Traditions beginning with D
94 traditions under D.
🇱🇧 Lebanon and 4 moreDabkeدبكة
A Levantine folk dance of linked lines and stomping steps, kept at weddings and community gatherings.Performance
🇰🇷 South Korea and 1 moreDaeboreum대보름
A Korean festival of the first lunar full moon, marked by fires, wishes and feastsSeasonal · Feasts and festival meals
🇮🇳 Mumbai, IndiaDahi Handi
A Hindu festival sport where teams build human towers to break suspended curd potsFestival
🇨🇳 China and 1 moreDahu褡护 (Dāhù)
A cross-collar jacket worn in the Ming dynasty, blending Chinese and Mongol styles.Dress
🇯🇵 Tokyo, JapanDaijō-sai大嘗祭
The emperor's once-in-a-reign Shinto rite of thanks for the rice harvestSpiritual
🇱🇻 LatviaDaina
Short, traditional Latvian folk songs and verses sung across the human life cyclePerformance
🇹🇼 Taichung, TaiwanDajia Mazu Pilgrimage大甲媽祖遶境進香
A nine-day walking procession across central Taiwan honouring the sea goddess MazuSpiritual
🇨🇳 China and 1 moreDajiao打醮
An annual Taoist ritual and festival seeking peace and safety for the communitySpiritual · Feasts and festival meals
🇸🇪 Nusnäs, Sweden and 1 moreDala horseDalahäst
A carved painted wooden horse from Dalarna, a children's toy that became a national symbolCraft
🇬🇭 Ghana and 3 moreDamba festivalDamba chuɣu
A Ghanaian celebration of royal authority, ancestral memory, music and danceFestival
🇽🇰 Pristina, KosovoDAM Festival Pristina
An annual gathering in Pristina showcasing emerging classical and contemporary musiciansPerformance
🇱🇺 Echternach, LuxembourgDancing procession of EchternachIechternacher Sprangprëssioun
A Roman Catholic hopping pilgrimage honouring Saint Willibrord in eastern LuxembourgSpiritual
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreDandiya Raas
A stick dance from Gujarat performed in pairs during the festival of NavaratriPerformance
🇱🇷 LiberiaDan maskgle or ge
A sacred wooden mask worn by the Dan people of Liberia to embody forest spirits during masquerade.Spiritual
🇲🇽 MexicoDanza de los ViejitosT'arche Uarakua
A Purépecha masked dance honouring the sun and the four elements in MichoacánPerformance
🇲🇽 Papantla, Mexico and 1 moreDanza de los Voladores
A Mesoamerican rite of dance and rope, flown from a tall pole to ask for rainSpiritual
🇬🇷 Thebes, GreeceDaphnephoria
A nine-year festival in ancient Thebes featuring a laurel-bearer procession for Apollo.Festival
🇯🇵 Takasaki, JapanDaruma doll達磨 (daruma)
A round Japanese wishing doll: fill one eye to set a goal, the other to mark it done.Folklore
🇳🇵 Kathmandu, Nepal and 4 moreDashainबडादशैँ
A fifteen-day festival of family gatherings, blessings, and feasts across NepalFestival
🇮🇳 Diu, IndiaDashama Vrataદશામા વ્રત
A ten-day Hindu vow kept at home with a clay shrine, mostly by women in Gujarat and DiuSpiritual
🇳🇵 Nepal and 1 moreDaura-Suruwalदौरा सुरुवाल
The traditional Nepali male attire of a wrap shirt, tapered trousers, and a coat.Dress
🇸🇦 Mecca, Saudi Arabia and 1 moreDay of Arafahيوم عرفة
A holy day of prayer, repentance, and vigil on the second day of the Hajj pilgrimageSpiritual
🇧🇦 Bosnia and HerzegovinaDay of Republika SrpskaДан Републике Српске
An annual civic holiday observed across Republika Srpska on 9 JanuaryCeremony
🇮🇱 Israel and 2 moreDay of Salvation and Liberationיום השחרור וההצלה
A Jewish holiday on the 26th of Iyar to thank God for saving Jews from Nazi annihilation.Festival
🇧🇬 Plovdiv, Bulgaria and 7 moreDay of Slavonic Alphabet, Bulgarian Enlightenment and CultureДен на българската просвета и култура и на славянската писменост
Bulgaria's public holiday for its alphabet, schools and culture, kept each 24 MayFestival
🇲🇽 Mexico City, Mexico and 1 moreDay of the DeadDía de Muertos
A Mexican remembrance of deceased family and friends with altars, marigolds and feastsFestival · Sweets given and shared
🇰🇵 Pyongyang, North KoreaDay of the Foundation of the Republic9.9절 (Inmin Jeonggwon Changgeonil)
