Interview:

“And we are technically supposed to celebrate the buddha’s death and birthday.  Like go to the temple.  It’s in August I think? It’s called V-E-S-A-K.”

What do you do at the temples?

“You worship the priest and do meditation.  Then usually you eat snacks.  Probably not anymore because I think only the kids get snacks.”

What is your take on this tradition?

“I haven’t celebrated this for years.”

“I think there’s a tradition where you light lanterns.”

Background:

While my informant has forgotten his views on the holiday, he did note he enjoyed partaking in the traditions of his family.  The holiday Vesak is known as the holiday that celebrates the three stages of the Buddha’s life, death, birth and reaching of enlightenment.  Often this celebration involves lighting lanterns at the temples.  Some of the places releasing the paper lanterns into the air.  The three methods of celebrating Vesek were to first bring happiness to others, then praying to the Buddha and celebrating days of observance.

Analysis:

I noticed that the paper lantern celebration with sending them off to the sky was similar to the paper lanterns sent up as wishes in Taiwan.  It is also interesting to see the religion celebrating a festival to offer charity to those less fortunate.

Interview:

“Every year once a year, visit the graveyard of my grandparents.”

So was it like holiday kind of thing?

“Yeah, it was called qing ming jie.  Was for grandma, because grandma died really young.  We would visit and clean the graveyard, and do the incense, and at home we would pray and burn paper money.”

Background:

The holiday qing ming jie is a festival known as tomb-sweeping day.  Traditionally taking place on as the 15^th day after the spring equinox.  Paper money is often burned to provide the deceased with the ability to be prosperous in the afterlife.   There is an incredible emphasis on the importance of family and ancestors in Taiwanese culture.

Analysis:

This reminds me similarly of countries like Japan who would do similar tasks to pay respects to their ancestors.  Sweeping the grave and leaving flowers were some of the tasks that were carried out.

Interview:

What holidays do you celebrate?

“We run this race during Chinese New Year called the firecracker race.  It takes place in Chinatown and there are many runs like kiddie runs and the 5k run or the 10k run.

Every year my family would go and run it and we would always have fun. After the race, by going by stands and getting free food and promotional things.  Then after that we would go to a sandwich store called Philippe’s.”

 Background:

The subject began running this race annually due to the fact her father and brother took part in the race every Chinese New Year.  Normally taking place on the 23^rd day of the 12^th lunar month, Chinese New Year traditionally is known as the spring festival.  Each year is named after one of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac of which each is named after.  Traditionally the holiday is celebrated cleaning the house to sweep away bad luck and red envelopes with money are often given from the adults to the children.

Analysis:

It is interesting to see how traditions evolve from one country to another.  Family traditions that change as a result to new environments resulting in unique ways of celebration.

Interview:

“We do Christian and Buddhist things at the same time, we go to church on Christmas, then do New Year Sri Lankan stuff.”

What do you normally do for New Years?

“On New Year we eat sticky rice because it’s for good luck and then for New Year you pray to your elders and like kneel and pray.  I think that’s Sri Lankan.”

Background:

The informant was unaware of specifics to the New Year celebration, there were specific consistent features of the celebration for him.  When asked about the importance of the holiday to him, the informant states that it is an important family event.  While traditionally celebrated on April 13^th or 14^th, Aluth Avurudda, also known as Sinhalese New Year, is celebrated similarly to how the informant’s family traditionally celebrates.

Analysis:

It seems that among many cultures celebrate a form of celebration for the New Year.  They also seem to share similar ideas of the cleansing effect of the new year.  Many of the new year celebration involve rituals for the new year that are to bring good luck.