People are not only practicing paying respect and acknowledging their ancestors, but their also practicing to use dance and other nonverbal activities to convey a particular meaning and communicate with others.

Wherever you go, the main practices still stay the same, too. There are often changes in the exact songs that are being played, but it is always there for people to dance to. Other products include music and the yagura, the music that is being played for people to dance to and the tower at the center of the Bon Dance for people to dance around, and that typically stays the same regardless of the region. However, most things from the traditional Bon Dance ceremony do stay the same. Some people attending the event also come clad in the traditional Yukata and Hapi, but it’s just as common to see people in Hawaii attend Bon Dances in everyday clothes that are a step up from casual. Although undagi and other typical Asian food are served, you can also find shaved ice, saimin, barbeque sticks, hot dogs, hamburgers, passion tea, and more. In Hawaii, however, the food slightly differs. People wear different versions of Yukata and Hapi. In Japan, the Obon is usually a big celebration, with a just as big quantity of food that is popularized as summer foods in Japan, such as watermelons. Typically, when it comes to products of the events, the location does play an impact on the things you will find there. Location and geography does play a role in the types of practices, products, and perspectives of the event. I believe that being in the islands even makes the experience of going to an Obon slightly different. People are typically very welcoming to other’s ideas of culture, and because of that, it is recognized and accepted that there are many different cultures and beliefs in the islands. Hawaii is able to preserve a lot of cultures because of the structure of it and the spirit of aloha that tries to stay alive here. The Obon is typically a celebration for Japanese Buddhist citizens, but since Hawaii especially has such a melting pot of cultures, it’s practiced by almost anyone who wants to come out and join. Bon dances, or obon as they’re referred to in Japanese, are an important part of the Japanese tradition where people gather to dance or simply pay their respects to their ancestors and show them that their family on Earth is doing well and staying prosperous.

This scenario must be stopped sooner rather than later.As summer and fall makes their mark on the calendar, it’s time again for a season of Bon Dance. These countries should be boycotted 100% until they abandon their repulsive systems, and maybe then they can rejoin the civilised world. The unfortunate victims are invariably always the poor, the dispossessed and underprivileged sectors of their society many are left in a crippled and incontinent state following the punishments. Take a look on the Internet, although you'll need a strong-stomach, as it is physically sickening to see the way their corporal punishments are carried out in their prisons every single day, and also in neighbouring Singapore. Even their schools carry out terrifying punishments, especially the secure-facilities for juveniles. Mostly, this is the penalty for crimes committed, which can be as petty as graffiti or visa-overstaying. Nothing could be further from the truth.Įvery single day there is someone being viciously and sadistically caned there, (or whipping as they call it), and yet the rest of the civilised world conveniently and totally ignore the fact that this heinous and barbaric system is able to be administered with impunity. It's not the religious aspects or the right to enjoy dancing and fun-filled festivals that concern me, it's the skewed impression that certain commenters have made here about what a nice pleasant place Malaysia is.

The bon dance