Innholdsfortegnelse for 6/2017 i ASIAN Geographic

F estivals can be deeply spiritual and ritualistic, or merely frivolous and fanciful. They range from rambunctious to riotous to reflective. They can also be romantic, nostalgic – even melancholy. Some ancient practices appear archaic and macabrely out of place in contemporary contexts; several are hard to stomach. Some are in danger of dying out completely, whereas others have metamorphosed, taking on modern influences and idiosyncrasies. Asia’s festivals can really be summed up in one word: diverse. From east to west, the region boasts a smorgasbord of the weird, the wonderful, and the downright bizarre. But whatever their flavour, festivals offer a fantastic means of immersing oneself in a foreign community’s culture. In keeping with Passport’s mission to equip the modern traveller with a comprehensive guide to Asia, we’ve covered…

Observed for over 2,000 years, this energetic festival commemorates the death of the ancient Chinese minister and poet Qu Yuan, who committed suicide by jumping into a river and drowning after being banished by the emperor due to political machinations. The common folk, who loved the upright and patriotic minister, sought to prevent his body from being desecrated by throwing cooked rice into the river to feed the fish within. Fishermen also rowed their boats into the river to look for his body, and beat their oars against the water to scare the fish away. Today, a popular spectator sport is the river race held on dragon boats, which are so named because they are painted to look like Chinese dragons: Their stern features a colourful wooden dragon head. The…

The sight of people passing out is common during the Holy Week celebrations in San Pedro Cutud, a small town 75 kilometres northwest of the Philippine capital, Manila. But the spectacle of wilting figures is not due to the steaming heat – it is the result of a brutal representation of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ marking Lent, the six-week religious observance that starts on Ash Wednesday and concludes on Easter Sunday. According to the religious scriptures, Jesus Christ underwent agonising suffering before sacrificing himself for the salvation of mankind. Religious devotees re-enact his final days in acts of penance. “I feel very moved to see how Filipinos can keep traditions even better than those who brought them here. We are losing faith in Europe, but it’s comforting to see…

This festival is not unique to Singapore, as it is celebrated in all Tamil communities, primarily in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore. But it’s certainly one of the most interesting festivals on the tiny island. The word “Thaipusam” is derived from the name of the month, Thai, and the name of a star, Pusam, which is at its highest point during the festival. It honours the destruction of an evil demon, Soorapadman, at the hands of Murugan (also known as Lord Subramaniam), the Hindu god of war, who was given a spear by Parvati to wage the battle. Murugan is seen to be the personification of Shiva’s light and wisdom, and so devotees pray to him as the destroyer of evil. Thaipusam starts in the early hours, and devotees…

Every year at the time of the Kartik Purnima full moon in November, the sleepy Indian town of Pushkar comes roaring to life as the Pushkar Camel Fair – or Pushkar Camel Mela as it is known locally – rolls into town, as it has done for centuries. Billed as the largest camel fair in the world, it attracts an estimated 200,000 visitors each year – an eclectic mix of Hindu pilgrims, livestock traders and wide-eyed tourists, creating a carnival-like atmosphere where religion, tourism and commerce come together, yielding an enchanting and chaotic scene on the border of Rajasthan’s Thar Desert. Camel keepers and up to 20,000 camels descend on the sand dunes surrounding the city prior to the fair to set up camp and mingle with traders, devising strategies…

KAZAKHSTAN Nowruz (March) • National Unity Day (May) • Kurban Bayram (August) • Chabana Festival (August) KYRGYZSTAN Nowruz (March) • Orthodox Easter (April) • National Horse Festival (July) • Birds of Prey Festival (August) • Kyrgyz Kochu Festival (August) TAJIKISTAN Nowruz (March) • Sayri Guli Lola (Spring) • Victory Day (May) • Idi Kurbon (August) TURKMENISTAN Nowruz (March) • Revival, Unity, and Magtymguly Pyragy Day (May) • Melon Day (August) UZBEKISTAN Nowruz (March) • Boysun Bahori (May) • Shark Taronalari (August) *Eid al-Fitr (June) and Eid al-Adha (August) are also celebrated in Muslim communities in Central Asia…

