World
Prayer, henna, charity: Eid al-Adha traditions around the world
Freshly pressed clothes in all styles and hues, the careful precision of women painting henna designs on hands, streets teeming with people distributing meat and those receiving it, the aroma of specialty foods being prepared, and rows of the faithful bowing in congregational prayer.
These are some universal sights as Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al-Adha, one of two major holidays in the Islamic calendar. This year it is likely to begin on June 28, its date to be confirmed upon the sighting of the moon.
Known as the Feast of the Sacrifice, the holiday falls at the end of the annual Islamic pilgrimage of Hajj, where thousands flock to Saudi Arabia each year to visit Islam’s holiest site in Mecca.
Eid al-Adha is the commemoration of the Quranic tale of Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail as an act of obedience to God.
Muslims believe that before he could carry out the sacrifice, God provided a ram as an offering instead. In the Christian and Jewish telling, Ibrahim is ordered to kill another son, Isaac.
As such, the holiday is celebrated with the slaughter of goats, cows, sheep, and other livestock, which is shared with family, friends, and the poor.
Over time, despite many shared traditions, Muslims in different countries have developed Eid customs that are distinctly their own, combining regional cultural practices with the celebration of the religious holiday.
Here are some Eid traditions around the world:
Middle East
From Yemen to Syria, traditional sweets are prepared, with food an integral part of all Eid celebrations. Many communities have traditional snacks and dishes that are prepared solely for the holiday.
From jalabia hanging from storefronts in the streets of Manama to Libyan horsemen garbed in turbans and robes, people pull out their very best clothes for Eid.
Asia
From lighting incense to torches, celebrations in East and Southeast Asia are a sensory experience.
From Pakistan to Afghanistan, and beyond, hands adorned with henna are a common sight beginning the night before Eid. Everyone from young girls to elderly women decorates their hands for the occasion.
Africa
From the Ivory Coast to Kenya, and elsewhere in many Muslim countries, livestock is slaughtered in public, and the practice is sometimes a spectacle for crowds.
Opulence is on display but so are acts of charity during Eid, from a ceremony welcoming the emir of Kano in Nigeria, to an NGO in South Africa preparing meals for the less fortunate.
Latin America
According to the Pew Research Center, there are roughly six million Muslims in Latin America, although they warn the figure could be inflated. A minority religion in the region, it is celebrated by both immigrants and people indigenous to the country. In Mexico, for example, while Muslims are less than 0.2 percent of the population, according to the 2020 government census, immigrants and Mexicans converting to Islam make up the Muslim community there. Eid celebrations revolve around food, prayer, and family time.
North America
According to the Pew Research Center, there are nearly four million Muslims in the United States. Canadian government data from 2022 puts the number at more than 1.7 million in Canada. The two nations are host to vibrant immigrant communities who bring Eid traditions from their home countries, with mosques drawing multicultural gatherings on Eid mornings.
Europe
Minority communities, including refugees and immigrants, celebrate Eid across the continent. Those fleeing violence or persecution from parts of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East will celebrate the occasion thanks to provisions from aid groups.
In Ukraine, Muslim soldiers have managed, in the past year, to take a respite from fighting in their battle with Russia, celebrating Eid by sharing a meal with their compatriots.
Australia
According to 2021 government figures, More than 800,000 people in Australia are Muslim, many part of immigrant communities. Shops selling clothes and decorations pop up in Sydney, while guests and new converts are welcomed to partake by local Muslim groups.
World
Reacher Gets Early Season 4 Renewal Ahead of Amazon Hit’s 2025 Return
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World
The history of the Hoxne Hoard, the largest collection of Roman treasure found in Britain
The Hoxne Hoard is one of Britain’s unique archaeological finds, not just by its value, but also by how it was found.
Various sources note the Hoxne Hoard as the largest hoard of Roman treasure ever found in Britain. The collection of treasures is heavily made up of gold and silver coins, though there are other objects, such as tableware and jewelry that were also found.
How this collection of ancient treasures was found adds to its uniqueness.
SANXINGDUI RUINS WERE DISCOVERED ACCIDENTALLY BY A FARMER; HAS SINCE BEEN THE SITE OF OVER 60K RELICS
On Nov. 16, 1992, Eric Lawes was scouring a field in Hoxne village in Suffolk, not on the hunt for hidden treasure, but simply looking for a hammer that had been lost on the land.
