Jain Festival

There are about seven million followers of the Jain Dharma (religion) in India. It has been in decline since the 6th century AD. The central tenets are non-violence and respect for all creatures. To avoid stepping on ants, Jain monks and nuns sweep the street with fallen peacock feathers; to avoid inadvertently killing or eating bugs,…

Buganu Festival

Every February, Swazi people gather fallen marula fruit (“emaganu“) to make an alcoholic drink called “buganu“. Marula fruit are the size of large crab apples. As they ripen, they turn from green to creamy yellow. To make the brew, women wash the fruit, peel off the skin and squeeze out the juice (“kuhlabela“). After adding…