Traditions of Southeast Asia
Songkran, Tet, Nyepi and Pchum Ben, rice rituals and temple offerings. 144 traditions on EveryParampara so far.
🇵🇭 Bacolod, PhilippinesMassKara FestivalPista sang MassKara
A street festival of smiling masks, parades and music in Bacolod, PhilippinesFestival
🇲🇲 Yangon, Myanmar and 1 moreShinbyuရှင်ပြု
A Burmese Buddhist rite in which a boy goes forth as a novice monk, often at New YearRite of passage
🇹🇭 Thailand and 5 moreAsalha Pujaอาสาฬหบูชา
A Theravada festival marking the Buddha's first sermon and the monastic orderSpiritual
🇻🇳 Huế, VietnamTraditional Vietnamese wedding
A Vietnamese wedding: two families joined through proposal, engagement and ceremonyRite of passage
🇵🇭 PhilippinesFilipino wedding customsKasalan
A blend of indigenous rituals and Christian traditions marking the union of two families in the Philippines.Rite of passage
🇮🇩 Jakarta, Indonesia and 3 moreRijsttafel
Many small dishes around rice: a colonial-era banquet still served in the NetherlandsTable custom · Feasts and festival meals
🇵🇭 San Fernando, Philippines and 3 moreParolparól
A Filipino star lantern of bamboo and paper, hung at Christmas from September to JanuaryFestival
🇮🇩 Bali, IndonesiaTumpengꦠꦸꦩ꧀ꦥꦼꦁ (Javanese); ᬢᬸᬫ᭄ᬧᭂᬂ (Balinese)
A tall cone of rice ringed with side dishes, central to Javanese ceremonies and partiesTable custom · Feasts and festival meals
🇵🇭 Philippines and 5 moreFirst Communion
A Christian rite of passage marking a person's initial reception of the Eucharist.Rite of passage
🇲🇾 Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaIndependence DayHari Merdeka
Malaysia's national day, marking the end of British rule on 31 August 1957Ceremony
🇵🇭 Kawit, PhilippinesIndependence DayAraw ng Kasarinlán
The Philippines' national day, marked each 12 June with flags and paradesCeremony
🇹🇭 Thailand and 4 moreVessantara JatakaVessantara Jātaka
A Buddhist festival celebrating the last life of the Buddha as a generous prince.Festival
🇮🇩 Jakarta, IndonesiaIndonesian Independence DayHari Ulang Tahun Kemerdekaan Republik Indonesia
Indonesia's national day, marking the 1945 proclamation of independenceCeremony
🇮🇩 Pariaman, IndonesiaTabuik
A Muharram mourning rite in Pariaman, Sumatra, ending with a bier carried into the seaSpiritual
🇹🇭 Bangkok, ThailandSongkranสงกรานต์
The Thai solar New Year marked by temple rites, elder blessings and water throwingSeasonal
🇻🇳 Hanoi, VietnamNational DayNgày Quốc khánh
Vietnam's national day, marking the 1945 independence declaration read in HanoiCeremony
🇹🇭 Lopburi, ThailandMonkey Buffet Festival
A yearly feast of fruit and vegetables set out for Lopburi's macaquesFestival
🇹🇭 Dan Sai, ThailandPhi Ta Khonผีตาโขน
A three-day festival in Dan Sai, north-east Thailand, of ghost masks and merit-makingFestival
🇵🇭 PhilippinesBinirayan Festival
An annual December cultural festival in Antique celebrating Panay's Malay settlementFestival
🇱🇦 Vientiane, LaosBoun Suang Hueaບຸນຊ່ວງເຮືອ
A Lao festival of riverboat races and floating offerings at the close of Buddhist LentFestival
🇮🇩 Yogyakarta, IndonesiaPadusan
A Javanese purification bath kept by the Abangan community before Ramadan begins.Spiritual
🇮🇩 Bali, IndonesiaNational costume of IndonesiaPakaian Nasional Indonesia
The formal attire worn by Indonesians to represent the nation's diverse cultural heritage.Dress
🇻🇳 Tuyên Quang, VietnamCây nêuCây nêu (Chữ Nôm: 核標)
A bamboo pole raised in Vietnam to mark the New Year and protect homes from bad spirits.Festival
🇵🇭 Philippines and 1 moreMass of the Lord's Supper
An evening liturgy marking the start of the Easter Triduum and recalling Jesus' final meal with his followers.Spiritual
🇸🇬 Singapore, SingaporeSingapore International Festival of Arts
A month of theatre, dance, music and visual art in Singapore each mid-yearPerformance
🇧🇳 BruneiBrunei Malay wedding
A multi-stage marriage ritual of the Brunei Malay community, blending Islamic vows with traditional blessings and publicRite of passage · Feasts and festival meals
🇸🇬 Singapore and 2 moreAldersgate Day
A Methodist observance on 24 May marking the spiritual turning point of John Wesley.Festival
🇲🇾 Malaysia and 1 moreMalam Tujuh Likurمالم توجوه ليكور
The Malay custom of lighting oil lamps during the closing nights of Ramadan.Spiritual · Fasting and breaking the fast
🇵🇭 PhilippinesBuklog
A thanksgiving ritual of the Subanen people in the Philippines, honoring spirits through offerings and dance.Spiritual
🇲🇲 Bagan, MyanmarAtar-ohအတာအိုး
A terracotta vessel prepared for the Myanmar New Year to welcome celestial blessings and purify the home.Festival
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Buklog: Theglennpalacio, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Mass of the Lord's Supper: Leonardo da Vinci, Public domain, source
- Padusan: Muhammad Khafidz Riza, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- National costume of Indonesia: President of Indonesia, Public domain, source
- Asalha Puja: Chainwit., CC BY 4.0, source
- MassKara Festival: Ceslou, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Shinbyu: Lionslayer, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Cây nêu: vi:Phạm Xuân Nguyên, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Traditional Vietnamese wedding: Gabrielle M. Vassal, Public domain, source
- Filipino wedding customs: John Ryan Cordova, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Rijsttafel: Takeaway, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Parol: Ervin Malicdem, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Tumpeng: brother-harahap, CC BY 2.0, source
- Independence Day: amrufm, CC BY 2.0, source
- Independence Day: Ramon FVelasquez, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Indonesian Independence Day: Betari Ratih, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Tabuik: en:User:Brakatop upload to commons by Ladsgroup, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- National Day: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Monkey Buffet Festival: Mr.Peerapong Prasutr, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Phi Ta Khon: E.D.W., Public domain, source
- Singapore International Festival of Arts: Waycool27 at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
- Atar-oh: Maung Sun, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Binirayan Festival: Ranieljosecastaneda, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Boun Suang Huea: ClaireM1FLERéunion, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- First Communion: Fortepan adományozó URBÁN TAMÁS, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Vessantara Jataka: Adam Jones, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Songkran: Khunmoohan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Malam Tujuh Likur: Qatrunan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Aldersgate Day: Man vyi, Public domain, source