Around the world, black people have formed Afrocentric events and festivals that celebrate customs and traditions unique to our culture.

With these nine experiences, you cannot help than to feel apart of a really hip and exclusive club of good music, good eats, and true liberation. 

1. Jazz Funerals in New Orleans, Louisiana.

When one considers extraordinary experiences that shape or define black culture, a funeral may not be the first to come to mind.

However, it is not peculiar that deeply rooted in most African nations, funerals are not merely moments when we mourn the dead, but moments when we celebrate their lives.

In his book, Bourbon Street Black, jazz musician Danny Barker wrote, "The roots of the jazz funeral date back to Africa. Four centuries ago, the Dahomeans of Benin and the Yoruba of Nigeria, West Africa were laying the foundation for one of the today's most novel social practices on the North American Continent, the jazz funeral" and described the tradition as "a major celebration".

That value is a sacred tradition in the lively city of New Orleans with loud music, dancing, and carefree joy.

2. Black Church Revivals in the South

You know those ol' time tent revivals referenced to in filmography or music videos?

Unless you lived in the south when the church summer tradition was the norm or grew up through the 1960s, or heard your folks telling about those joyful summer nights, the idea of a group of people fainting on grass and dirt, and shouting for what seemed like endless hours under a tent in the middle of "no man's land" with no air conditioning may seem inconceivable.

The services which were administered by traveling evangelists or preachers expanded through several branches of Christianity such as Baptist and Pentecostal and could last for an entire weekend and adapted by black churches through the decades.

Though it is scarce, some churches still host tent revivals today, drawing worshippers from all over.

And whether you were dragged by 'mama' telling you to "fix your face and get in the car before you make me late for church", or pulled up to enjoy the shimmying of the tambourines and uplifting psalms sung by the choir that shook the house every service out of pure curiosity, tent revivals by black churches are experiences like no other.

3. Traditional African Weddings

Weddings often times unite 'kinfolk' more than birthdays and graduations. African weddings, in particular, show out and turn up in the name of traditions of the motherland.

There's no something old, new, borrowed or blue. Instead, the bride and bridesmaids are dressed like Nubian goddesses in ceremonial garments and jewels galore and rituals as long as our lineage is used as the foundation for the couple before and after exchanging "I do's".

To demonstrate that stormy trials in marriage are no match for a true and sacred bond, a Yoruban wedding tradition is that the couple tastes four of the elements (sour, sweet, bitter and hot) after exchanging vows, according to ONE. This is only one of many examples traditional African weddings dance to the beat of their own drums.

From witnessing the couple honoring deceased loved ones and African ancestry by reciting ancient prayers, knocking on "the door", jumping over the broom, to dancing your heart out at a six-hour long reception with delicious food, bubbly libations, and invigorating music, if you're ever invited to an African wedding, you might want to RSVP.

4. Carnivale in the Caribbean

There is a significant difference between Carnival in European countries and the Carnivale that is celebrated throughout the Caribbean, like Tobago, Trinidad, and Barbados.

While the festival has been adapted around the world, the islands stand out the best when only images of the melanin queens and kings in colorful and vibrant costumes can do it justice.

5. Black Family Reunions

It's the title of a Tyler Perry movie and a song by the O'Jays. It doesn't get any blacker than that.

Black family reunions are featured in songs, films and even books. Nothing feels quite warming like being at home like when you see your favorite cousin pull up, stumble upon your aunties throwing down in the kitchen over some "speak to your soul" kind of soul-food, or constantly hear relatives you swear you've never seen before tell you how they remember when you "this big".

6. Hair Shows

From barbershops to beauty salons to your friend who's been slaying the art of braiding since elementary school in her grandmother's basement, our hair is a celebration of our origin, our unity, and our eccentricity.

People flood convention centers throughout the year to see jaw-dropping styles by hairdo gurus.

The biggest Afrocentric event is the Bronner Brothers International Beauty Show in Atlanta, Georgia.

The hair competition has been the highlight for black hair observance for 70 years.

With hundreds of vendors selling beauty and hair care products, seminars, comedy stand-ups, musical performances, and cash prizes for participants in the competition, the BB Hair Show turn out each year is evidence that black hair shows are fierce.

7. Soul Food Cook Offs

Nothing brings people together like good food and full stomachs. Soul food, traditional southern African-American dishes, is probably the first thing that comes to mind about the fabric of our culture.

It's a time for us to catch up with loved ones we haven't seen in ages, share anecdotes of our day-to-day, and chow down on what everyone brings to the table, literally.

The largest and most well-known national soul food cook off was founded by a black woman in 2008.
Cassandra Gaines founded the competition in Oklahoma for the nation's best soul food chefs to go head-to-head to preserve the cultural heritage and for people to just have fun.

8. Mother's Day Parades

Who is usually the first person that a rapper or actor shouts out in an acceptance speech? Mama.

No one else is going to straighten you out, lift up your spirits, and educate you in the same breath as a loving mother would.

She'll tell you to 'stop before she gives you something to cry for' and at the same time, understands you like no one else. 

So when it comes to Mother's Day, we tend to steal the show to celebrate the best girl in our lives.
In our recent article, documentarian, Akasha Rabut, was featured in an issue of Vogue alongside her photographs of a Mother's Day parade in New Orleans which The West African tradition consists of circle dances, a marching band, and informal fashion shows.

9. Battle of the Bands
Just about everyone who has seen Drumline–the first one, not the sequel–, attends an HBCU or has a cousin who plays in the band knows that no standard non-black institution can shake up the arena better than marching bands of historically black college and universities.

Battle of the Bands is hands down one of the best experiences hip-hop, jazz, and r&b music lovers can purchase a ticket for.

BOB was created to celebrate, support and recognize the excellence of Black college marching bands and the unique academic experience offered by HBCUs, per the website.

The participating bands rotate each year depending and selection process is solely based upon which schools can bring it.

From Bethune-Cookman to Texas Southern, eight colleges go toe-to-toe each year on the field featuring the band and dancers with well-rehearsed choreography and classic song choices that'll have you in the stands like:

Through religious gatherings and the congregating of black people at neighborhood cookouts, or after-dark block parties, one thing holds true: the fabric of the culture is summed up in the fellowship of black people who honor values passed down through the generations and to those who proudly display what it means to be black.