EmbRACE Update - Worldwide Festivals 🌍

Each month we will be sharing information on the many celebrated Worldwide Festivals. Developed by our very own EmbRACE Working Group Colleague, Mandy Kaur, have a read of the latest update below which includes October's dates. 😊

17th September 2022 – 3rd October 2022 – Oktoberfest 

 

Oktoberfest is an annual German festival, some call it the ‘beer festival’ where others would celebrate it to honour the first month of harvest. Originally Oktoberfest began when Bavaria’s Crown Prince Ludwig married Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen on Oct. 12, 1810. The wedding was celebrated with multiple days of drinking, feasting and horse races. Today almost 7 million people from around the world participate in this entertaining day. The celebration kicks off with a gun salute and a ceremonial keg tapping by the city’s mayor. In addition to lots of drinking, the festivities also include a costume parade and live music.

 

27th September – 2nd October – Navratri – Nine Nights 

Navratri is celebrated differently in India’s various regions. For many people, it is a time of religious reflection and fasting, while for others it is a time for dancing and feasting. Among fasting, customs are observing a strict vegetarian diet and abstaining from alcohol and certain spices. Dances performed include garba, especially in Gujarat. Typically, the festival’s nine nights are dedicated to different aspects of the divine feminine principle or shakti. Offerings are often made to the goddesses and their various aspects, and rituals are performed in their honour. 

 

4th October 2022 – Chong Yang Festival – Double Ninth Festival 

In Chinese, nine is regarded as the number of Yang (which means masculine as opposed to Yin which is feminine). The ninth day of the ninth month is the day that has two Yang numbers, and 'chong' in Chinese means double which is how the name Chongyang was created. It is a day for people to eat Chongyang cake (recipe below), drink chrysanthemum wine, climb mountains and have picnics! It is said that by ascending to a high mountain, diseases could be prevented and Chrysanthemums are regarded as a flower full of antioxidants and can drive the evil away (linked to a legendry folks tale). Now, family, relatives or good friends gather to climb mountain

ns to enjoy the beautiful scenery and share happiness of the holiday with each other. Check out the recipe for the double ninth cake here.

 

5^th October 2022 – Yom Kippur 

Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish year and marks a time for atonement through fasting and prayer. Yom Kippur means “day of atonement” and is essentially the last chance to demonstrate repentance before God is said to seal followers in the Book of Life in the upcoming year. Tradition has it that the holiday originated with the prophet Moses. After God gave Moses the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, Moses returned to the Israelites. During his prolonged absence, they began worshiping a golden calf, considered a false idol. In anger, he smashed the commandments, set in stone, then headed back up the mountain to pray for God’s forgiveness for himself and his people. Moses returned with a second set of the Ten Commandments—and God’s forgiveness for Israel. As the last prayers of Yom Kippur fade, the shofar, or ram’s horn, is sounded, an indication that God’s forgiveness has been granted and that the 25-hour fast is over. Quite often, Yom Kippur would be celebrated by eating honey dipped apples and pomegranate which represents “new fruit”, a symbol of righteousness, knowledge, and wisdom because it is said to have 613 seeds, each representing one of the 613 mitzvot (commandments) of the Torah.

 

4^th October 2022 – Dussehra – Defeat of the 10 headed demon king 

Dussehra can be celebrated for different reasons. Depending on different beliefs in India, In the Northern part of India, the festival celebrates the defeat of Ravana against Rama. In a few other places it celebrates the killing of a demon, Mahishasura, some may celebrate the day following the end of Navratri and for prosperity and good luck which comes in the shape of praying to the Goddesses Lakshmi, Saraswati for wisdom, knowledge and humility. As mentioned, one of the significant celebrations mark the defeat of Ravana against Rama, many pilgrims will have plays or productions replicating the killing of Ravana. A person with an arrow with a burning flame shoots it onto an statue made in the form of Ravana. This replica would be made of fire-crackers and would start bursting once the arrow with flame strikes it, which symbolizes the killing of Ravana. 

 

24^th October 2022 – Bandhi Chorr Divas

 

For Sikhs, Diwali is celebrated for a different reason. Bandhi Chhor Divas is celebrated in remembrance of the Guru Hargobind, the sixth Guru, who was imprisoned by the Mughal emperor Jehangir and released from Gwalior prison in on this day in 1619 CE. The day is known as Bandhi Chhor Divas (Prisoner Release Day) because 52 imprisoned Kings (Bandhi) were released (Chhor) by him on this day (Divas). The emperor grew jealous of the Guru’s popularity in prison so he arranged for his immediate release. The Guru refused to leave the prison without the kings, so the emperor told the Guru that those who could hold onto his cloak would be allowed to walk out with him, knowing that not all of the kings would be able to hold it and walk free. To meet the Emperor’s churlish condition, the Guru had a coat made for himself with long panels to which all 52 could cling. The Kings each grasped a panel, 26 on the right and 26 on the left as they left. In this way, the Guru secured the release of all his fellow inmates. When he returned home, people were celebrating Diwali, when they saw the Guru, the golden temple was filled with light, and they everyone celebrated his safe return home. 

 

24^th October- Diwali – The festival of lights 

One of my all time favourites is Diwali. In Hinduism, Diwali marks another triumph of good over evil and derives from the story of the God Ram and his wife Sita. Although there are many versions, the story depicts the capture of Sita by the 10 headed demon king Ravana. It is said that Ravana posed as a beggar and tricked her to leave a magic circle that Ram & Laxman had drawn around her to protect her whilst they were hunting. As she was taken away she left a trail of her jewellery so that Ram, Laxman could find her. With the help of the monkey God Hanuman, they found Sita and defeated the evil God with a magic arrow. Everyone in the kingdom lit lamps to help them find their way home. Some believe that Diwali is the night that the Goddess Lakshmi visits her devotees, so many people will have a spring clean of their homes, wear new clothes and buy new utensils. Today, many homes are adorned in candles and lamps, special dishes are shared between family and friends and there would often be firework displays. 

 

31st October - And then of course there’s Halloween!

Halloween is a holiday celebrated each year on October 31. The tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints. Soon, All Saints Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween. Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes and eating treats.

 

Spooky Facts about Halloween:

• Jack O’ Lanterns comes from the Irish legend of Stingy Jack, Jack was sent off into the night after tricking the devil and being turned away from heaven. With only a burning coal to light his path, He placed the coal inside a carved-out turnip and has been roaming the earth ever since.

• According to Guinness World Records, the highest number of lit Jack O'lanterns on display is 30,581 by the City of Keene, New Hampshire in 2013

• Many people enjoy embracing the spooky spirit of Halloween, but for some, the fear is not all in good fun. Some people suffer from Samhainophobia, or the fear of Halloween! 

• In Hollywood, using Silly String on Halloween can get you a $1,000 fine

• The BBC banned the hit “Monster Mash”, 1962 song from airplay that year because they thought it was “too morbid.”

 

See you all next month for some more exciting celebrations! To all those celebrating, hope you enjoy yourselves! And if you are please send in your pictures to embraceworkinggroup@midcounties.coop 😊