A national holiday in North Korea marking the founding of the state on September 9.Ceremony
🇪🇸 Spain and 4 moreDay of the Holy InnocentsDía de los Santos Inocentes
A 28 December day of pranks and fake news, kept in the Spanish-speaking worldFestival
🇰🇵 Pyongyang, North KoreaDay of the Shining Star광명성절
A two-day national holiday in North Korea honouring the birth of Kim Jong Il.Ceremony
🇰🇵 Pyongyang, North KoreaDay of the Sun태양절
North Korea's principal holiday, marking the birth anniversary of Kim Il SungCeremony
🇿🇦 South Africa and 1 moreDay of the VowGeloftedag
A religious public holiday in South Africa kept by Afrikaners to honour a vow made before the Battle of Blood River.Festival
🇵🇰 PakistanDefence Dayیومِ دفاع
Pakistan's national day for its soldiers, kept each 6 September with parades and tributesCeremony
🇷🇺 Moscow, Russia and 5 moreDefender of the Fatherland DayДень защитника Отечества
A national holiday honouring military service and male relatives, observed across several post-Soviet states.Festival
🇵🇱 Poland and 1 moreDelia
A fur-trimmed outer coat worn by nobility in the Polish-Lithuanian CommonwealthDress
🇩🇪 Germany and 5 moreDelphic Games of the modern era
Global competitions and exhibitions across the arts, modelled on ancient Greek gamesPerformance
🇰🇼 KuwaitDewaniya
An evening gathering and reception central to Kuwaiti social, business, and civic lifeEtiquette · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies
🇸🇴 Somalia and 1 moreDhaanto
A Somali folk dance and music style used for morale and celebration in the Horn of Africa.Performance
🇳🇵 Nepal and 1 moreDhaka topiढाका टोपी
A patterned cotton cap worn across Nepal as part of the national dressDress
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreDhanterasधनतेरस (Hindi), धनत्रयोदशी (Sanskrit)
The first day of Diwali, a festival of lamps, health and wealth kept across India and Nepal.Festival
🇮🇳 IndiaDhokra
A lost-wax metal casting craft kept by tribal artisans in eastern and central India for over four millennia.Craft
🇮🇳 Mumbai, India and 1 moreDhoti
A long unstitched cloth men wrap like trousers, for worship and formal daysDress
🇮🇳 Gwalior, India and 1 moreDhrupadध्रुवपद
The foundational vocal and instrumental classical music tradition of northern IndiaPerformance
🇮🇳 Nadia, IndiaDhunachi
A Bengali incense burner, swung in worship and danced with at Durga PujaSpiritual
🇮🇳 IndiaDhundhढुन्ढ
A Hindu ritual in Rajasthan where infants are symbolically married to Holika on Holi to ward off mischief.Festival
🇧🇴 Oruro, Bolivia and 3 moreDiabladaDanza de los Diablos
An Andean masked dance depicting a battle between devils and the Archangel MichaelPerformance
🇪🇸 Barcelona, Spain and 2 moreDiada de Sant Jordi
A Catalan feast day of literature and love, marked by giving books and red rosesFestival
🇦🇷 ArgentinaDía de la Tradición
An annual Argentine day celebrating gaucho customs on poet José Hernández's birthdayCeremony
🇺🇦 Ukraine and 1 moreDidukhдідух
A wheat sheaf kept at Christmas to honour ancestors and pray for a bountiful harvestHome
🇮🇹 ItalyDies lustricus
An ancient Roman naming ceremony where a newborn was purified and given their first name.Rite of passage · Feasts and festival meals
🇲🇾 Malaysia and 4 moreDikir baratDikir Hulu / Dikir Barat
A group singing art from the Malay Peninsula where verses are traded back and forth in a witty lyrical duel.Performance
🇨🇳 Guangzhou, China and 1 moreDim sum點心 (traditional Chinese), 点心 (simplified Chinese)
Small dishes shared with tea, eaten as brunch in Cantonese teahouses and restaurantsTable custom · Breakfast
🇵🇭 Iloilo City, PhilippinesDinagyang FestivalDinágyang
An annual festival of drumming, street dance and devotion to the Santo Niño in Iloilo.Festival
🇬🇷 Athens, GreeceDionysiaΔιονύσια
Ancient Athenian festivals of theatre, processions and sacrifices in honour of the god Dionysus.Festival · Feasts and festival meals
