Festivals 2016-08-19

New Year

The transition from one year to the next is called Ja'lay. It's accompanied by a natural phenomenon in which the sky is illuminated by colorful glowing pattern (comparable to polar lights). On this day the Nazra celebrate the continued existence of their race and the new year of the calender will be opened by countless big and small bells.

Rain celebration

The yearly rain celebration Ju'soi is celebrated after the month-long dry period in summer. In preparation of the celebration the children build decorated cups of stone and clay in which the first rain will be collected. In this manner they express their gratitude for the recurring rain.

Family celebration

The family celebration Ima'nooe'ju happens annually but the exact date differs for each family. This is a general celebration in which the family members come together to keep each other up to date. One can say that the family celebration is kind of a shared birthday party for all relatives.

Lantern festival

Once a year, when the warm summer nights offer to stay up long, the lantern festival happens. Then out of wood and paper latern will be built which finally appear in all possible corners and niches of the city. The laterns are lit as soon as it is dark and the evening is spent with play and dance.

Resolution celebration

On the death of each Nazra their life is celebrated so that everyone is able to hear from their services, their lifestyle, their personality and their passions. The centerpiece of the celebration is the ritual of connectedness, in which family members and friends focus on the deceased and merge their memories in a dreamlike state, so that everyone can experience a day in the life of the deceased. In this way their images are honored, while their bodies dissolve and return to the nature.