Category: Today’s Holiday

Malcolm X (1925-1965) was an outspoken leader in the black nationalist movement of the 1960s. He converted to the Muslim faith while serving time in prison, and, upon his release, began touring the country on behalf of the Nation of Islam. During most of his career, Malcolm X advocated violence (for self-protection) and had a reputation for fanaticism and racism; however, he changed his outlook after his pilgrimage to Mecca. He was assassinated at a rally in Harlem shortly after. His birthday is still observed in most major American cities with a large African-American population. Discuss

Kodomo-no-Hi is a national holiday in Japan that was known as Boys’ Day from the 9th century, but became a day for both boys and girls in 1948. Today, the day is observed largely with family picnics. Households with sons erect tall bamboo poles outside the home and attach streamers in the shape of carp for each son. The carp supposedly represents the strength, courage, and determination shown in its upstream journeys. The festivities are part of Golden Week, which also includes Greenery Day and Japan Constitution Memorial Day. Discuss

The Day of the Holy Cross, known elsewhere as the Exaltation of the Cross, is an important one throughout Latin America. Crosses that are normally found in the churches are repaired and repainted, or carried in procession through the streets. In Venezuela, the celebration is known as Velorio de Cruz. People set up special altars in their homes that include crosses, lighted candles, and images of the saints. Musicians and poets from all over the country come to perform in front of these altars. While playing their instruments, they improvise rhymed couplets and other poetic forms. Discuss

Vappu is a national holiday and celebration of the coming of spring in Finland. This traditional festival is also Labor Day, and factories that are said to “never close” do close on May 1 (and Christmas Day). For students, the “anything goes” celebration begins at midnight on the eve of May Day, called Vapunaatto, when they wear white student caps and indulge in anything not indecent or criminal. There are balloons, streamers, horns, and masks everywhere, and few get much sleep. On May Day itself, the students lead processions through the streets of Helsinki, and then enjoy carnivals and concerts. Discuss

According to an old Czech superstition, witches try to enter people’s homes on the eve of May Day and do them harm. The “Burning of the Witches” ceremony is observed in some parts of the country by building bonfires on the mountain tops. In Postupice, a town in the Bohemian region, a Maypole and Burning of the Witches Festival is held April 30-May 1 every year. The young men put up a maypole in the village square on the afternoon of April 30. The next day the burning of the witches takes place, when the villagers throw their broomsticks into the bonfire and burn the witches in effigy. Discuss

A 10-day feast for the ears, the eyes, and the stomach held in New Orleans, Louisiana, this festival brings together thousands of musicians, artisans, and cooks who do their thing for more than half a million visitors. The concerts feature not only traditional and contemporary jazz, but also other music forms developed in New Orleans: ragtime, country, Cajun, zydeco, gospel, folk, and Latin. Food tents serve a multitude of indigenous foods, such as jambalaya, andouille, crawfish bisque, gumbo, frog legs, and so on. Hundreds of artisans also display their crafts. Discuss

The Fair of St. Mark, which is held annually for nearly a month in Aguascalientes, dates back to the early 17th century and remains one of Mexico’s most famous fiestas. It is primarily a showcase for the country’s more than 200 forms of ritual and folk dance, each of which has its own meaning, mythology, history, and pageantry. There are also commercial and art exhibits, cockfights, bullfights, sports competitions, parades, and a battle of flowers. Discuss

This festival was started in 1920 by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, who recognized how important children were to his country’s future and dedicated this day to them. On this national public holiday, Atatürk is honored with special services in Ankara, Turkey’s capital city, at the monument built for him. Afterward, a children’s program takes place in which children from around the world wear festive traditional costumes and dance and sing. In Istanbul, a similar celebration is held in the national soccer stadium. Discuss

The Land Run of April 22, 1889, paved the way for the organization of the Oklahoma Territory in 1890, and for Oklahoma’s statehood in 1907. Also known as Oklahoma 89ers Day, the celebration on April 22 focuses on the town of Guthrie, the site of the original land office about 80 miles from the starting border, and each year Guthrie observes its anniversary with an 89ers festival. Elsewhere in Oklahoma, the day is celebrated with parades, rodeos, and events based on the land rush theme. Discuss

This ancient Roman festival was held in honor of Pales, the protector of shepherds and their flocks. The Parilia was a pastoral rite observed not only in rural areas but also in Rome, where it coincided with the city’s founding in 753 BCE. Although no sacrifices were offered, lustrations (purifying ceremonies) were carried out with fire and smoke. The stables were purified with smoke and swept out with brooms; in rural areas, heaps of straw were set ablaze, and shepherds and their flocks had to pass over them three times. The festival ended with a huge open-air feast. Discuss