🇬🇷 Athens, Greece and 2 moreDionysian Mysteries
Ancient Greek and Roman initiation rites of wine, ecstatic dance and spiritual rebirthSpiritual · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies
🇬🇭 Odumase Krobo, GhanaDipo
An annual Ghanaian coming-of-age ceremony welcoming Krobo girls into womanhoodRite of passage
🇦🇹 Austria and 4 moreDirndl
A fitted dress with apron from the German-speaking Alps, worn for festivals and weddings.Dress
🇦🇱 Elbasan, Albania and 3 moreDita e Verës
An Albanian spring festival of bonfires, sweets and nature renewal on March 14Seasonal
🇧🇼 Molepolole, BotswanaDithubaruba Cultural Festival
An annual gathering in Botswana that celebrates the customs, music, and history of the Bakwena people.Festival
🇮🇹 ItalyDivalia
A Roman festival held on December 21 to honor the goddess Angerona.Festival
🇹🇹 Chaguanas, Trinidad and Tobago and 1 moreDivali Nagar
An annual cultural exposition in Trinidad and Tobago celebrating Hindu traditions during the Diwali season.Festival
🇮🇳 IndiaDivja
A Goan ritual where women carry oil lamps in a temple procession to fulfill vows.Spiritual
🇮🇳 Ayodhya, India and 7 moreDiwaliदीपावली (Dīpāvalī)
A five-day festival of lights celebrated across India and its diaspora to mark the victory of light over darkness.Festival · Feasts and festival meals
🇲🇦 Morocco and 1 moreDjellabaجلابة
A long, loose hooded robe worn by men and women across North AfricaDress
🇦🇱 Albania and 5 moreDodolaДодoла / Dodola
A Balkan rainmaking ritual where children dressed in greenery lead processions to call for summer showers.Festival
🇦🇱 Gjirokastër, Albania and 5 moreDodola and Perperuna
A rainmaking ritual kept across Southeast Europe, where children dressed in greenery lead processions to call for summerSpiritual
🇬🇱 Greenland and 3 moreDog sledding
An Arctic tradition of navigating snow and ice behind working dog teamsCraft
🇶🇦 Doha, QatarDoha Cultural Festival
An annual sixteen-day arts and heritage festival held in Qatar's capitalFestival
🇷🇴 RomaniaDoina
A free-rhythm Romanian song of longing, sung alone or played to open a dancePerformance
🇽🇰 Prizren, KosovoDokuFest
An annual summer gathering in Prizren dedicated to non-fiction cinema and short filmsFestival
🇰🇷 South Korea and 1 moreDoljanchi돌 (dol); 돌잔치 (doljanchi)
A Korean first-birthday rite where a baby picks an object that hints at the years aheadRite of passage
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreDol Purnima
A Hindu spring festival honouring Radha and Krishna with swing processions and colourFestival
🇩🇴 Santo Domingo, Dominican RepublicDominican Carnival
A February street festival of masks, music and parades across the Dominican Republic.Festival
🇨🇳 Suzhou, China and 3 moreDongzhi冬至
A midwinter festival celebrating the return of light with family feasts and dumplingsSeasonal · Dinner
🇨🇳 Suzhou, China and 4 moreDongzhi Festival冬至
A winter solstice festival of family reunions, ancestor rites and sweet rice ballsSeasonal · Dinner
🇺🇿 Tashkent, Uzbekistan and 1 moreDoppaدوپپا (Uyghur); doʻppi / дўппи / دوپا (Uzbek)
An embroidered cap, square or round, that Uyghurs and Uzbeks wear across Central AsiaDress
🇷🇺 Moscow, Russia and 5 moreDormition of the Mother of God
A major feast in Eastern Christianity marking the death and heavenly ascent of Mary.Spiritual
🇨🇳 China and 5 moreDouble Ninth Festival重陽節
An autumn festival of mountain walks, chrysanthemum wine and ancestor remembranceSeasonal · Tea-time and snacking customs
🇹🇼 Taipei, TaiwanDouble Ten Day國慶日
The national holiday of Taiwan marking the start of the 1911 revolution.Ceremony
🇮🇱 Jerusalem, Israel and 2 moreDough offeringHafrashat challah
A Jewish ritual where a portion of bread dough is set aside for a priest.Spiritual
🇵🇱 Kraków, Poland and 5 moreDozhinkiDożynki
A Slavic harvest festival of the last sheaf, a woven wreath and a shared mealSeasonal
🇷🇴 RomaniaDragobete
A Romanian festival of young love and spring, celebrated with early flowers and courtshipFestival
