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Cultural Gatherings and Rituals

Vibrant scenes of cultural gatherings, dances, and rituals from various regions, illustrating community traditions and social interactions.

Gathering of Lisu tribes people, Northern Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Myanmar, Burma, Pan-lo. A proud young novice monk crosses a wooden bridge with his bicycle near Pan-lo village. The wheels of the bike are decorated with CDs.

Preparation of a pig for a Pwo Karen wedding feast, Om Koi, Thailand, Asia

cementerio de Lancetillo, La Parroquia, zona Reyna, Quiche, Guatemala, Central America.

Indonesia, Toraga, People celebrating a Funeral ceremony.

Pilgrims claimbing the hill to Lord Ayyappa temple, Sabarimala, Kerala, South India, India, Asia

Anefo photo collection. Indonesia at the time of the state visit 1971. Sacrifice procession in Bali. September 1, 1971. Bali, Indonesia

Murthis (statues) in Govardhan Ecovillage, Maharashtra, India. Delivering the wives of Brahmans

Indonesia, Java, Yogyakarta, Shadow Puppet Show With Wayang And Gamelan Orchestra Behind The Scenes

Thailand, Kanchanaburi, monk crossing Bridge over the River Kwai

Asia, China, Yunnan Province, Jingping Co, Taiyang Village. Indigo/Sand branch of Yao people group (Editorial Usage Only)

Pacific Islands Tour: Visit of Secretary Dirk Kemmpthorne and aides to American Samoa, U.S. Territory

A village scene with a monk in Ban Muangkeo Village, a cultural heritage village on the Mekong River near Luang Prabang in Central Laos.

Laos, Luang Prabang, Temple, Vat Xieng Thong Rat Savoravihanh, Novices Sitting At Table

puente colgante sobre el rio Satan, Tesoro Chiquito, La Taña, Franja Transversal del Norte , departamento de Quiché, Guatemala.

Basilica Minore Del Santo Nino, Cebu City, Cebu island, The Philippines, Southeast Asia, Asia

Malaysia, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpu, Kuala Lumpur. A group of female Muslim students walking along a path.

Young ceremonial drummer prepares to perform with ornately painted drum on Sumbawa Island Indonesia during a local festival

BALI - JULY 28 2019:Balinese women preparing Traditional Hindu offering decoration in a temples in Bali Indonesia on Galungan Kuningan holidays.

Sundays in Soatanana bring the village together in white attire singing gospel songs on the way to church

The Memorial Stupa and Buddhist devotees, Thimphu, Bhutan, Asia

In Theravada Buddhism, monks (Pali: bhikkhus) and nuns go on a daily almsround (or pindacara) to collect food. This is often perceived as giving the laypeople the opportunity to make merit (Pali: puaaa). Money should not be accepted by a Buddhist monk or nun in lieu of or in addition to food, although nowadays not many monks and nuns keep to this rule (the exception being the monks and nuns of the Thai Forest Tradition and other Theravada traditions which focus on vinaya and meditation practice).

Women Dressed In Mourning Carry The Anda (Float) Of The Virgin Mary During The Procession Of The Holy Cross On Good Friday In Antigua Guatemala, Sacat...

Thailand, Northern Thailand, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. People climbing and descending the 300 steps up to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai.

Thailand. Chiang Mai. Wat Lakmolee. Monks Watching Television.

Mass at the Evangelical Church, Lancetillo - La Parroquia, Franja Transversal del Norte, Quiché Department, Guatemala

Ordination ceremony at Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangoon, Myanmar, Yangoon, Myanmar, Asia

Muslims who live in the villages of Merapi slope in the region of Yogyakarta and Klaten, Centre Java, did the Eid prayer in Klangon open space, located about 4-5 km from the crater of Mount Merapi. The people maintained health guidelines during the prayers as safety measures against the coronavirus which is still not under control in the country. Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Sri Lankan student nurses buy ice cream during their lunch break at Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

Guizhou Province, China. Portrait of group of Hundred Bird Miao women and men in traditional costumes singing and dancing at a festival. (Editorial Use Only)

Offering to the Spirithouse at the Chiva Som Spa in Hua Hin, Thailand

Local Intha tribes tow the royal barge (unseen) on which four Buddha images are carried during the Phaung-daw-oo Pagoda Festival in Inle Lake in Shan State, eastern Myanmar; Nyaungshwe city

Laos, Tribal People, Meo Tribe, Meo Men Playing Musical Instruments During The Traditional Ox Killing Ritual

The Vegetarian Festival is a religious festival annually held on the island of Phuket in southern Thailand. It attracts crowds of spectators because of many of the unusual religious rituals that are performed. Many religious devotees will slash themselves with swords, pierce their cheeks with sharp objects and commit other painful acts. The Nine Emperor Gods Festival (Chinese: Jiuhuangye; Peh-oe-ji: Kau-ong-ia; Cantonese: Kow Wong Yeh) is a nine-day Taoist celebration beginning on the eve of 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar, which is observed primarily in Southeast Asian countries like Myanmar, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.