ARMENIA Dolma Festival (May) • Vardavar (July) • Sheep Shearing Festival (June) • Carpet Festival (August) • Navasard (August–September) • Festival of Gata (October) GEORGIA Nowruz (March) • The Cheese (and Wine) Festivals (October) • Georgia Mountain Fall Festival (October) THE ARABIAN GULF Eid al-Fitr (June) and Eid al-Adha (August) ISRAEL Sukkot (September) • Rosh Hashanah (September) • Hanukkah (December) JORDAN Aqaba Traditional Arts Festival (February) • Azraq Festival (February) • Eid al-Fitr (June) • Jerash Festival of Culture and Arts (July/August) • Eid al-Adha (August) TURKEY Camel Wrestling Festivals (January–March) • Nowruz (March) • Sarıgerme Kite Festival (April) • Kas Lycia Festival (September)…

At the Taong Putik Festival in Aliaga, Nueva Ecija, in the centre of the island of Luzon, hundreds of Christian devotees transform themselves into taong putik (mud people) by bathing in mud and wrapping themselves in banana leaves. The tradition stems from a story in which Japanese soldiers were ambushed by Filipino rebels; the soldiers ordered their execution on holy ground in their village. But at the time of the scheduled execution, the heavens opened, and the Japanese – who saw the downpour as an omen – decided to set the men free. Today, the community celebrates their release by giving thanks to St John the Baptist for the miracle. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNER JOEL FORTE! His image of the Taong Putik Festival in the Philippines has been selected as…

DAY 1 (ARRIVAL) FEBRUARY 15 Paro to Thimphu At 2,235 metres above sea level, you will immediately feel the effects of the high altitude upon arrival in Paro, which is home to many old monasteries and temples. We visit Kyichu Lhakhang, the oldest temple in Bhutan, and the Iron Bridge of Dumtse Lhakhang, built by a monk in 1433. We transfer to Thimphu, visit the farmer’s market and Tashichho Dzong, which houses the throne of the king, followed by the Kuenselphodrang Nature Park. We overnight at Thimphu. DAY 2 FEBRUARY 16 Thimphu: The capital city We embark on a tour of Thimphu, beginning at the Motithang Takin Preserve, a former zoo that is home to the takin, or gnu goat. The king decreed that cooping up animals went against Buddhist…

CHINA Da Shuhua (March) • Dongba Fair (April) • Sister’s Meal Festival (April–May) • Dragonboat Festival (June) Macau: Tou Tei Festival (March) Hong Kong: Tai Kok Tsui Temple Fair (March) • Mazu International Festival (March) • Cheung Chau Bun Festival (May) JAPAN Shogatsu (January) • Setsubun Festival (February) • Takayama Festival (April) • Tanabata Festival (July) • Karatsu Kunchi (November) MONGOLIA Tsagaan Sar (February) • Khovsgol Ice Festival (March) • Naadam (July) • Golden Eagle Festivals (September and October) SOUTH KOREA Hwacheon Ice Festival (January) • Cheongdo Bullfighting Festival (March–April) • Gangneung Danoje (May) • Boryeong Mud Festival (July) • Muju Firefly Festival (August–September) • Goesan Red Pepper Festival (August–September) TAIWAN Song Jiang Battle Array (March) • Ear-Shooting Festival (May) • Ami Harvest Festival (July–August) • Qixi Coming-of-Age Ceremony (August)…

THAILAND Chiang Mai Flower Festival (February) • Songkran (April) Phuket Vegetarian Festival (October) • Surin Elephant Roundup (November) • Loi Krathong and Yi Peng (November) • Lopburi Monkey Banquet (November) PHILIPPINES Ati-Atihan Festival (January) • Moriones Festival (April) • Holy Week (April) • Pahiyas Festival (May) • Pintados Festival (June) • Kadayawan Festival (August) • MassKara Festival (October) MYANMAR Moe Byae Festival (January) • Taungbyone Ceremony (August) • Taunggyi Fire Balloon Festival • (October–November) • Akha New Year Festival (December) CAMBODIA Khmer New Year (April) • Pchum Ben (October) • Bon Om Touk (November) INDONESIA Nypei (March) • Galungan and Kuningan (May–June) • Asmat Cultural Festival (October) LAOS Boun Bang Fai (May–June) • Boun Awk Pansa (October) • Boun That Luang (November) MALAYSIA Thaipusam (January) • Gawai Dayak (May) •…

The massive hot-air balloon paper , adorned with traditional Myanmar imagery and carrying a hundred kilograms of explosives was supposed to ascend into the heavens and fill the night sky with dazzling light. Instead, it exploded nine metres above our heads, unleashing a blizzard of blue and white and red fireballs into a field of 10,000 people. Hundreds fled. Others laughed and cheered. I just stood there, mesmerised, until someone grabbed my arm and told me (if my translation was correct!) to “run like hell”. The malfunctioning fireworks-bearing balloon was not the first to explode prematurely that night, nor would it be the last. A few minutes later, everyone was back in the grounds, having taken the opportunity to fetch a fresh beer or skewer of meat. This festival is…

