Graduations are a time for celebrating accomplishments and looking forward to a new and exciting future.
Countries all over the world have various unique traditions for graduation celebrations.
Seeing how other cultures and communities celebrate and express themselves helps us to learn and connect with each other.
So here are five interesting graduation traditions from different cultures.
Swedish Tradition
In Sweden, people celebrate high school and college graduates in many ways. First, graduates wear matching sailor hats that often have their names on them.
Then, parents and family members bring signs decorated with embarrassing baby pictures of the graduates to the ceremony. Finally, after the graduation ceremony ends, the graduates participate in a parade and drive around the town celebrating.
Hawaiian Tradition
In Hawaii, graduation is a significant celebration rooted in the island’s heritage and cultural roots. Hawaii residents use their traditional flower lei to celebrate many events, graduation included. Parents, family members, and friends all gift their graduates with lei to wear for the ceremony.
Often you will see graduates wearing 10 or more lei at a time, nearly covering their faces in the process. If you know what it means to receive a Hawaiian lei, then you know how special this tradition is to the Hawaiian people.
Argentinian Tradition
In Argentina, graduation celebrations take a slightly more humorous turn. On the day of graduation, the family and friends essentially start a food fight with the graduates to celebrate. Then, as the graduates come out, everyone throws food at them, including ketchup and dressing.
It certainly makes for a messy situation, but it’s all in good fun for everyone involved. However, as fun as this tradition is, it certainly takes some cleaning up later!
Japanese Tradition
In Japan, graduation is a big honorable celebration that involves performances and dances. Japanese high school graduates put together choreographed routines for their graduation ceremony.
These routines include dances and marches to honor the accomplishments of all the graduates. This tradition is a beautiful way to incorporate cultural dances and music into graduation ceremonies.
Italian Tradition
In Italy, the graduation ceremony tends to be more formal, but the festivities afterward are rambunctious and full of fun energy. Graduates wear laurels to their ceremony, which are flower crowns made by local florists.
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During the ceremony, each graduate will answer a different question asked by the academic board. Then, after the ceremony, family and friends participate in what’s called “trashing,” which is a tradition of throwing glitter, confetti, and even sometimes food at the graduates.
Now that you know five interesting graduation traditions from different cultures, you can add some of these elements to your own special day of celebration. However, make sure to honor and respect any cultural traditions that you are interested in trying out for yourself.
Have fun celebrating a
Image Credit: graduation traditions from different cultures by Adobe Stock Image File #356839469
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