Multicultural Calendar

This day honours 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. The villagers raced to the river and jumped into dragon boats but never found him. As they searched, they beat drums to scare off fish and dragons that might attack his mortal remains. It is a holiday celebrated by boat races in the shape of dragons.

He was the fifth Guru (1563-1606) and the first Sikh martyr executed by the Mughal emperor Jehangir. He built the Golden Temple in Amritsar with doors facing all four directions to emphasize that the Sikh way was open to all, regardless of caste.

Begins the previous sundown at 6pm. Called the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost which means 50 and therefore celebrated on the 50th day at the end of Passover. Shavuot celebrates the time when the Ten Commandments were given to Moses on Mount Sinai. This feast lasts 2 days.

The official birthday of the Queen is marked each year by a colourful and historic military parade and march-past, known as Trooping the Colour. It takes place in June on Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall, England.

Muslims perform the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. The pilgrimage is one of the five Pillars of Islam. All Muslims are expected to perform the Hajj at least once in their lifetime if they have the physical and financial capacity. About 6 million Muslims from over 70 countries journey to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. In one of the rites of the Hajj, pilgrims move in a circular, counterclockwise procession around the Ka’bah.

The origins of the day to honor fathers began in 1910, when Louise Dodd of Spokane, Washington, suggested to her minister that a day be set aside. Her own father was a Civil War veteran who raised his six children on the family farm after his wife died in childbirth. Interest in the day grew, and in 1966 a presidential proclamation established Father’s Day as the third Sunday in June.

It concludes the Hajj and is a three-day festival celebrating Abraham’s test of obedience to Allah when he was asked to sacrifice his son Ismael. At the last minute, Allah replaced Ismael with a lamb. Since Eid is determined by the first sighting of the new moon, the date varies by day depending on whether the Saudi Arabian or North American sighting is being observed. This calendar follows the North American dates which is a day later.

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. Today, the holiday is observed in African-American communities throughout the country with rallies, concerts and fairs.

Litha falls on the summer solstice. The Latin word solstice means ‘the sun stood still’. Wiccans celebrate the Sun at the height of its power for providing good harvests.

This is an event growing in importance in Canada when the outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis are recognized.

The holy Spirit was felt amongst the 12 apostles after Jesus’ death. New members of the church are baptized on this day. It is called White Sunday because white clothes are worn for baptism.

6th Month

This day commemorates the island’s patron saint, St. John the Baptist. People gather at the beaches in the afternoon. Then, at midnight, they jump into the ocean backwards three times to symbolize baptism, immersion and new life. The celebration continues with families gathering to enjoy music, food and dancing.

Inti Raymi is celebrated in Cusco, and is the second biggest festival in Latin America. This Inca festival celebrates the winter solstice, where the God of the Sun, Wiracocha, is honoured.

He is the patron saint of French-Canadians in Quebec. It is a national holiday with parades, bonfires and fireworks to celebrate his birthday.