Subject: Put Your Party Hat On
Posted by: looney_tunes
Date: Aug 12 10
Every country has its special holidays, and holiday traditions – food, costume, celebratory activities – that we can enjoy as we travel on the Bus Ride. We may not manage to be there on the best day, but let's share information about what we could experience in the right season!
Many of us will be relying on second-hand sources for information - if you live in the country we are visiting, please let us all know how YOU celebrate any special holidays.
Posted by: looney_tunes
Date: Aug 12 10
Every country has its special holidays, and holiday traditions – food, costume, celebratory activities – that we can enjoy as we travel on the Bus Ride. We may not manage to be there on the best day, but let's share information about what we could experience in the right season!
Many of us will be relying on second-hand sources for information - if you live in the country we are visiting, please let us all know how YOU celebrate any special holidays.
225 replies. On page 3 of 12 pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
looney_tunes 
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On May 30, the residents of Trinidad and Tobago celebrate Indian Arrival Day. It commemorates the first arrivals from India, on May 30, 1845 on the ship ‘Fatel Rosack’. This was the first country in the world to recognize the virtual slavery of Indians, who were indentured in many parts of the world as laborers. Indian Arrival Day was first celebrated in Skinner Park, San Fernando, as the East Indian Centenary on May 30, 1945, which marked the hundredth anniversary of the coming of Indians to Trinidad. Reply #41. Sep 11 10, 12:41 AM |
| looney_tunes
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South Africa has 7 national holidays, established after the ending of apartheid to be dates that are significant for all South Africans, not just one faction. They include Human Rights Day (21 March, the anniversary of the Sharpeville Massacre); Freedom Day (27 April, marking the date of the first universal suffrage election in 1994 and the introduction of the new constitution in 1997); Worker's Day (1 May, a date celebrated in many countries); Youth Day (16 June, the date of the student riots in Soweto in 1976 protesting the increased use of Afrikaans as the language of instruction in schools rather than the primary language of the students); Mandela Day (18 July, established in 2009 as a celebration on his birthday of the contributions of one of South Africa's most famous leaders of the struggle against apartheid); National Women's Day (9 August, the date in 1956 when 20,000 women protested pass laws); Heritage Day (24 September, a celebration of the cultural diversity of South Africa); Day of Reconciliation (16 December, combining an Afrikaner holiday stemming from a battle in the Zulu wars and an ANC celebration of the start of arming troops for armed conflict in 1961; now a day to focus on overcoming the conflicts of the past). Possibly the most unusual of these in terms of the mode of celebration is Mandela Day. It is a day on which all people, not just South Africans, are called on to spend 67 minutes (a number chosen to reflect the 67 years of Mandela's politically-active life) in service to charity or the local community. This is intended to reinforce the message that every individual can make a difference. http://africanhistory.about.com/od/apartheid/a/SAHolidays.htm Reply #42. Sep 12 10, 12:24 AM |
KayceeKool
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As well as being Heritage Day, 24 September has also become known among South Africans as National Braai Day, a braai being the local term for a barbeque and a pastime dear to the heart of the nation. It is held under the auspices of Braai4Heritage whose patron is Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The aim is to unite all South Africans in a celebration of this great country and its national pastime. Not that we really ever really need an excuse for a braai and a party :) Reply #43. Sep 12 10, 9:25 AM |
| looney_tunes
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As is the case for many countries, citizens of the Republic of Congo (also known as Congo-Brazzaville, Little Congo, or simply the Congo, and not to be confused with its neighbour, the Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly Zaire) celebrate Independence Day, commemorating the date when their country established itself as an independent nation. Again like many African countries, the colonial history of Congo is somewhat convoluted. In 1886, French Equatorial Africa was established as a French colony, of which Brazzaville was a Protectorate. In 1891, it was renamed from French Equatorial Africa Protectorate to French Congo, and in 1902 became Middle Congo. In 1958, the region was granted autonomy as Republic of Congo, and independence was established in August 15, 1960. This was the start of a period of civil unrest which included a number of military coups, and the establishment of the People's Republic of the Congo, a Marxist-Leninist single-party state, from 1970 to 1991. Multi-party elections have been held since 1992, but the elected government was ousted in 1997 by civil war, and the legitimacy of the electoral process has been questioned. Reply #44. Sep 13 10, 1:17 AM |
| looney_tunes
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On September 16, Papua New Guinea celebrates its independence from Australia, achieved in 1975. In 1883, the Colony of Queensland claimed the southern half of eastern New Guinea. On November 6, 1884, a British protectorate was proclaimed over the southern coast of New Guinea and its adjacent islands. The protectorate, called British New Guinea, was annexed outright on September 4, 1888. The possession was placed under the authority of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1902. Meanwhile, Germany claimed the northeast quarter of the island in 1884, which was named German New Guinea in 1899. During World War I Australian troops occupied the German territory, and Australian was given a mandate to control the area by the League of Nations. This was suspended when the Japanese invaded PNG. At the end of the war, Papua and New Guinea were united into a single administrative unit, and the drive for independence began in earnest. Papua New Guinea became self-governing on December 1, 1973 and achieved independence on September 16, 1975. Reply #45. Sep 14 10, 1:48 AM |