Durgapuja celebrates the victory of the goddess Durga over an evil buffalo demon with her divine feminine energy, called shakti. This arresting scene is reproduced on pandals across Bangladesh’s Hindu community, depicting Durga seated on a lion, slaying the demon, surrounded by her husband and four children. These pandals – mobile temples made of bamboo and colourful cloth (often embellished with great creative liberty) – house a tableau of idols made by artisans over four months with clay, glass or other materials. The painting of Durga’s eyes is left until last, and completed in a ritual called Chokkhu Daan, which precedes the 10-day festival of fasting and feasting. What began as a simple celebration has evolved into fierce competition between neighbourhoods to outmatch one another with lavish decorations and themes.…

A celebration of spring, this festival is unique to the Kalash Valley tribe. Ten days before the festival, dairy farmers set aside large quantities of milk, and the day before the festival, people decorate their homes with walnut branches and flowers. Commemorating the abundance of dairy products during the season, the four-day festivities begin with goat milk and other dairy products being distributed among the community. Infants may be baptised in milk. People may also offer milk to the god Goshidai by pouring milk over an idol of the god, or spreading the milk in their fields. This is followed by a prayer for the safety of their herds and for a good harvest of crops in the coming year. Women wear traditional black floor-length dresses with elaborate floral patterns,…

The occasion is enshrined by UNESCO as part of our intangible, living cultural heritage, something to be safeguarded for future generations to enjoy The Great Pyramid at Giza, the Taj Mahal, and the Great Wall of China stand testament to the vision and technical prowess of ancient civilisations. But though these structures are vital parts of our world heritage, our shared cultural treasures are not always tangible. Our dances, songs, and festivals have evolved through the generations, shaped by a myriad influences, and are arguably of equal or greater value. And so it is with Nowruz, the ancient festival celebrated on the vernal equinox, which marks not only the first day of spring, but also the Persian New Year. For more than 3,000 years, communities from Turkey and the Caucasus…

MANNY LIBRODO SHARES HIS IMPRESSIONS OF SONY’S б9 CAMERA WHILE PHOTOGRAPHING THE EAGLE FESTIVAL IN MONGOLIA Photographing the eagle festival in Mongolia is a photographer’s dream: It’s a riot of action and colour, with participants dressed in their best hunting attire. But it is also a challenging place to work, so it’s best to keep things simple. I only packed one camera, Sony’s б9, which is relatively small and light compared to other full-frame DSLR cameras. I also tried to shoot with one choice of lens per day so that I didn’t risk exposing my other lenses to dust. Shooting with one lens really tests your creativity, and makes you more selective of your shots. One of the fantastic features of Sony’s б9 is that it allows you to…

Unlike international wrestling, they fight with no time limit and no weight categories, leaving many matches rather awkward, with one opponent far outweighing the other Summer is undeniably the best season to travel in Mongolia (unless you want to freeze, that is). The mild weather, long sunshine hours, and untouched green steppe make the country the perfect destination for those who want to enjoy undisturbed Nature at its best; only three million people populate a territory three times the size of France, with about a million of those crowding the capital, Ulaanbaatar. Once you’re outside of the city, there is little chance of bumping into someone! But disrupting the silent vastness of this landlocked, nomadic country is a riotous summer celebration: The Naadam festival is a definitive highlight for anybody…

Although it may feel as though it is tailormade for tourists, the Surin Elephant Roundup is a cultural window into man’s longstanding association with elephants in the northeastern province of Thailand, with its roots in the Ayutthaya era (14th–18th century), when elephant hunts were showcased as a public event. Back then, people would gather to witness the hunters returning from the jungle, using their traditional methods to corral wild elephants toward an enclosure known as a kraal. Over time, the spectacle became more of a staged re-enactment of the hunt, and by the 20th century, trained elephants were incorporated into the exhibition, which was primarily put on for the entertainment of royal guests. Among the most famous visitors was Russian prince Nicholas II, who attended in 1891. The roundups lost…

