Cultural Christmas
By Cynthia Tom
Special to the Daily Forty-Niner
As jingle bells jangle around the nation
this holiday season, other cultures are ringing in the season with their
own traditions.
While Muslims, Jews and Christians celebrate
the season with religious committment, the Irish will dance and collect
money for others.
Newfoundlanders will show up to friends'
houses dressed in disguises, while Swedish families will wait for their
own Santas to come down from the attic. And African Americans will celebrate
unity, creativity and faith.
Philosophical holiday
Kwanzaa (Swahili for "first fruits") was
founded in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, a Cal State Long Beach black studies
professor, according to the official Kwanzaa Web site.
Developed in the framework of Kawaida,
Kwanzaa spans seven days (Dec. 26 to Jan. 1) and is based on seven principles
collectively known as Nguzo Saba: unity, self-determination, collective
work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and
faith.
Traditional Kwanzaa colors are black, red
and green, and gift giving is done mostly for children.
"Kwanzaa brings a cultural message that
speaks to the best of what it means to be African and human in the fullest
sense," said Karenga in the Web site's welcome pages.
Light it up
Hanukkah is a Jewish celebration that commemorates
the victory of the Maccabees over the Syrians and is sometimes referred
to as the "Festival of Lights."
An important element of the Hanukkah ritual
is the nightly lighting of a candle in a menorah.
Another Jewish tradition is to play with
a dreidel, which resembles a 4-sided top.
Because the dreidel is sometimes used for
gambling, a letter is printed on each side and represents varying amounts
of money.
Birds of a feather dance together
St. Stephen's Day is celebrated in Ireland
and honors the first Christian martyr, who was stoned shortly after the
crucifixion, according to the North of Boston Library Exchange.
Originally, groups of boys would hunt for
a wren and tie the dead bird to a decorated pole.
The pole was then carried from house to
house by the disguised boys who would sing a song at each door and collect
money, which was used to hold a dance for the whole village.
Today, artificial wren are used, or a live
wren may be carried in a cage. Folk costumes and traditional music and
dancing are often elements of celebration, and money collected is often
used for community or school projects.
Disguised guests
In Newfoundland, Canada, "mummering" (sometimes
called "jannying") is a popular tradition in which people visit the homes
of their friends and neighbors while in disguise, according to the library
exchange.
Then they play musical instruments, sing
and dance as residents try to guess each mummer's identity. If discovered,
the mummer must take off his or her hood or facial covering.
The host or hostess usually serves a small
lunch with "grog," an alcoholic drink similar to rum or whiskey.
Inner reflection and self-control
For Muslims around the world, Ramadhan
is traditionally believed to be when the first verses of the holy Qur'an
were revealed to the Prophet Mohammad, according to the Ramadhan Web site.
During this month, adult Muslims fast and
practice abstinence from dawn to sunset every day in a time of inner reflection,
devotion to God and self-control.
Exceptions are made for women who are nursing
or menstruating and both men and women during travel or illness.
A person physically unable to do this must
feed a needy person for every day missed. The new moon signifies the end
of Ramadhan.
The family Santa
Sweden's celebration is similar to America's,
although 20 days after Christmas it is customary to dance Christmas out
with "Julgrans plundring."
Also it is believed that each family has
its own Santa Claus (called "Tomten") who lives in the attic, according
to Thinkquest database.
In Denmark, the traditional belief is that
mischievous pixies live in peoples' houses. Their favorite food, rice pudding,
is left in the attic to keep them in line.
In Finland, for "Joulu," Santa Claus is
believed to come through the front door instead of the chimney, and it
is traditional for Finland adults to drink wine with nuts or raisins while
the children eat ginger snaps. |
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