The Voodoo (a.k.a. Vodun) religion has been demonized by puritanical cultures for centuries. But in western Africa– including Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo– this ancient practice is integral to the morality, politics, and social order of many villages. So efforts to eradicate it have been largely unsuccessful.

In reality, Voodoo is not all that different from Catholicism, though it is matriarchal as opposed to patriarchal. Adherents believe that the vodun spirits are deities governing both man and nature. They are in the trees, rivers, and rocks, with lesser vodun devoted to specific nations, tribes, and clans.

The Ouidah International Voodoo Festival, held every January in Ouidah, Benin, is the world’s largest gathering of Vodun practitioners and devotees.

It attracts thousands from all around the world each year. And though certain aspects of it may not be for the faint of heart, it is an enlightening look at one of the world’s most misunderstood religions.

You may see the ritualistic animal sacrifices that have made Voodoo controversial in the west (despite the fact that factory farming practices are more gruesome). There are also markets filled with fetishes, wood carvings, and masks, and women dressed in all the vivid colors of the rainbow.

This ancient Hindu spring festival, also known as “the festival of colours” or “the festival of love,” celebrates the end of winter and the victory of good over evil. It takes place between late February and mid-March and lasts for one night (known as Holika Dahan or Chhoti Holi) and the following day (Holi).

There are various legends associated with the holiday. One suggests it pays tribute to the Hindu god Vishnu and his follower, Prahlada, and their defeat of Prahlada’s power-hungry father, the demon King Hiranyakashipu.

One suggests it’s a celebration of the great love Radha had for the blue-faced deity, Krishna. Others link it to Shiva, who is often associated with yoga and meditation.

On Holika Dahan, people perform religious rituals before a raging bonfire, which symbolizes cleansing and the forgiveness of past debts and other transgressions. The next morning is the wild free-for-all for which Holi is known.

People fill water balloons and water guns, drench each other, then cover each other in powder in an array of dazzling colors.

There’s also marching bands, dancing, food and drinks, and lots of laughter. Everyone is welcome, everyone is fair game, and the playful, childlike vibe is incredibly infectious.

Commonly referred as the Whirling Dervish Festival, this annual event commemorates the death of 13th century saint Mevlâna, who’s more commonly known as Rumi.

Rumi was a Persian poet, theologian, Islamic scholar, and Sufi mystic. Over the past seven centuries his influence has spread throughout the world, influencing everyone from Turks, Greeks, and Iranians to Muslims in Central and South Asia. Even now, nearly 750 years after his death, he is the best-selling poet in the United States.

Rumi believed that it was possible to communicate with God through music and dance. Held December 10 through 17, the Mevlâna Festival celebrates Rumi’s eternal spirit with sacred music and Whirling Dervishes dancing. Their trance-like dancing creates a remarkable flow of energy, with their flowing white robes mesmerizing as they twirl in time with the music.

The festival reaches its climactic crescendo on December 17, the day when Rumi was united with Allah. Over a million people attend each year, so if you want to visit the town of Konya you’ll need to book hotels and tickets well in advance.