Collage by Chani. Thus, the New Year’s Eve is celebrated on the 12 th of January – when people invite their friends in for a festive dinner with aromatic chicken and couscous. The following are among the most popular and widely celebrated winter holidays and traditions in Africa: Christmas in Africa is celebrated in a manner similar to the western countries: Christmas means carols, presents, family gatherings and joy. Mauritius has a numerous Hindu community and they dedicate the last days in January to a series of religious ceremonies and blessings. It is customary for families to attend the mass and sing specific hymns on the Christmas day, and in some places they might even decorate a small palm and use it as a Christmas tree. South of the equator, the height of winter hits in June and July. Celebrating the African Goddess Mawu for Winter Solstice. But that doesn’t mean they didn’t find other ways to celebrate. Although some winter solstice traditions have changed over time, they are still a reminder of indigenous peoples understanding of the intricate workings of the solar system. As a child, my grandmother enjoyed attending community dances at the time of the winter solstice. This year it will be on Wednesday, 21 December 2016 at 4:44 a.m. central time. When the sun falls, the sunlight right passes through the gap between the certain two stones, which only happens on that day. The Amazigh people of Mahbgreb, or the berbers, follow, unlike other parts of Africa, the so-called Julian Calendar. Copyright © 2010–2021, Academic Journalism Society, Clip from ‘Cahokia’s Celestial Calendar (Woodhenge)’ episode of PBS’ ‘Native America.’. When it comes to experiencing unabridged wilderness, the African continent has no equivalent. As religion scholar Tisa Wenger writes, “The Zuni believe their ceremonies are necessary not just for the well-being of the tribe but for "the entire world.”. The big difference about the African Christmas is that unlike in USA or Europe where the earth is covered in ice and snow, December is the first month of summer in the Southern part of Africa, so people try to enjoy the warm weather as well. In the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice usually falls on December 21/December 22, which is the southern hemisphere's summer solstice. Yalda. The days for the celebration are selected by the religious leaders. Not to mention the numerous tribes and their interesting ceremonies dedicated to the winter season. This thousands-of-years-old festival on December 21, 22, or 23 is celebrated with family gatherings and a … The Amazigh people of Mahbgreb, or the berbers, follow, unlike other parts of Africa, the so-called Julian Calendar. Eid Al Adha is an important holiday in the Islamic world, when people remember the importance of faith in their lives. Christians then continued the tradition of holly as a winter holiday decoration. She remembered that each community held their own gatherings, with unique drumming, singing and dance styles. Dongzhi Festival. Yule Traditions: Mistletoe. However, it's believed that this date was chosen to offset pagan celebrations of Saturnalia and Natalis Invicti. Soaking in baths full of fruit in Japan. They give thanks and feast on the fruits of the season’s harvest. The winter solstice, hiemal solstice or hibernal solstice occurs when one of the Earth's poles has its maximum tilt away from the Sun. In Cahokia, indigenous people built numerous temple pyramids or mounds, similar to the structures built by the Aztecs in Mexico, over a thousand years ago. All the Winter Solstice symbols are a reminder that the sun is eternal, the cycle is renewing, and so are you. So, when African people decorate trees during this period, they are sending regards to ancient times when Ra’s birthday was celebrated. Fun Facts about African Christmas Traditions Make it the deep jungles o... Africa is for certain not a first option when it comes to luxury travel – with its deep jungles, huge deserts and thir... Africa stands for wilderness, safaris, jungles, the Sahara desert and adventure. The Zulu people of Africa celebrate the solstice as a harvest festival. What is the solstice? At the time of the winter solstice they hold a multiday celebration, known as the Shalako festival. The tradition of celebrating Winter Solstice is rich with symbolism and dates back hundreds of thousands of years. Winter Solstice Traditions: Rituals for a Simple Celebration This year, let your winter solstice celebration be an occasion to look deeply at small things, to feel at home in the world and to be just where you belong. There are numerous festivals in Africa celebrating this evens, the most popular being the Timket Festival in Ethiopia. The winter solstice is approaching. On the day of winter solstice, many Native American communities will hold religious ceremonies or community events. Winter Solstice is a time of renewal and rebirth and on the 21st of December, Karnak Temple in Luxor aligns with the sun and illuminates the temple - one of the most important events of the Egyptian calendar. An interesting practice associated with this event is that of piercing. You’ll need love, joy, passion, good friends, a soft place to land, magic and the ability to recognize it. At Samhain we honour, celebrate and welcome the descent into, and return of, the dark - the beginning of the New Year, acknowledging that all beginnings emerge from darkness. The history of the winter solstice and its traditions are both past and present. What they found was telling: The sun aligned with both Woodhenge and the top of a temple mound – a temple built on top of a pyramid with a flat top – in the distance. Winter Solstice 2020 in the Northern Hemisphere will be at 5:02am Eastern Standard time and 11:02am Central European time on Monday, December 