rossian
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Now if I'd read L-T's info first today, I'd have known some of the quiz answers. Reply #46. Sep 14 10, 7:01 AM |
| looney_tunes
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Research is its own reward! I posted here before taking the quiz, and was pelasantly surprised to see that I had uncovered several of the answers in the process. Reply #47. Sep 14 10, 10:09 PM |
| looney_tunes
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Niger has 12 official public holidays, including religious holidays in the Christian tradition (stemming from French colonialism) and the Islamic tradition (as the overwhelming majority of Nigerians as Muslim). And, like most countries, they celebrate dates related to important events in the country's history. But it is the regional celebrations that offer insight into some of the unique aspects of the country. "Fete de la girafe" (15 September), is observed in Koure, near Niamey, celebrating the West African Giraffe native to the area. (Ya gotta love a giraffe!) "Guerewol" is an annual courtship ritual competition among the Wodaabe Fula people of Niger, famous for the traditional makeup and dancing. It is held each year in August or September, at the end of the rainy season, as the nomadic cattle herders gather at the southern edge of the Sahara before dispersing to their various dry season pastures. The most famous gathering point is In-Gall in northwest Niger, where a large festival, market and series of clan meetings take place for both the Wodaabe and the pastoral Tuareg people. The actual dance event is called the Yaake, while other less famous elements -- bartering over dowry, competitions or camel races among suitors -- make up the week long Guerewol. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gu%C3%A9rewol Reply #48. Sep 15 10, 2:39 AM |
maninmidohio
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A slight correction, L-T, to your excellent report. A native of Nigeria is called a Nigerian, but a native of Niger is properly called a Nigerien. Reply #49. Sep 15 10, 7:25 AM |
| looney_tunes
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I knew that, but didn't pick up when Word auto-corrected me! The sentence should read that Nigeriens are, not Nigerians as. Win some, lose some. Reply #50. Sep 15 10, 6:39 PM |
| looney_tunes
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The various islands of The Federated States of Micronesia have retained a great deal of independence as regards celebrating traditional holidays. Yap Day festival is celebrated (usually on the first weekend in March) on the four islands of Greater Yap, located in the southwest of the Federated States of Micronesia. Yap is one of the areas which has retained much of their cultural tradition, and Yap Day is a traditional dance celebration. It is in the form of a competition between villages, which take turns hosting the event, and providing free traditional food and drink. Dances, including sitting dances, kneelong dances, standing dances and stick dances, are performed by men and women in colorful outfits. Much of the year is spent in choreographing and rehearsing the dances for the next festival. Yap Day dances can only be performed once in public for the competition, then once more in their village before they must be retired from performance forever. http://www.pilotguides.com/destination_guide/pacific/micronesia/yap_day.php Yap is also the site of the famous Yap stone money - large discs of limestone used in exchange. The stones stay in place, but everyone knows who the new owner is. Some of them are up to 3m high, weighting up to 4 tonnes. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rai_stones Reply #51. Sep 16 10, 2:53 AM |
| looney_tunes
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On August 7, Colombians celebrate the Battle of Boyaca (August 7, 1819) in which Colombian independence from Spain was achieved (although there would still be a lot more fighting). The battle took place about 150 km 95 miles) from Bogota, in a place called Casa de Taja in the Andes Mountains. Following this battle, Spanish Viceroy Juan de Samano was informed of the defeat and managed to escape and flee to Spain, which brought to an end the reign of the Spanish Empire in northern Latin America. Every four years, the newly-elected President of Colombia is proclaimed on this date. If you can't make for August 7, perhaps you'd like to join in on one of the various offerings in the country's second-largest city of Medellin. March has an orchid festival, April is for films, June is for poetry, July features a jazz festival, there is a 10-day flower festival in August, September focuses on a book fair, October an exhibit on Colombian science and medicine, November equestrian competition, and December Los Alumbrados, Christmas lighting which is said to rival that of anywhere in the world (said, it must be understood, by the local authorities who would love to have you visit then). Reply #52. Sep 17 10, 2:09 AM |
| looney_tunes
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In Spain, there are 9 public holidays that are declared as national holidays, including October 12, the Fiesta Nacional de Espana, celebrated on the anniversary of Columbus's arrival in the Bahamas (which he mistakenly believed to be South Asia) in 1492. October 12 is also the feast day of Our Lady of the Pillar, the name given to a reported appearance of the Virgin Mary on Zaragoza; this particular appellation of Mary is the Patron Saint of Spain. In addition to the 9 national holidays, up to 5 holidays are declared more locally. The regional governments can declare up to 3 for the region, and local municipalities can declare as many as are available to bring the total up to no more than 14. (Not bad – that's more than 1 a month!) The local holidays and celebrations have distinctive local flavors. In Navarre, for example, the capital city of Pamplona is famous for the San Fermin festival, held in the second week of July, in which the running of the bulls, first brought to international attention by Ernest Hemmingway in his first novel, "The Sun Also Rises" in 1926, is a featured attraction. It now features annually on television news stories, providing nice graphics for their short 'interest' stories. Reply #53. Sep 18 10, 3:40 AM |
