Dear Colleagues,
Thanksgiving is essentially a harvest festival, and although
it is considered a North American holiday, other similar harvest festivals are
celebrated in different ways all over the world. Each country or region has
their own unique traditions, foods, and time which they celebrate their harvest
festival. Although the underlying principle behind each is same, the sharing
and appreciation of food from the harvest, each one is special in its own way. 
wishes HAPPY HOLIDAYS! |
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United States: Thanksgiving
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Thanksgiving is
celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm in the United States. The holiday falls each
year on the fourth Thursday of November. It is a time for families and friends to
meet over a traditional feast and give thanks. Originally it was celebrated by
the pilgrims during the autumn harvest, and was an opportunity them to show
their appreciation to the Native Americans for teaching them how to farm in the
region. The tradition continues as a way of honoring the pilgrims and the
Native Americans. It is also a time for family reunions and sharing of foods
such as turkey, yams, and pumpkin pie.
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Canada: Thanksgiving
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Thanksgiving in Canada is
celebrated on the second Monday of October every year. It is considered as a
time to be thankful for a bountiful harvest. The primary reason behind the
different dates for the celebration in the United
States and Canada
is geographical; i.e. the autumn season starts earlier in Canada. Thanksgiving
celebrations in Canada include
parades, customary family feast and turkey as in the United States. The central idea
behind the celebration is to be thankful for the past harvest and pray for a
good harvest in the coming year. The meal is similar to that served on
Thanksgiving in the United
States.
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Western Africa: The Yam Festival
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The Yam Festival,
a popular harvest festival in Ghana
and Nigeria,
is usually held in the beginning of August to mark the end of the rainy season.
Yams are the most common food in many African countries, and are the first crop
to be harvested. During this festival, an offering of yams is made to the gods
and their ancestors as a show of thanks, after which yams are distributed among
the villagers. The festival is also characterized by several days of ceremonies
which honor the gods and ancestors, and include dancing and singing. The dances
typically each tell a story, and dancers wear traditional masks and clothing.
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United Kingdom: Harvest Festival
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Harvest
Festival is one of the oldest festivals in the United Kingdom.
Originally it began with the decorating of churches with home grown products
and a communal meal for parishioners. In the past the occasion was marked by an
offering to the 'god of fertility' to ensure a good harvest in the coming
season. This consisted of the first sheaf of corn and also the sacrifice of an
animal usually a hare. In addition, dolls were made of corn to symbolize the 'goddess
of grain'. Today, the entire church community is invited for a celebratory dinner
as part of the festival which is held every year on a Sunday in September nearest
the harvest moon. These celebrations continue mainly in rural communities
throughout England,
where children typically sing hymns and give gifts of fruits and vegetables.
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Korea: Chuseok
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Chuseok is a popular Korean festival that occurs during the harvest
season. During this time, families visit their ancestral homes and feast
together. The festival is also a time to show respect to elders. Offerings are
made of newly harvested foods among which crescent-shaped rice cakes stuffed
with sesame seeds, chestnut paste or beans is a favorite. During this festival,
Koreans also hold memorial services at the grave sites of family members. A
traditional ceremony is observed on the night before the harvest festival which
is marked by women singing. Archery, wrestling, and singing competitions are
common during the harvest festival.
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Malaysia: Kadazan
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Kadazan is the harvest festival of Malaysia which
is celebrated every year in May. In Malaysia, there is a traditional
belief that without rice there is no life. Rice is a major component of the
country's agricultural base and an important part of the diet. As a result the
Rice God is greatly revered and is favored among the gods. The harvest festival
is therefore considered a time to give thanks to the Rice god. During this
festival, homemade rice wine is generously distributed and people dress in
traditional clothing. The celebrations are marked by special cultural programs,
agricultural shows, buffalo races and traditional games.
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Punjab, India: Lohri
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Lohri is the harvest festival of Punjab in
northern India which is known
as the breadbasket state of India.
People in Punjab attach a great significance
to the festival, and it is considered a time to be thankful for God's provisions. In Punjab,
the main winter crop, wheat, is
harvested in March or April. Farmers celebrate Lohri during the rest period
before the cutting and gathering of wheat. In the farming villages, the harvest
festival is celebrated by dancing north Indian folk dances known as Bhangra and
Giddha around a bonfire. The festival, as with other harvest festivals around
the world, is marked by sharing and feasting among family and friends.
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Thanks so much for taking your time and reading our Thanksgiving Newsletter 2010. We wish you all wonderful Thanksgiving holidays with your family and friends.
Sincerely,
Leo Galperin and the Language Connections Team
Tel: 617-731-3510
www.languageconnections.com
Wherever you do business, we speak the language.
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