What was this ceremony?
August 12, 2010 9:07 PM
What kind of (possibly religous) celebration did I see today?
A nearby side street was blocked off today for some type of celebration. A makeshift tent/altar was constructed and inside someone was banging a gong and chanting. This lasted from roughly 10am to 9pm. There was a lot of incense burning and most of the revelers (children and adults) were wearing white hoods resembling that of the KKK. At first I thought it may have to do with Ramadan, but they appeared to be barbecuing and at least a few of them were drinking beer. The tent was also decorated with what looked like Buddhist prayer flags. Most of the people gathered were Asian, but that may or may not be relevant as the neighborhood I live in skews that way a bit anyway. I wished I'd just asked them, but now I'm asking you. What did I see?
A nearby side street was blocked off today for some type of celebration. A makeshift tent/altar was constructed and inside someone was banging a gong and chanting. This lasted from roughly 10am to 9pm. There was a lot of incense burning and most of the revelers (children and adults) were wearing white hoods resembling that of the KKK. At first I thought it may have to do with Ramadan, but they appeared to be barbecuing and at least a few of them were drinking beer. The tent was also decorated with what looked like Buddhist prayer flags. Most of the people gathered were Asian, but that may or may not be relevant as the neighborhood I live in skews that way a bit anyway. I wished I'd just asked them, but now I'm asking you. What did I see?
Guess that might help! Philadelphia.
posted by troublewithwolves at 10:05 PM on August 12, 2010
posted by troublewithwolves at 10:05 PM on August 12, 2010
Are you sure they were celebrating? That actually sounds like a traditional religious Chinese funeral to me -- the gongs, chanting, white hoods, incense, prayer flags and tent/altar. "BBQ" could either be them burning stuff for the dead or actually also cooking food. But from your description it's really hard to say for sure.
posted by bread-eater at 10:21 PM on August 12, 2010
posted by bread-eater at 10:21 PM on August 12, 2010
Maybe this? Although the link says that it starts today. Maybe those were the preliminaries...
posted by Hanuman1960 at 5:20 AM on August 13, 2010
posted by Hanuman1960 at 5:20 AM on August 13, 2010
Doh! Never mind my post! Wrong city entirely!!! :(
posted by Hanuman1960 at 5:20 AM on August 13, 2010
posted by Hanuman1960 at 5:20 AM on August 13, 2010
I was leaning towards Chinese funeral as well, but there certainly could be other things that fit the bill.
posted by advicepig at 6:52 AM on August 13, 2010
posted by advicepig at 6:52 AM on August 13, 2010
Hey everybody! Almost a year later, it happened again today and I got up the nerve to ask. It's a memorial service held a year after someone's death. Mystery solved!
posted by troublewithwolves at 12:15 PM on July 24, 2011
posted by troublewithwolves at 12:15 PM on July 24, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Miko at 9:59 PM on August 12, 2010