The Pchum Ben festival – also called “Ancestor’s Day” – is very important to the Khmer people, as it conveys their respect to the ancestors, who are believed to return to Earth during September and October. Much like the month of the Hungry Ghosts in Chinese culture, Pchum Ben sees Khmer people present offerings of food, incense and money to assist their ancestors in the spirit world (the Khmer word pchum means to “congregate”; ben means “to collect”). It is one of the most colourful festivals in the Cambodian calendar: Pagodas are decorated, and people wear their best clothes. Pchum Ben is premised on the Buddhist belief in karma and reincarnation. Most people are assumed to be reincarnated, but those with bad karma are thought to get trapped in limbo…

Gawai Dayak in Sarawak on Malaysian Borneo is dedicated to honouring the traditions of the indigenous Dayak people: the Iban, Bidayuh, Kayan, Kenyah, Kelabit and Murut tribes – who historically became notorious as headhunters. Thankfully today, no human heads depart their necks; the same can’t be said for the ceremonious chicken that is sacrificed at sundown in a bid for a prosperous rice harvest. Not everyone wears traditional outfits anymore, and many people have abandoned longhouse living in favour of more contemporary residences. For many Dayak communities living in the cities, Gawai Dayak is merely a public holiday; but for others – particularly in rural communities – the holiday is celebrated through a cultural festival. The first Gawai Dayak festival was held in 1965 – but the traditional celebrations themselves…

BANGLADESH Shakrain Festival (January) • Pahela Falgoon (February) • Durga Puja (September) • Dubla Rash Mela (November) BHUTAN Punakha Drubchen (February) • Paro Tshechu (March) • Haa Summer Festival (July) • Thimphu Tsechu (September) • Jambay Lhakhang Drup (October) INDIA Holi (March) • Krishna Janmashtami/Govinda (August) • Chaturthi (August–September) • Navaratri, Dussehra, and Durga Puja (September) • Onam (September) • Diwali (October) • Pushkar Camel Fair (October–November) NEPAL Rama Navani (March/April) • Bisket Jatra (April) • Indra Jatra (September) • Dashain (October) • Mani Rimdu (November) PAKISTAN Chilam Joshi (May) • Utchal (July) Shandur Polo festival (July) • Lok Mela (October) • Jashn-e-Baharan (February) SRI LANKA Thai Pongal (January) • Maha Shivarathri (February) • Vesak Poya (May) • Esala Perahera (July) • Diwali (October)…

Tsechus, or festivals, in Bhutan are held in honour of Guru Rinpoche, the man who introduced the country to Buddhism in the 8th century. The festival of Thimphu Tsechu is attended by thousands of Bhutanese, who travel overnight from neighbouring districts to the capital. Early versions of the festival involved a series of sacred dances by monks. Later, more dances, colourful masks, and elaborate costumes were added. These theatrical dances, paired with drums and cymbals, often depict a theme, such as Shaw Shachi (Dance of the Stags) or Guru Tshengye (The Eight Manifestations of Guru). These dances are held in the courtyard of the Tashichho dzong, a building that houses the district government, the king’s throne room, and the religious administration headquarters. The three-day festival also features jesters, or atsaras,…

On the final night, a replica of the tooth is placed in a gold casket on a massive elephant called the Maligawa Tusker Primarily a veneration of the Tooth Relic – a tooth said to come from the Buddha himself – this festival also celebrates the coming of the rainy season in Sri Lanka. The country’s biggest festival is said to have begun in the 4th century, when King Kirti Siri Meghawanna decreed that the national treasure be paraded through the city once a year. The 10-day celebration begins with the ceremonial cutting of a tree. Pieces of the tree are then planted near the temples of the Buddhist gods Natha, Vishnu, Kataragama and Pattini. For the next five nights, processions take place outside of the four temples with plenty…

MPAS AWARDS 2017 Geographic Media of the Year ASIAN Geographic Front Cover of the Year (Bronze) ASIAN Geographic Passport 2016–17 Children Media of the Year ASIAN Geographic Junior 2017 MPAS AWARDS 1. Geographic Media of the Year ASIAN Geographic 2. Children Media of the Year ASIAN Geographic Junior 3. Front Cover of the Year (Bronze) Asian Geographic Passport 2016–17 4. Editor of the Year Alex W. Campbell 5. Art Director of the Year Shellen Teh 2015 MPAS AWARDS 6. Publisher of the Year John Thet 7. Media of the Year ASIAN Geographic 8. Travel Media of the Year ASIAN Geographic PASSPORT 9. Special Edition of the Year World Heritage Edition AG Special Issue/2014 10. Designer of the Year Zoey Lim & Justin Ong 11. Single Article Design of the Year…