World's strangest public holidays
In Fiji, Congo, Cameroon, Japan, Turkmenistan, Tanzania & Bhutan
Whether it's for old people, melons, physical fitness, peasants, cows, sheep or Prince Charles, across the planet, people get days off work for the most bizarre reasons.
Democratic People’s Republic Of Congo
In what is possibly a bout of wishful thinking, this strife-torn African country celebrates Liberation Day on May 17th every year, despite having been in an almost constant state civil war since Christopher Columbus was in nappies.
Cameroon
Now I like a good roast lamb as much as the next man (and the next man is the president of the lamb marketing board), but to give people a day off to celebrate sheep? Come on. Still, if you fancy a bit of the Cameroon Sheep Festival, make sure you’re there on May 21st next year.
Tanzania
None of this namby-pamby political correctness for the Tanzanians. Recognising that the rich and famous have every other day to themselves, they have set aside the delightfully named Peasant’s Day so that all those people hunting for potato peel in the bins can feel as though they’re actually wanted, rather than a burden on society. It’s on August 21st if you’re interested.
Nepal
While the British have Trooping The Colour to celebrate the Queen’s birthday, in Nepal they have a procession of cows for no apparent reason. And the best part? Offices lie empty on September 1st so people can watch the bovine parade. Great entertainment, no doubt.
Japan
The Japanese elderly get a national holiday in their honour on September 20th.
Our sushi-loving friends don’t stop there though, oh no. Recognising that they don’t want a nation of Kirstie Alley look-alikes, there is a Physical Fitness Day on October 11th. Presumably, the Japanese don’t use days off as an excuse to get battered in the pub or sit in traffic jams like the rest of the world, then.
Bhutan
It would be very childish of us to mock a festival of highly serious meaning, but if you’re going to call something Bumthang, you’re asking for it. It’s on May 1st if anyone wants to risk serious miscalculation, and possible beheading, by baring their cheeks.
Turkmenistan
Were it not for gratuitous human rights abuses, President-For-Life Saparmurat Niyazov would have been a comedy character much loved across the globe. When he wasn’t renaming months of the year after himself and his mum, or building multi-million pound leisure centre complexes for horses, he was throwing impromptu holidays. In 2005, citizens were given the day off so that they could celebrate melons (and not the female kind), whilst Niyazov’s bizarre obsession with horses has seen April 27th chosen as a national holiday in their honour.
Fiji and The Solomon Islands
Whilst Australia begrudgingly celebrates the Queen, these two Pacific nations big up her useless, philandering, jug-eared son. On November 15th, Charlie boy can be assured of a warm welcome as people wonder what excuse they’ve got for not turning up to work.
