Halloween 2024: 5 Unique Festivals Worldwide Honouring The Dead

Beyond Halloween, the concept of celebrating and remembering the departed is a global tradition, observed in various cultures through unique festivals. From somber rituals to vibrant festivities.

Here are five cultural celebrations that highlight the diverse ways people pay tribute to their ancestors around the world.

In India, Pitru Paksha is a 15-day period devoted to honoring ancestors through rituals such as Shraddha or Tarpana. During this time, families offer food to Brahmins, the poor, and animals like cows and crows. Observed in September or October, Pitru Paksha is a time for solemn reflection, with people abstaining from festive activities to concentrate on prayers for the peace of their ancestors' souls.

In Mexico, Día de Los Muertos is a lively and colorful celebration of both life and death. Families create ofrendas (altars) to honor their loved ones, adorning them with marigolds, photographs, and favorite foods. The festival is known for its vibrant parades, elaborate costumes, and humorous Calaveras poems, blending joy and remembrance in a unique and beautiful tradition.

Pchum Ben, one of Cambodia's most significant festivals, spans 15 days, during which families offer food to the spirits of their ancestors. It is believed that during this period, the gates of hell open, allowing souls to visit the living. As part of the tradition, people feed monks and make rice ball offerings to help the spirits find peace. On the festival's final day, small boats filled with fruits and incense are released to guide the spirits on their journey back.

Chuseok, known as 'Korean Thanksgiving,' is a festival where gratitude is shown to ancestors for a successful harvest. Celebrated in September or October, Koreans visit and clean ancestral graves while offering traditional foods such as songpyeon (rice cakes). The celebration also includes folk games, dances, and rituals, bringing families together to pay tribute to their ancestors.

Buddhists and Taoists in China, Malaysia, and Singapore observe the Hungry Ghost Festival, which takes place on the 15th day of the Hungry Ghost month (usually in July or August). During this time, people perform rituals to honor and appease their ancestors, including burning joss paper offerings shaped like fake banknotes, cars, and houses. Floating lanterns on water help guide the spirits back, and empty seats at family meals are set aside to welcome the deceased.