“Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.” —Oprah Winfrey
Yep, Oprah gets it.
As we prepare to kick off the holiday season with Thanksgiving celebrations, we are reminded that gratitude is an attitude to be both embraced and shared. The more of that golden elixir we put into the universe, the more its magic enhances us and those around us.
As you may or may not be aware, ours is not the only culture with a holiday dedicated to giving thanks. Expressing gratitude is a global concept that transcends nationalities and shines a light on our common humanity.
Here are just a few of the many unique Thanksgiving celebrations around the world.
Japan
Kinro Kansha no Hi, Labor Thanksgiving Day in Japan, dates back to an ancient harvest rice festival with its origin in the 7th century AD. In the 19th century, the date was set as November 23 and has remained the same since then. It is observed as a national holiday but instead of feasting, it is focused on the rights of Japan’s workers. Children often mark the occasion by making thank-you cards for police officers, firefighters and other municipal workers.
Malaysia
The Maylasian Harvest Festival Celebration is all about thanking Bambaazon, the spirit believed to inhabit each grain of rice. The festival, held in the month of May in the city of Sabah, features traditional sports competitions like buffalo and bamboo stilt races. There is also lots of wine and song. On the 31st, the members of the various cultures indigenous to the area meet to crown Unduk Ngadau, the Harvest Festival Queen.
India
Celebrated in South India, Pongol dates back 2000 years. Its origins are linked to Thai Niradal, a tradition in which young girls prayed for rain and prosperity, did not oil their hair and refrained from any bad language. In Hindu mythology, the start of Pongal is when the days of the gods begin after a six-month long night. On the first day, farmers consecrate their tools and use them to cut freshly harvested rice. The second day is dedicated to the Sun God and the third to washing, painting and decorating the cattle to thank them for all their hard work. The festival is wrapped up with a final day of saluting the Sun God.
Ghana
The Homowo Festival, loosely translated as “hoot at hunger,” is a tradition of the Ga people of the Greater Accra area in Ghana. It is a celebration of the return of the rain that ended a drought and famine back in pre-colonial times. The ritual begins with the planting of maize. It lasts an entire month, during which city officials enforce a ban on all loud music and noise. However, revelers are encouraged to loudly denounce hunger. The event features Twins Day, where all twins wear white calico, boat races, face painting and opportunities for family conflict resolution.
Though giving thanks around the world embodies a wide variety of customs and languages, it’s clear the sentiment is the same.
“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”
― Marcel Proust
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“I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and the new.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson