This study explores the emotional experiences of individuals attending diaspora festivals using guided interviews of members of the Ethiopian diaspora. A constructivist grounded theory method was applied and a conceptual model comprised of emotional experiences was created. The findings demonstrated five main emotional experiences associated with diaspora festivals: happiness (the most common), pride, arousal, feeling at home, and feeling not lonely. The study confirmed that feeling at home and not lonely were emotions that were unique to diaspora festivals. The study also identified various specific emotion evokers, including homeland atmosphere, homeland people, religious activities, and the availability of the festival. Key theoretical and practical implications include constructing the diaspora festival emotional experience model, broadening our understanding of hedonic well-being, and incorporating the perspectives of contemporary African migrants, all of which can inform marketing strategies, policy development, and societal problem-solving.
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