Here are 9 wonderfully weird festivals from around the world

From fire-swinging to mud-slinging, take a look at some of the weirdest festivals from different regions of the world.

Festivals are a display of culture, heritage and history. Check out these 9 wonderfully weird festivals from around the world.

1. Kanamara Matsuri Festival, Japan

 

Sure you've heard of the penis-themed park in South Korea, but have you heard about the Kanamara Matsuri penis worshipping festival in Japan? The Japanese people literally worship the penis. The festival takes place annually, during April  in the Japanese town of Komaki. The festival is a celebration of the penis as a symbol of fertility and harvest. Guests get the chance to nibble on phallic-shaped snacks and candy and purchase memorabilia of the same fashion. Shinto monks carry around a 96-inch long, 620-pound wooden penis in honour of the sex organ. Nowadays, the festival is used to raise money for HIV research.

2. Mud Festival, South Korea

 

Talk about music, zip-lining, mud wrestling and mud fireworks, this festival is one to witness. As messy as it may sound, tourists troop to the village of Boryeong each July to attend it. However, the mud festival is not historic but rather a marketing strategy to sell Boryeong mud cosmetics which are rich in natural minerals.

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3. La Tomatina, Spain

 

Just as messy as the mud festival, the weeklong tomato festival in Spain runs annually in August. It involves a food fight with tomato ever since 1945, when a rowdy crowd took the tomatoes from a vegetable stall and started a food fight. After an hourlong tomato throwing, water trucks spray down the streets and many participants wash themselves in the pool of “los peñones.” La Tomatina is now a ticketed event to limit participants to just 20,000, so book early.

4. Ma'nene festival, Indonesia

Speaking about morbid, the Ma'nene festival is as creepy as they get. The Torajan villagers of Indonesia dig up their ancestors every three years and dress them in new clothes in ancient ritual to show 'love and respect'. The ritual has been going for more than a century.

5. Day of the Dead Festival, Mexico

Very similar to Halloween, the Day of the Dead festival focuses on family gatherings in remembrance of those who have passed away.

6. Saidai-ji Eyo Hadaka Matsuri, Japan

In the Saidai-ji temple of Nara, 9000 half-naked men gather on the third Saturday in February to scuttle for a pair of lucky sacred sticks that will guarantee them a year of good luck and happiness. A priest throws the Shinji from a height of four metres and the men who eventually get them place the sticks in a box filled with rice, or masu. This has been going on for over 500 years.

7. Bolas de fuego, El Salvador

Every August 31, locals gather in Nejapa to throw flaming ragcloth at each other. The tradition began in 1658, when a volcanic eruption caused the evacuation of the town. The great balls of fire shooting into from the volcano into the sky made the locals think that it meant there was a war going on between their patron saint, San Jeronimo and the devil. Hence, the need to recreate the battle every year.

8. Land-diving festival, Vanuatu

 

On Pentecost island, natives believe that jumping off a 25-metre wooden tower they build is a rite of passage for young men. The men use rope vines as a primitive harness or form of bungee cord. The locals also believe the festival ensures a good yam harvest. Talk of the new yam festival of Igbo land in Nigeria. In 1974, Queen Elizabeth witnessed a jump which involved the jumper breaking his back in front of the Queen and dying shortly after.

9. Day of Silence, Bali

To allow for self-reflection and relaxation, all the residents on the island, including tourists, are obliged to follow several very strict rules: no fire, no travel, no activity, no entertainment. These rules require traffic and electricity to be shut down, with the exception of the emergency services, for 24 hours.

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