What makes a pilgrimage a pilgrimage? (or a birthday party a party?)

Mazu Mania is a real thing in Taiwan.

Credits: Flickr_exercising tradition with passion_steve: they can't all be zingers!!! (primus)

Usually held in March or April, Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage(大甲媽祖遶境) is a huge birthday celebration very few miss out on.

Delayed three months this year due to (you guessed it) COVID-19, the 9-day began on June 11th, 2020 (with COVID restrictions in place, not to worry).

Let's take a step back and break down the three main components of this event:

Dajia(大甲): Where the pilgrimage begins and ends. It's located in Taichung City (literally "middle of Taiwan").

Pronunciation tip: “da” like ta-“da”; “jia” somewhat like nin“ja”

Mazu(媽祖): Goddess of the Sea (also the birthday girl)

Pronunciation tip: "ma" like mamma mia, "zu" like "zoo"

Pilgrimage(遶境): The trip from Taichung City down to Jiayi County and back, passing 7 temples.

Why is it so special?

The human connections stemming from kindness, which is "人情味" in Taiwanese terms (see this post).

Pilgrims are offered free food and drinks by total strangers, and even stop to chat.

It's the purest kind of connection lost in this digital world.

Like the famous Camino de Santiago, the road itself may not be special, but the walk is.

"Walking is man's best medicine."

Pilgrims participate due to faith, and sometimes loss of faith.

But sometimes it doesn't matter what brought you there. What matters is what you bring back.