Nepal, Kathmandu, Pilgrims at the Swayambunath Temple (Monkey Temple) which sits a on a hill with superb views over the Kathmandu Valley

Havana, Cuba, UNESCO World Heritage City. Rare Santeria sacrificial cleansing. Normally performed in private and generally not photographable.

Laos, Luang Prabang. Wat Wisunarat, Buddhist monks' saffron robes.

Toda Marriage, Nilgiris, Ooty Udhagamandalam, Tamil Nadu, South India, India, Asia. ethnic group. Toda bride groom makes a small hole in a sacred tree, Asia

School girls look at the Golden Pavilion Temple in Kyoto, Japan (toned image)

People sitting outside the cathedral of Boac at Easter, Boac, island of Marinduque, Philippines, Southeast Asia, Asia

Africa, Ethiopia, Tigray Province, Abraha Atsheba. Ethiopian Orthodox priests celebrate Timkat (Epiphany)

Congregation of worshippers, Pura Penetaran Agung Temple, Pura Besakih, Mother Temple of Besakih, shrine, Balinese Hinduism, Banjar Besakih, Candi Bentar, Batur, Bali, Indonesia, Asia

Funerary ceremony of an important village of Indonesia

Au Nord du Laos, enclavée dans les montagnes, la paisible cité de Luang Prabang prospère depuis des siècles au sein de la péninsule formée par la confluence du fleuve Mékong et de la rivière Nam Khan. Avant dêtre devancée par Vientiane, elle fut la capitale du puissant Royaume de Lane Xang (Royaume du Million dEléphants). Son architecture coloniale et ses majestueux temples lui valent dêtre inscrite au patrimoine mondiale de lUNESCO depuis 1995.In northern Laos, enclosed in the mountains, the peaceful city of Luang Prabang has prospered for centuries within the peninsula formed by the confluence of the Mekong River and the Nam Khan River. Before being overtaken by Vientiane, it was the capital of the powerful Kingdom of Lane Xang (Kingdom of the Million Elephants). Its colonial architecture and majestic temples have earned it a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995.

Jesus carrying his cross, passion play, boarding school, Simalungun, Sumatra, Indonesia, Asia

Children in front of Thatbyinnyu Temple, Bagan, Burma

LAOS, VIENTIANE, STREET SCENE, NOVICES (MONKS) IN BACK OF TRUCK

GUWAHATI, INDIA, APRIL 7: Indian Christian during the annual Good Friday procession to re-enact the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on April 7, 2023 in Guwahati, India, Asia

Devotees attending the Makha Bucha Buddhist celebrations where relics of Buddha are enshrined at the Royal Park Rajapruek, Chiang Mai, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines (July 30, 2022) - The Banwa Dance & Arts, Santos Lanzanas Central School, and Batang Palaweno Dance Troupe pose for a photo at Balayong Peoples Park for Balayong Tree Planting and Nurturing Festival 2022 during Pacific Partnership 2022. Now in its 17th year, Pacific Partnership is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific.

Devout people praying in water at Taman Beji Griya Waterfall, Kabupaten Badung, Bali, Indonesia

Devotee being carried down hill Mahamasthakabhisheka important Jain festival Shravanabelagola Hassan Karnataka Copyright: xManoejxPaateel/DinodiaxPhotox

Renovating the Toda temple at Ooty Udhagamandalam, Tamil Nadu, South India, India, Asia. One of the great aboriginal tribes of India, Asia

Maize cobs hanging to dry and rice grains drying on mats in a typical Betsileo village square. The Catholic church doubles up as the village school.

Final procession of archers on horseback, at the riders competitions at the traditional Kamigamo Shrine, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kyoto, Japan, East Asia, Asia

Central America, Guatemala, Antigua, Vendors selling clothes, bags, , and blankets in front of the church of El Carmen

Antigua Guatemala, Sacatepequez, Guatemala. Alfombra decorations from brightly colored sawdust and flowers for Semana Santa celebrations.

