Cultural Snapshot: Celebrate the Holidays in Africa

01 Dec Cultural Snapshot: Celebrate the Holidays in Africa

Posted at 22:23h in Tips & Advice by Marguerite Richards 0 Comments

Peace Ornament

“Nearly every American hungers to move,” discovered John Steinbeck in Travels with Charley, during his journey across the States. He found most Americans yearning to travel like he was, to see something new, really anything new. Holiday traditions are important for most of us, but so is that desire to try something different during those precious few days off each year. Have a look at these three corners of Africa for December and January travel to celebrate with the locals.

Christmas at UNESCO-listed Lalibela in Ethiopia
Like a vision unchanged for centuries, upwards of 60,000 inhabitants in Ethiopia, wearing long white robes, travel for miles to celebrate Orthodox Christmas at Lalibela on January 7th. The festivities extend all through the night with various rituals recreating biblical settings and stories with dancing, drumming, chanting, and a candlelit procession. In the morning, they break from 40-some-day fasts. Lalibela, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a mountain stronghold where eleven medieval monolithic churches stand carved from the rock, some entirely from one piece. The 13th-century site was built with the intent to become a new Jerusalem. After Lalibela, there’s so much more: Imagine the Serengeti, Rwanda, and the Kalahari too.

New Year’s in Morocco
During the holidays, the locals of Morocco spend their time in different ways: Some quietly retreat home to their families, while others celebrate with big parties and dancing. In Marrakech, residents may take to Djemma Efna square with the tourists, enjoying the fireworks, while others keep open their businesses to take advantage of gift-seeking crowds. For most everyone, it’s a time for new beginnings, and resolutions feel good to make in a place so different from our own. This popular city is a wonder when it comes to smells, sights, and sounds, but there’s so much more outside. All over Morocco, from Fès to the High Atlas, Dades Gorge, and Ouarzazate, each scene is mind-stretchingly different from the last, expanding our mental map of Morocco with each step.

Family Vacation in South Africa
New Year’s and Christmas in South Africa are spent similarly to the Western way, with the exception of Day of Goodwill (or Boxing Day) on December 26th, when folks give to those less fortunate. Additionally, on December 16th, South Africans celebrate Day of Reconciliation, which came into effect in 1994, focusing on the end of apartheid and rebuilding the nation. For travelers who simply want to take advantage of the change of scenery without straying too much from familiar traditions, South Africa is a warm (average temps at 77 degrees) and inviting place to bring the family. There’s something for everyone: bike riding, wildlife viewing, hiking, and wine tasting.

 

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Marguerite Richards

Marguerite Richards

Marguerite Richards is a freelance travel writer who can’t seem to control her curiosity. She sometimes misses out on the physical details of a place because she’s so captivated by the people. She travels to understand cultural differences and the nuances that separate us, with the resolve to render it all palpable through her writing. She has lived for a combined six years in Holland, Chile and France, where total cultural immersion instilled a permanent desire to travel. New York was her longest cultural adventure, where she ran the magazines for the French Government Tourist Office for five years. Now, back in her native California, she’s free to write again full time. But, because she can’t shake her love for business, she also collaborates with travel companies on marketing and social media projects as often as possible. Marguerite holds an MA in French Translation, a BA in English Literature, a Certificate for English teaching, and an honorary business degree from the School of Hard Knocks. margueriterichards.com
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