StatesMinnesota State Fair Minnesota's twelve-day fair of farm animals, contests and food, ending on Labor DayFestival 🇬🇷 Greece and 5 moreHandshake A brief clasp of hands to greet, part or seal a deal, with local rules on how it is doneEtiquette 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea and 5 moreShell money Traditional currency made from cowries, ground clam beads, and carved sea shellsCraft 🇦🇺 Sydney, Australia and 5 moreSurf lifesaving A volunteer beach rescue and ocean sports tradition originating on Australian coasts.Game 🇧🇮 Gitega, BurundiKaryenda A sacred drum of Burundi that symbolized the monarchy and announced royal events.Performance 🇬🇧 South Queensferry, United KingdomThe Burryman A man clad in burdock burrs walks a Scottish town for a day, bringing luck as he goesFolklore 🇹🇭 ThailandThai solar calendarปฏิทินสุริยคติไทย The official solar calendar of Thailand, numbered in the Buddhist EraSeasonal 🇧🇼 Botswana and 2 moreKgotla A village meeting and customary court in Botswana, led by the chiefCeremony
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Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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Every week: one tradition from somewhere new, what is being celebrated around the world this week, and one idea explained.