LOPBURI - NOVEMBER 19. Newly ordained Buddhist monks took a bart

Guam performers participate in the 78th Manenggon Commemoration in Barrigada, Guam, July 8, 2022. The Kalaguak Memorial is a sacred ground for many who lost their lives during World War II after being forced out of their homes by Japanese imperial forces occupying the land. The plaque at the memorial reads, Today we stand remembering the tears of those who suffered in the war. May we never forget.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) team members stand before at the Kawachi Shrine, the second shrine in a traditional San-ja Mairi, or Three Shrine Pilgrimage, where the team prays for a successful launch, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014, Tanegashima Island, Japan. A Japanese H-IIA rocket carrying the NASA-JAXA, Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory is planned for launch from the Tanegashima Space Center (TNSC) on Feb. 28, 2014. Once launched, the GPM spacecraft will collect information that unifies data from an international network of existing and future satellites to map global rainfall and snowfall every three hours.

Christian devotees during the annual Good Friday procession to re-enact the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on April 7, 2023 in Guwahati, Assam, India, Asia

Buddhist monks and villagers on the way home from the Full Moon Festival in December, Nyaung Shwe, Shan State, Myanmar, Burma, Asia

HAI DUONG, VIETNAM, SEPTEMBER, 10: Performed traditional boat on the river in folk festivals on September, 10, 2014 in Hai Duong, Vietnam HAI DUONG, VIETNAM, SEPTEMBER, 10: Performed traditional boat on the river in folk festivals on September, 10, 2014 in Hai Duong, Vietnam Copyright: xZoonar.com/dinhxxngocxhungx 8194830

Monkey Forest is located in the Xe Champhone region. Travelers participate in a local ceremony here.

WEST NEW GUINEA, (IRIAN JAYA, INDONESIA), ASMAT REGION, PIGEON ENGLISH SIGN

Snake Festival, India Copyright: xVinayxParelkar/DinodiaxPhotox

Christian statue before volcano Mayon, Legazpi, Southern Luzon, Philippines, Asia

Devotee At Vegetarian Festival; Phuket Island, Thailand

sanctuary in Nairobi with kenyan schoolchildren Masai

Africa, Sierra Leone, Freetown. An entertainer on stilts preparing for his performance.

Asia, Southeast Asia, Singapore, Saint Andrew church, Easter Mass, kids

Philippines. 23rd Apr, 2015. Indigenous couple performed a courting dance during the 31st Cordillera Day in Brgy. Ucab, Itogon, Benguet (North province of Manila City) on Thursday. Cordillera Day 2105 is decentralized this April 2015 beginning April 23 up to April 29, 2015 in the different Cordillera provinces including Baguio City. There is no regionally centralized celebration this year. While overseas, Cordillera Day commemoration will be held in Hong Kong on May 10 and Montreal, Canada on April 25, 2015. © Gregorio B. Dantes Jr./Pacific Press/Alamy Live News

Asia, Indonesia, Bali, Ubud. Villagers attending cremation ceremony.

La Taña, zona Reyna, departamento de Uspantan,Guatemala, Central America.

Sylhet, Bangladesh. 23rd November 2023. The Khasi Tribe dressed in their traditional attire to celebrate Khasi Seng Kut Snem 2023 organized by the Khasi Social Council. Khasi Seng Kut snem is a traditional year end festival of the Khasi community of Greater Sylhet Division. This ceremony was held at the Magurchhara Khasia Punji field in Kamalganj.

Square Hindu sacred pond in Gorkha, Nepal

The festival of Bala Chaturdashi is a celebration in Nepal that is held at Pashupatinath Temple near Kathmandu every year in late November or early December. Hindu pilgrims from all over Nepal as well as India gather at Pashupatinath temple, which is considered to be the most sacred temple of Shiva (Pashupati), in Nepal. An all night vigil by the light of small wick lamps marks the beginning of Bala Chaturdashi. Kathmandu, Nepal.

Brazil, Amazon, Rio Tapajos. A tributary of the Rio Tapajos which is itself a tributary of the Amazon. House decorated with a political poster for senate candidate Lula in the village of Maguari.

Posters at the visitors center of the Union of Hill Tribe Villages show the five tribes represented in the villages outside of Chiang Rai in the Nanglae District of Thailand.

Pilgrimage path, signpost and arrow, road to Delhouse, Dalhousie, Adam's Peak, Sri Pada, Dalhousie, Zentrales Hochland, Sri Lanka, Asia

Muslims who live in the villages of Merapi slope in the region of Yogyakarta and Klaten, Centre Java, did the Eid prayer in Klangon open space, located about 4-5 km from the crater of Mount Merapi. The people maintained health guidelines during the prayers as safety measures against the coronavirus which is still not under control in the country. Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry listens to his tour guides as he visits the That Luang Stupa - the most revered Buddhist temple in Laos - following meetings with government leaders on January 25, 2016, in Vientiane, Laos.

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