🇨🇳 China and 3 moreDragon dance舞龍 / 舞龙
A long dragon puppet on poles, danced by a team at Chinese New Year and other festivalsPerformance
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreDreamcatcherᐊᓴᐱᑫᔒᓐᐦ (asabikeshiinh)
A hand-woven hoop from Anishinaabe tradition, hung above a cradle to protect a childCraft
🇮🇱 Israel and 3 moreDreidelדרײדל (Yiddish); סביבון (Hebrew)
A four-sided top spun for small stakes, most often by Jewish families at HanukkahGame
🇬🇧 United KingdomDruid's PrayerGweddi'r Derwydd
A short Welsh prayer by Iolo Morganwg, said in ritual by druids todaySpiritual
🇭🇷 Dubrovnik, CroatiaDubrovnik Summer FestivalDubrovačke ljetne igre
An annual summer celebration of theatre, music and dance held in the historic streets of Dubrovnik.Festival
🇧🇪 Mons, BelgiumDucasse de Mons
An eight-day festival in Mons featuring a golden carriage and a dragon combatFestival
🇮🇳 Varanasi, India and 3 moreDupattaदुपट्टा
A traditional South Asian scarf worn across the shoulders, chest, and headDress
🇳🇬 Kano, NigeriaDurbar festival
An equestrian gathering marking Muslim holidays across northern Nigerian emiratesFestival
🇮🇳 Kolkata, India and 1 moreDurga Puja
A ten-day autumn festival honouring the goddess Durga and her victory over evil, kept across eastern India and BangladesFestival
🇮🇳 Kolkata, IndiaDurga Puja in Kolkataকলকাতার দুর্গাপূজা
The grand annual autumn festival honouring the mother goddess Durga across KolkataSpiritual
🇮🇷 Iran and 5 moreDutarدوتار
A long-necked lute crafted from wood and played across Iran and Central AsiaPerformance
🇷🇺 Dymkovo, RussiaDymkovo toysДымковская игрушка
Painted clay people, animals and whistles, shaped by women in Dymkovo near KirovCraft
🇧🇾 Belarus and 4 moreDziadyДзяды (Belarusian); Діди (Ukrainian); Dziady (Polish)
A Slavic tradition of feeding and welcoming the spirits of ancestors to ensure family fertility and peace.Spiritual
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Dongzhi Festival: Alpha, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Diwali: Kalli navya, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Durga Puja: Subhrajyoti07, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Defender of the Fatherland Day: И. Мартынов, Public domain, source
- Dragon dance: Caseman, Public domain, source
- Doppa: Jasper Lee, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Double Ninth Festival: Sgerbic, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Day of the Sun: Uri Tours, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Dziady: Stanisław Bagieński, Public domain, source
- Dashain: Unknown author, CC0, source
- Day of the Shining Star: Nicor, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Didukh: Bo&Ko, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Daeboreum: hojusaram, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Damba festival: Bash222, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dreamcatcher: Jorge Barrios, Public domain, source
- Dol Purnima: Satyabrata sahoo369, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Diada de Sant Jordi: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dita e Verës: Bibiomn, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Durbar festival: Omotayo Tajudeen, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dahi Handi: AKS.9955, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dhanteras: The original uploader was F16 at Hebrew Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Dipo: FatawuY1, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage: Mazubobee, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Diablada: Elemaki, CC BY 3.0, source
- Día de la Tradición: GCBA, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Dreidel: Adiel lo, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Dinagyang Festival: Bernardo 'Berniemack' Arellano III, CC BY 3.0, source