Lawes was scanning the area with his metal detector, when he came across a small portion of the treasures within what would become the Hoxne Hoard.
After shoveling up some of the silver spoons and gold coins he found, he quickly reported his find to be properly excavated.
Lawes was awarded £1.75 million for his find, which he shared with the farmer who owned the land the treasures were discovered on, according to the Smithsonian Magazine.
THE 4,000 ITEMS IN THE STAFFORDSHIRE HOARD MAKE IT THE LARGEST COLLECTION IN HISTORY OF ITS KIND
The very next day, the Suffolk County Council Archaeology Service (SCCAS) was on the scene, according to the World History Encyclopedia.
The gold and silver artifacts part of the Hoxne Hoard weigh around 60 pounds in total, according to Ancient Origins. There are around 15,000 Roman coins as part of the collection, per The British Museum, where many of the items are displayed today. The items were buried in the 5th century A.D.
Other unique finds include pieces of jewelry, like a body chain, six necklaces, three finger rings and gold bracelets, according to the source.
MOM, SON DIG UP ANCIENT OBJECT OFTEN FOUND NEAR BURIAL GROUNDS WHILE GARDENING
Even though the Hoxne Hoard is heavily made up of coins, one of the best-known treasures that was found was the “Empress” pepper pot. This pot was one of four that were excavated from the site, according to The British Museum. The pepper pot is intricately formed to represent a woman.
Additionally, there were many tableware items that were part of the hoard, including a set of 19 spoons, in good condition, that were decorated with marine themes, according to The British Museum.
Archaeologists believe that the Hoxne Hoard was buried no later than 450 A.D., according to Ancient Origins.
At the end of the 4th century A.D., the western Roman Empire was in a place of uncertainty, with Roman soldiers exiting Britain, leaving citizens to fend for themselves.
While experts have posed varying hypotheses as to why the hoard was buried, one common suggestion is that it was done for protection, with the intent of the owners collecting their precious items once again. In the case of the Hoxne Hoard, the items were never retrieved by their owners.
Today, the Hoxne Hoard is on display at the British Museum in London. The display contains many of the coins, jewelry and tableware, as well as Lawes’ hammer, which he was originally looking for when he stumbled upon the far more significant discovery.
World
Greece confronts disastrously low birth rate in Aegean Islands
At 1.3 babies per woman, Greece’s fertility rate is among Europe’s lowest — and well below the threshold for population growth.
Authorities in the Aegean Islands have warned that low birth rates spell disaster for their region.
Mayors from the islands expressed serious concerns during the 15th Congress of Small Islands in Milos, where they lamented the continuous downward trend of Greece’s births-to-deaths ratio and said the consequences were already visible in their communities.
A case in point is Agios Efstratios, a small island in the north Aegean with no more than 250 inhabitants.
‘’There are no girls on the island. Or at least there are no more than 2 women under 30 years old,” said Kostas Sinanis, the local mayor.
“The same goes for the boys. We need to search for the incentives that will bring the young boys and girls back to the island, the place where they were born and raised, to create their families. Unfortunately, we had one birth last year and another one three years ago.”
In 2022, Greece recorded its lowest number of births in 92 years — and this year, the country posted the second-largest population decrease in the EU.
Greece’s fertility rate is among the continent’s lowest at 1.3 babies per woman, well below the 2.5 needed for population growth. Economic forecasts indicate its workforce will fall by 50% by 2100, with its output shrinking by 31% over the same period.
Michalis Vlastarakis of the Eurobank Group warned that if nothing is done, disaster will follow.
‘’If we don’t do something, in about 25 years from now, in two decades, one-third of the population will be over 65 years old, and in 2050 we will be 2.5 million less”, said Vlastakaris.
“You don’t need to have studied finance to understand the consequences of these projections on economic indicators, GDP, the workforce, the insurance system, pensions, health, and education, even since there’re going to be fewer schools.’’
Greece’s family ministry said a few days ago that it plans to spend €20 billion through 2035 on incentives to halt the decline, including cash benefits and tax breaks.
The government already spends around €1 billion a year on pro-child measures — but like other European countries doing the same, it has seen little impact.
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