| looney_tunes
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Most international visitors to the Solomon Islands stay in the major centers in the Western Province. If you want to experience something a little different, and can be there around the time of the new moon in late May or early June, you might visit the island of Santa Catalina, located in the Southeast of the Makira Province. Here you can observe the two-day Wogasia Spear Fighting Festival. This is a traditional event involving a string of ceremonies that outline the history of the Aorigi clans. In 2010, a record number of international tourists (15) attended along with a number of locals who were there both as participants and as observers. Reply #54. Sep 19 10, 1:09 AM |
| looney_tunes
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Angolans, along with the citizens of Equatorial Guinea, Lesotho, Liberia, Mauritania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, celebrate Africa Day on May 25. On May 25, 1963, the Organisation of African Unity, precursor to the African Union, was formed. During the time when a large number of African nations were becoming established as colonial structures disintegrated, there was a perceived need for mutual support amongst the emerging nations. The OAU both promoted the unity of African states and sought to remove the last traces of colonialism from the continent. At the time of its formation, Angola was still under Portuguese control; Angolan independence was achieved on November 11, 1975. Reply #55. Sep 20 10, 3:56 AM |
| looney_tunes
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If you are in Argentina in late February or early March, you might want to visit Buenos Aires to participate in the Buenos Aires Tango Festival, which has run annually since 1999. It includes free tango classes, free public performances by famous tango dancers, and lots of associated parties. The German festival of Oktoberfest has been celebrated in an Argentine version in Cordova since 1964. This orgy of beer-swilling is said to be the third-largest in the world, after Munich and Blumenau, Brazil. Reply #56. Sep 21 10, 3:33 AM |
| looney_tunes
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Barbados is the land of the festival – the 2010 Festival Calendar has one or more entries for almost every day! Crop Over Festival, which extends from May through August, celebrates the end of the sugar cane harvest. It includes both traditional and modern elements, incorporating a mixture of African survival heritage and Western modern culture through exhibitions of art, craft, music, and dance. The festival begins with the Ceremonial Delivery of the Last Canes and the crowning of the King and Queen of the Festival - the most productive male and female cane cutters of the season. After weeks of partying, the festival culminates in the Grand Kadooment, a carnival parade featuring large bands with members dressed in elaborate themed costumes. The parade is followed by an open-air concert and party. http://www.funbarbados.com/activities/festivals/ Reply #57. Sep 22 10, 12:42 AM |
| looney_tunes
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The island of Saint Kitts celebrates Carnival from about the middle of December until early January. A highlight is "J'Ouvert Morning", celebrated from dawn on December 26 until the last band stops playing. Revelers party and dance in the streets to the music of steel bands, brass bands, and (lacking live musicians) recorded music – performers competing for a range of prizes. On Nevis, the most well-known celebration is Culturama, extending from late July through to the Tuesday after the Emancipation Day weekend at the start of August. According to the Nevis Department of Culture, the aim is to protect and encourage indigenous folklore. Festivities include a Calypso competition, drama performances, arts and crafts exhibitions, recipe competitions, and a range of traditional folk dances including masquerade (dance with traditional masks), moko jumbies (dancers on stilts), and Plait the Ribbon, a variant on a Maypole dance. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevis#Culture Reply #58. Sep 23 10, 1:55 AM |
| looney_tunes
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On June 24, Lithuanians celebrate Saint Jonas Festival (aka St. John's Day, Jonines, Kupole, Midsummer Day and Rasos, meaning Dew Holiday), ostensibly in honor of St. John the Baptist. Traditional activities include many with clearly pagan roots, despite the Christian name given to the holiday. They include getting up early to greet the rising midsummer sun, washing one's face in the morning dew, young girls floating wreaths of flowers on rivers and lakes, singing traditional songs called dainas and dancing until the sun sets, story-telling, jumping over bonfires, and hunting for the magic fern blossom at midnight. Reply #59. Sep 24 10, 12:40 AM |
| looney_tunes
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Since 80% of the population of Finland belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, it is hardly surprising that most of Finland's official public holidays are (at least nominally) Christian feasts. More celebrations, however, sometimes occur on the unofficial holiday the day before, as is the case for Christmas Eve. It is on Christmas Eve that Christmas dinners, exchange of gifts and visits from Santa (either an older family member or a rent-a-Santa) generally take place. Religious traditions include nativity plays, and special music for (often candle-lit) services. In many towns and cities, there is a Declaration of Christmas Peace made on Christmas Eve, a tradition that was established in the Middle Ages and has continued since, with the exception of 1939, when Finns were defending their country after invasion by Russia in November of that year. The Declaration held in the Old Great Square of Turku (former capital of Finland) at noon on Christmas Eve is broadcast on Finnish radio and television. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Eve#Finland Reply #60. Sep 25 10, 12:30 AM |
225 replies. On page 3 of 12 pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
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