- Dahu: Gary Todd, CC0, source
- Dancing procession of Echternach: David Edgar, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Dutar: Yuet Man Lee, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dubrovnik Summer Festival: Roberta F., CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Dominican Carnival: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0 de, source
- Dongzhi: N509FZ, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ducasse de Mons: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Dirndl: High Contrast, CC BY 3.0 de, source
- Durga Puja in Kolkata: Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0, source
- Dandiya Raas: User:psubhashish, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Dhaanto: aflaanta std, CC BY 3.0, source
- Danza de los Viejitos: Jessicatena, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Daina: Savannah Rivka, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dabke: Sarah Canbel, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Daijō-sai: Abasaa, Public domain, source
- Dikir barat: SMK SERI MAHKOTA, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dan mask: Unknown author, CC BY 3.0, source
- Day of the Vow: South African Railways and Harbours public relations department, Public domain, source
- Dhokra: Sushilsakhuja, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Dymkovo toys: Georg Pik, Public domain, source
- Dashama Vrata: Athwartmisunderstand, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dhoti: Redaloes at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
- Djellaba: Daderot, Public domain, source
- Doljanchi: en:User:Jamsong, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Dim sum: Kolumbusjogger, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Daruma doll: Crisco 1492, Public domain, source
- Danza de los Voladores: A01333649, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Double Ten Day: 總統府, CC BY 2.0, source
- Dala horse: User:Mysid, Public domain, source
- Dhunachi: Amitbsws, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dormition of the Mother of God: El Greco, Public domain, source
- Day of the Holy Innocents: Attributed to Pieter Brueghel the Younger, Public domain, source
- Dozhinki: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Defence Day: Faizanbokhari at English Wikipedia (I shot this picture myself.), Public domain, source
- Day of Slavonic Alphabet, Bulgarian Enlightenment and Culture: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- DAM Festival Pristina: Lyra Cela, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Dithubaruba Cultural Festival: SanDanceVR, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- DokuFest: Fallbackintoreality, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Day of Arafah: Al Jazeera English, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Dionysian Mysteries: Tilemahos Efthimiadis, CC BY 2.0, source
- Dodola: Andrey Shishkin, CC BY 3.0, source
- Daphnephoria: Frederic Leighton, Public domain, source
- Day of Republika Srpska: Ministry of Defence of Republic of Serbia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Delphic Games of the modern era: Achilles Painter, Public domain, source
- Dionysia: Unknown artist, Public domain, source
- Dajiao: 29cm, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Divja: Govenkarpriyanka, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Dough offering: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Dupatta: Kinshuk Sunil, CC BY 2.0, source
- Daura-Suruwal: not researched, CC BY 4.0, source
- Dhaka topi: Sophie Graubert, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Day of the Foundation of the Republic: Uri Tours, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Day of the Dead: RubeHM, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dog sledding: chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source