Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Not all of these features are typical of all contemporary festivals, especially those
whose main purpose is now to deliver some cultural events. Yet some of the ele-
ments described above can still be seen in the older historic festivals that have been
revived in recent years, although without all the excesses. However, their original
rationale has often been lost to many spectators, except in cases where indigenous
groups, with older belief systems linked to the original functions of the festival,
participate. Hence, it is now the spectacles themselves, the associated party atmo-
sphere, and the commercial opportunities that become the reason for their continued
existence, not their original symbolic rationale. Form may have superseded func-
tion in these cases. This has led some researchers to claim that many festivals are
inauthentic folkloric events (Magliocco
2001
). However others have suggested that
different meanings are derived by various people. So the revival or even creation of
local cultural events, costumes and dances may help re-invigorate local traditions,
albeit in different form, providing an antidote to national and more recently global
homogenization, thereby fostering a new or revived community cohesion based on
the feeling of shared origin and difference (Araza and Crouch
2006
). But whatever
the meanings, festivals still provide unique experiences in towns and cities, are
significant generators of economic and cultural activities, and are often historically
and socially referential, as the following review of their variety will demonstrate.
143
Understanding the Variety of Festivals
Given the variety, uniqueness and complexity of festivals it is not surprising that
most investigators have been content to use case studies to illustrate their character
and meanings in particular times and spaces. However, the singular nature of such
works limits our understanding of the roles that they play in towns and cities in gen-
eral. This makes it important to summarize the range of festivals that exist by creat-
ing a festival typology. It is proposed that there are six major categories of festivals
based on the functions they perform. Yet it must be admitted that many festivals
cannot be simply be pigeon-holed into one category, as some festivals have two
or more types of function, while others may have originated with one function but
are now primarily associated with another. It is also worth noting that most historic
festivals fall into the first four of the categories, namely temporal, religious, politi-
cal or related to traditions and heritage, while most of the new festivals are related
to either some form of cultural association, or life-styles.
14.3.1
Temporal or Cyclical Events
Some festivals can be traced to pre-urban origins, events that acknowledge and
celebrate nature's rhythms and mysteries. Inevitably, the timing and types of these
festivals vary, usually according to the climates involved. Many were linked to the
seasons, especially to the solstices that mark a major change in the year, or to plant-
