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June 1:
Gawai Dayak (Malaysia) - Marks the traditional
rice harvest.
June 4-6:
Red Earth Fair (Aboriginal, American) - Cultural
Festival takes place in Oklahoma City for three days.
June 4:
Dano (Korea) - On this day, Koreans pray for
good fortune with agricultural affairs.
June 6:
D-Day (USA) – Commemorates the day in
1944 when U.S. troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, France, representing
the beginning of the end of World War II.
June 9:
Shavu'ot (Jewish) – Also known as the Festival of Weeks, Shavu'ot is the second of the three major festivals with both historical and agricultural significance (the other two are Passover and Sukkot). Shavu'ot commemorates the time when the first fruits were harvested and brought to the Temple. This is known as Hag ha-Bikkurim (the Festival of the First Fruits). Shavu'ot also celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, also known as Hag Matan Torateinu (the Festival of the Giving of Our Torah).
June 11:
King Kamehameha Day (Hawaii) - A national state
holiday to honor the first ruler of the United Hawaiian Islands.
June 15:
Father’s Day (USA) - Honors all fathers
in the country. Louise Dodd of Spokane, Wash., began the tradition in
1909.
June 19:
Juneteenth (African American) - June 19, 1865,
also known as National Freedom Day, is considered the official end of
slavery in the United States. Slaves in Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana and
Arkansas were not told about their freedom until this day, even though
other Southern states had known since April 1863.
June
20:
Dragon Boat Festival (China) - Honors the
patriot poet Chu Yuan who drowned himself in the Milo River south of
China in protest of the political injustice in 277 B.C.
June 21:
Aboriginal Day (Canada) - In 1996, the former
Governor General of Canada, Romeo LeBlanc, proclaimed June 21 as National
Aboriginal Day.
June 24:
St. Jean Baptiste Day (French) - He is the
patron saint of French-Canadians. It is a national holiday and there are
parades, bonfires and fireworks to celebrate his birthday.
Dia de San Juan (Puerto Rico) - Commemorates
the island’s patron saint, St. John the Baptist. At midnight, people
jump into the ocean backward three times to symbolize baptism, immersion
and a new life.
Inti Raymi (Peru) - Celebrated in Cusco, the
second biggest festival in Latin America celebrates the winter solstice
Incan Festival where the God of the Sun, Wiracocha, is honored.
June
27:
Multiculturalism Day (Canada) - This day acknowledges
the contributions that various communities make to Canadian society and
to celebrate the country’s richness and diversity. |
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Cathy
Bruce, Trinidad and Tobago
Experiencing and respecting different cultures
is nothing new for Cathy Bruce. In fact, you might say it's her
birthright, as a native of Trinidad and Tobago, a land where descendants
of Africans, Indians, Europeans and indigenous peoples have formed
a diverse, yet harmonious nation.
Trinidad and Tobago consists of 23 islands
located in the Caribbean Sea off the tip of Venezuela.
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Bruce was born in the national capital, Port of Spain, located
on the Trinidad, the largest island.
She left her homeland at age 7. She lived in Bedford-Stuyvesant
area of Brooklyn 18 years before serving in the U.S. Army for five
years.
Bruce, administrative assistant, Emission Monitoring Support,
Chester, points out that Trinidad’s major holiday celebrations reflect
its religious and cultural diversity:
- Carnival, a five-day festival celebrated in February
leading up to Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent, is a major
holiday event in Trinidad and Tobago.
Bruce says music plays a
major role in Carnival. Those music forms include: calypso, the
Caribbean folk music that originated in Trinidad; soca, a more
rhythmic variety of calypso; and steel pan, more popularly known
as steel drum, using instruments formed from actual 55-gallon
drums.
Another major part of carnival is playing mas,
or masquerade, Bruce explains.
- Divali, a Hindu festival of lights featuring thousands
of votive candles called deyas, illuminating homes and
businesses and representing goodness and prosperity.
- Hosay is a three-day Muslim festival commemorating
the life and death of the prophet Mohammed’s martyred grandson,
Husayn.
Hosay consists of a street parade display of floats in
the shapes of tombs, which are then paraded through the streets
and then thrown into the sea at sunset of the third day.
"All these were celebrated by my family," Bruce recalls. "There
are many holidays and cultures observed in Trinidad with respect
for all who inhabit the island," notes Bruce, who describes her
religious beliefs as "Rman Catholic with Hindu influences."
She adds, “My religion did not dictate what holiday and culture
I participated in. In Trinidad and Tobago, a celebration means all
are welcome to participate. Many of the cultures are intertwined.
All is acknowledged. This is the Trinidad and Tobago way.”
National dishes include doubles (Bara dough and split pea); Roti
with curry chicken or crab and dumpling; shark; Callaloo (coconut
milk, callaloo bush, okra and salted meat); and Pelau, a one-pot
rice dish with peas, coconut milk and meat.
“I would encourage vacationers to consider Trinidad’s
carnival, foods, musical sounds and island beauty,” she
says.
“If you don’t want to travel to the Caribbean, stop
in Brooklyn, New York for the Labor Day parade (a major celebration
of Caribbean culture). I hope crowds don’t scare you. Go
prepared to see, smell and hear something wonderful. Enjoy a
taste of my culture without a passport!” • |
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