When the theme ‘Festival’ was first floated to our team, everyone’s mind went somewhere different. For some, images of crowded music festivals sprung to mind; others were transported to their cultural festivals and rites growing up. Regardless, festivals arguably lie at the heart of human identity and culture, with the first festivals predating ancient Greek and Roman times, hence, there are plentiful celebratory moments and traditions to draw on for this issue.
This issue also wades into the nuance behind our conceptions of ‘festival’. The growing commercialisation of the act of celebrating casts alarming shadows over local communities and their traditions. In light of the growing trend to kitschify old festivals to attract tourist revenues, it is more important than ever to understand how to respectfully celebrate others’ festivals without disrupting them.
Read this issue to see the student view of festivals and their impacts on our lives!
