All traditions
2,237 traditions so far, best known first. 12,423 more are on the list to be written. Filter by region, kind and meal.
RegionSouth AsiaSoutheast AsiaEast AsiaCentral Asia and the CaucasusMiddle EastNorth AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaEuropeNorth AmericaLatin America and the CaribbeanOceania
🇺🇸 Philadelphia, United States and 1 moreIndependence Day
The United States' national day of parades, barbecues and fireworks, kept each July 4Ceremony
🇺🇸 Honolulu, United StatesLei Day
A statewide celebration in Hawaii honoring the art of lei making and the aloha spirit.Festival
🇨🇳 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
🇧🇯 Porto-Novo, Benin and 3 moreZangbeto
A traditional security institution and night-guardian cult among the Ogu people of West Africa.Ceremony
🇸🇦 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and 4 moreMajlis
A traditional sitting room and community assembly for hospitality and civic counselEtiquette
🇸🇦 Mecca, Saudi Arabia and 2 moreBay'ahبَيْعَة
An Islamic oath of allegiance pledged to a ruler or spiritual guideCeremony
🇺🇸 New York, United StatesFlag Day
An annual American observance marking the 1777 adoption of the national flagCeremony
🇬🇧 London, United KingdomChelsea Flower Show
A five-day May horticultural festival held in London by the Royal Horticultural SocietyFestival
🇰🇭 CambodiaApsara Danceរបាំទេពអប្សរា
A classical Cambodian court dance inspired by the stone carvings of AngkorPerformance
🇲🇲 MyanmarYoke théရုပ်သေး
A classical Burmese string puppet theatre performed with complex marionettes and music.Performance
🇸🇬 Singapore, SingaporeNational Day Parade
Singapore's annual independence day celebration of parades, music and fireworksCeremony
🇺🇸 Los Angeles, United StatesSuper Bowl
The annual championship game of American professional football, held every February.Game
🇻🇦 Vatican City and 1 morePontifical Swiss GuardPontificia Cohors Helvetica
The Swiss military corps charged with guarding the Pope and the Apostolic PalaceCeremony
🇺🇸 Falcon Heights, United StatesMinnesota State Fair
Minnesota's twelve-day fair of farm animals, contests and food, ending on Labor DayFestival
🇮🇷 Isfahan, Iran and 3 morePersian gardenباغ ایرانی
An ancient tradition of creating walled, geometric sanctuaries of shade and flowing waterCraft
🇦🇺 Sydney, Australia and 5 moreSurf lifesaving
A volunteer beach rescue and ocean sports tradition originating on Australian coasts.Game
🇮🇳 IndiaIndian national calendar
India's official civil solar calendar, designed to bring unity to timekeepingSeasonal
🇦🇫 Kabul, Afghanistan and 1 moreJirgaجرګه
A traditional consultative council of elders that settles disputes through consensusCeremony
🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea and 5 moreShell money
Traditional currency made from cowries, ground clam beads, and carved sea shellsCraft
🇺🇸 New York, United StatesVillage Halloween Parade
An annual costumed puppetry march through Greenwich Village on Halloween nightFestival
🇮🇹 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
🇻🇦 Vatican City and 1 moreConclave
Cardinals sealed in the Sistine Chapel, voting until two thirds agree on a new popeSpiritual
🇳🇿 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
🇨🇳 China and 2 moreCuju蹴鞠
An ancient Chinese kicking game played without hands using a stuffed or air-filled ballGame
🇮🇳 Kolkata, IndiaJana Gana Mana
India's national anthem, from a Bengali hymn of 1911, sung at civic occasionsCeremony
🇬🇧 Pilton, United KingdomGlastonbury Festival
A five-day summer performing arts festival held on Somerset farmlandFestival
🇺🇸 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
🇺🇸 Washington, United StatesState of the Union address
The US president's yearly report to Congress and the nation, given in the House chamberCeremony
🇲🇱 San, Mali and 1 moreBògòlanfinibɔgɔlanfini
A handmade Malian cotton textile dyed with iron-rich mud, worn for protection and identity.Dress
🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreCharro traditionCharro
The equestrian skills, formal attire and rodeo arts of the Mexican horseman.Game
🇸🇦 Saudi ArabiaArdahالعرضة
A traditional Arabian group dance of facing lines, drums, poetry, and swordsPerformance
🇵🇱 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
🇵🇷 Ponce, Puerto Rico and 1 morePlena
Puerto Rican folk songs and dance sharing community news with rhythmic frame drumsPerformance
🇬🇧 South Queensferry, United KingdomThe Burryman
A man clad in burdock burrs walks a Scottish town for a day, bringing luck as he goesFolklore
🇵🇭 Cebu, PhilippinesArnis
The national martial art of the Philippines using sticks, bladed weapons and open handsGame
🇳🇬 Calabar, NigeriaCalabar Carnival
