Freaky Fêtes & Festivals
A Prompt for 13 Days of Dark and Weird
As a species, humans have a fundamental need to reach out and connect to each other, to remind ourselves that there is goodness and light in this world, and to revel in the things worth celebrating.
Creative apes that we are, we sometimes celebrate the mundane in seemingly strange fashion. Other times we throw festivals to honor odd occurrences and dark histories.
You know Mardi Gras, Dia de los Muertos, and Burning Man, but have you heard of Frozen Dead Guy Days, Monkey Buffet Festival, and the Festival of the Upside-Down Face? Okay, that last one is fictional, but that’s a perfect example for this fiction prompt:
Focus on something worth getting excited about and write a weird method of tribute. Or dive deeper into your demented imagination, and tell us about a group of people who hold freaky festival for dark purposes — perhaps against societal norms or maybe against their will.
As inspiration, I leave you with some strange real-world examples:
Let’s start with the baby jumping festival of Castrillo de Murcia, Spain. Now, before you get nervous, know that this has been going on for nearly four hundred years, and in all that time, not one baby has been hurt. These guys are professionals, and they love babies. Unless you happen to be a professional baby jumper, maybe you don’t try this yourself.
On the Sunday following the Feast of Corpus Cristi, devils in yellow and red suits take to the city streets to whip and insult the townsfolk. Once everyone has been reminded of their sins and the punishment that awaits, drums sound and groups of men in black vestments arrive to corral the demons. All the babies born within the last year are placed on mattresses on the city streets, and the newly tamed demons jump over them. The idea is that by passing over them, the stain of original sin is taken away and absorbed by the devils.
Not weird enough for you? Alright, how about La Noche de Rábanos, or as we would say in English, The Night of the Radishes. It’s a tradition in Oaxaca, Mexico, a festival that takes place a few days before Christmas. For over a hundred years, artisans in the area have taken to carving nativity scenes using radishes. They are proudly displayed in shop windows and for contests, at least for the few hours that they survive, as damaged radishes have a tendency to fall apart fairly quickly. Past favorites include radish versions of Michelangelo’s La Pieta and The Last Supper.
You’re right, I can do better than some stupid radishes. How about the Japanese festival of Saidaiji Hadaka Matsuri, the Naked Man festival? Thousands of men dressed only in tiny loincloths and tabi socks spend an hour or more running around in the late February weather before converging within the Saidaiji Kannon-in Temple. Then, priests toss out one hundred blessed objects for the men to fight over, including two scented sticks that will bring incredible luck to those lucky enough to bring them home. Needless to say, competition is fierce, but it’s all good-natured, family friendly fun (according to the tourism website, that is).
Some choose to celebrate with pleasurable activities, like spending time with family, eating delicious meals, or turning simple root vegetables into famous sculptures (I’m obsessed, sue me). Others choose to stab needles into their skin. Such is the case with the Hindu festival of Thaipusam.
This holiday takes place on the full moon during the Tamil month of Thai, and is held to honor Lord Murugam, the Hindu war deity. Across India, Malaysia, and Singapore, thousands of people can be seen walking about in a trance-like state, making offerings of food, objects, and their own bodies. Some observers pierce both cheeks to signify a sacrifice of speech. Others attach weights to the skewers piercing their bodies to signify their devotion to their Lord and gain his blessings.
Humans truly are a remarkable species.
Submissions
If you use this prompt, please copy its link to the bottom of your story so the editors know you found it inspirational.
— Should be max 2,500 wds
— Can be Poetry, Flash, Short Story, and Experimental forms
— should match the dark & weird theme in some way.
— Entries will be published between October 19th-31st. Submissions accepted through October 22nd.
For more details on submission, visit our announcement page, and utilize the Submission form found there.
Enjoying these prompts? Be sure to follow The Mad River & Midnight Mosaic Fiction to read all the creeptacular stories past, present, future. We’ll begin publishing stories from this year’s 13 Days of Dark & Weird on October 19th.
