| Tanzanians celebrate both Christian and Muslim
festivals. Good Friday, Easter Monday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day are
observed as national holidays, along with Eid-al-Fitr, Eid-al-Kabir and
Eid-al-Maulud. Tanzanians often invite friends of other faiths to celebrate
their holidays.
For Muslims, one of the most important holidays
is Eid-al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month
of the Islamic calendar and it is observed by fasting during daylight hours.
In Zanzibar, during the festival of Eid-al-Fitr, men from the north and
south of the island pretend to attack each other with branches from a banana
tree. Women follow the men, singing songs. |
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| Eid-al-Kabir (also known as Eid-al-Adha) is the
high point of the hajj season when many Muslims go on a pilgrimage to Mecca.
In some areas in Tanzania, it is customary to kill a goat on this day and
share the meat with neighbours and relatives. Eid-al-Maulud celebrates
the birth of the prophet Mohammed. Children often receive gifts on this
holiday. |
|
Did you know? |
| When
a holiday falls on a weekend, it is moved to the following Monday. Tuesday
is automatically declared a holiday, so that people have four days off
work. |
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|
| Union Day is celebrated by all Tanzanians on April
26, to mark the alliance of Tanganyika and Zanzibar. Zanzibar Revolution
Day is celebrated on January 12 and International Labour Day on May 1.
On Labour Day, parades are held in large cities. Workers assemble at their
factories or offices before taking part in the parade. People also listen
to the president's message on the radio.
Peasants' Day is celebrated on August 8 and
Independence Day on December 9. Shops and factories are closed on all holidays,
but restaurants, hotels and nightclubs are open for business, so that Tanzanians
can go out to celebrate. |
|
| January
1 |
New Year’s
Day |
| January
12 |
Zanzibar
Revolution Day |
| March
or April |
Easter |
| April
26 |
Union
Day |
| May 1 |
International
Labour Day |
| July 7 |
Saba-Saba
(International Trade Fair Day) |
| August
8 |
Nane Nane
(Peasants' Day) |
| December
9 |
Independence
Day |
| December
25 |
Christmas
Day |
| December
26 |
Boxing
Day |
|
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