An annual December street festival and cultural gathering held in Calabar, NigeriaFestival
🇳🇪 In-Gall, NigerCure Salée
A yearly gathering of Tuareg and Wodaabe nomads in In-Gall to mark the end of the rainy season.Festival
🇰🇼 KuwaitDewaniya
An evening gathering and reception central to Kuwaiti social, business, and civic lifeEtiquette · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies
🇺🇸 New Orleans, United StatesKrewe
Carnival clubs that stage parades, balls, and pageantry along the Gulf CoastFestival
🇧🇼 Botswana and 2 moreKgotla
A village meeting and customary court in Botswana, led by the chiefCeremony
🇳🇿 New ZealandKarakia
Māori incantations and prayers recited for spiritual guidance, safety and ceremonySpiritual
🇬🇷 Greece and 5 moreHandshake
A brief clasp of hands to greet, part or seal a deal, with local rules on how it is doneEtiquette
🇹🇭 ThailandThai solar calendarปฏิทินสุริยคติไทย
The official solar calendar of Thailand, numbered in the Buddhist EraSeasonal
🇳🇴 Bergen, NorwayBuekorps
Youth marching groups of Bergen's neighbourhoods, with drums, banners and a May paradeCeremony
🇧🇮 Gitega, BurundiKaryenda
A sacred drum of Burundi that symbolized the monarchy and announced royal events.Performance
🇲🇱 Bamako, Mali and 5 moreGriotjeli, ߖߋ߬ߟߌ in N'Ko script
West Africa's hereditary keepers of spoken history, praise and musicPerformance
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Cure Salée: NigerTZai, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- State of the Union address: Harris & Ewing, photographer, Public domain, source
- Jana Gana Mana: Rabindranath Tagore, Public domain, source
- Talking stick: Sandra Hunt, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Second line: Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Griot: Pierre-Georges Jeanniot (gravure) [ 1 ] M. Barbier (photograph, Public domain, source
- March of the Living: No machine-readable author provided. Efka de~commonswiki assumed (base, CC BY 2.5, source
- Olympic torch relay: DieselCat, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- The Burryman: Oliver Benton, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Buekorps: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Karyenda: No machine-readable author provided. Tequendamia assumed (based on cop, Public domain, source
- Handshake: Rufino, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Conclave: User Maus-Trauden on de.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Kgotla: Mompati Dikunwane, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Minnesota State Fair: Jonathunder at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Plena: Raylaur15, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Glastonbury Festival: Czampal, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ardah: Abodi009, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Calabar Carnival: Raji kunle, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Manchu-Han Imperial Feast: Cara Chow ( Charlotte1125 ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Krewe: Tim Ross, Public domain, source
- Surf lifesaving: User:Celcom, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Pontifical Swiss Guard: The White House, Public domain, source
- Cuju: BabelStone, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Charro tradition: AlejandroLinaresGarcia, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Arnis: Carmen Novoa, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Shell money: Niccolò Gualtieri, Public domain, source
- Super Bowl: John Tornow, CC BY 2.0, source
- Village Halloween Parade: InSapphoWeTrust, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Indian national calendar: Clemensmarabu, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Māori Language Week: Government House (New Zealand) https://gg.govt.nz/copyright-and-licens, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- National Day Parade: chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Majlis: Abū Zayd ibn Muḥammad ibn Abī Zayd, CC0, source
- Flag Day: Freekee /Kevin Hansen, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Apsara Dance: Remi Jouan, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Jirga: Alpha4354747, Public domain, source
- Caffè sospeso: Bex Walton, CC BY 2.0, source
- Yoke thé: Uthantofburma ( talk ) 05:15, 30 November 2010 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Chelsea Flower Show: Nzfauna, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Persian garden: dynamosquito, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Bògòlanfini: BluesyPete, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Zangbeto: Grete Howard, CC BY 3.0, source
- Lei Day: Janine, CC BY 2.0, source
- Independence Day: John Trumbull, Public domain, source