21, marking the first day of winter. is a Chinese festival that celebrates the arrival of the Winter Solstice, and is related to the philosophy of Yin and Yang. It is also considered the celebration of the winter solstice in some countries. They believed that its green leaves represented the fertility of the Mother Goddess, and its white berries, the seed of the Forest God or Oak King. The origin of this holiday is the Biblical story of Isaac and Abraham, in which Abraham was asked by God/Allah to sacrifice his only son as a sign of faith. Discover the science of why it happens, its ancient pagan traditions and a delightful skytime bonus for 2020. Kwanzaa, a celebration of African American and pan-African culture and community based on Zulu and Ashanti harvest festivals, is situated during the festive midwinter weeks. As we all know very well, the story had a happy ending, as God allowed Abraham to sacrifice a lamb instead. While many traditions are ancient, they are still being celebrated today by cultures around the world. A small but colourful celebration takes place on the archipelago of Mauritius. You’ll need a thick skin to weather the worst of the world and a tender heart to receive the best of it. A pair of adult capybara and three babies take a yuzu-yu, or a … Modern Times. Among their constructions, what most stands out is an intriguing structure made up of wooden posts arranged in a circle, known today as “Woodhenge.”. Its opposite is the summer solstice. Zuni Pueblo is a contemporary example of indigenous people with an agricultural society in western New Mexico. Thus, the New Year’s Eve is celebrated on the 12th of January – when people invite their friends in for a festive dinner with aromatic chicken and couscous. For indigenous peoples, it has been a time to honor their ancient sun deity. People dress up and gather in Stonehenge to welcome the latest dawn and sunrise of the year. Each year they hold annual harvest festivals and numerous religious ceremonies, including at the winter solstice. Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, The University of Montana. Also known as “Shab-e Yalda,” this is the ancient Persian Winter Solstice celebration, which … As a scholar of the environmental and Native American religion, I believe, there is much to learn from ancient religious practices. In modern times Christians all over the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Day, which falls on December 25. For decades, scholars have studied the astronomical observations that ancient indigenous people made and sought to understand their meaning. By Deena Wade . According to Traditional Festivals, Inti Raymi, a winter solstice festival that recalls the traditions of the Inca Empire, is generally held throughout South America's mountainous Andean region on June 24.In ancient times, Inti Raymi was a harvest festival held to honor the sun god, Inti, during the solstice. Learn about unique traditions, celebrations, and holidays that occur around the world during December and January. Some believe that celebrating the birth of the “true light of the world” was set in synchronization with the December solstice because from that point onwards; the days began to have more dayli… Mistletoe, which represents the female element, also holds much importance as it was used by Druid priests in special ceremonies during the Winter Solstice. The sun is a symbol of our interconnectedness. Not all indigenous peoples ritualized the winter solstice with a ceremony. However, winter solstice is still celebrated by many. But what is shared with the public is near the end of the ceremony, when six Zuni men dress up and embody the spirit of giant bird deities. Yule/Winter Solstice December 21st. Write an article and join a growing community of more than 123,400 academics and researchers from 3,949 institutions. At day's end on the winter solstice, the sun glows like a … There is evidence that humans observed the Winter Solstice as early as the Neolithic period—the last part of the stone age, beginning in about 10,200 BC. The Stonehenge in England, was built between 3000 BC and 2000 BC and is known for its Winter Solstice traditions a. Instead the Blackfeet viewed the time of the winter solstice as a time for games and community dances. Brandi and I will both be traveling at Full Moon so we will gather just in time for the Solstice! Winter solstice 2020, the shortest day of year and the official start of winter, is on Monday, December 21. The winter solstice is the day of the year when the Northern Hemisphere has the fewest hours of sunlight and the Southern Hemisphere has the most. The dances held at the time of the solstice were moved to Christmas Day or to New Year’s Eve. 2019 December Holidays—Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice Dates; Last Full Moon of the Decade Will Fall on 12/12 at 12:12 A.M. EST Also the T At the pole, there is continuous darkness or twilight around the winter solstice. How it all works has fascinated people for thousands of years. At the time of the solstice, Hopi welcome protective spirits from the mountains, known as kachinas. The Zuni are intensely private, and most events are not for public viewing. Celebrate the winter solstice and its warm traditions with a concert of original and traditional acoustic music from award-winning Windham Hill artists. Later, in my own research, I learned that the Blackfeet moved their dances and ceremonies during the early reservation years from times on their religious calendar to times acceptable to the U.S. government. According to the Chinese, Yang symbolizes the positive, and Yin is negative. Scientists have speculated that the Cahokia held rituals to honor the sun as a giver of life and for the new agricultural year. You have to know that Africa is an extremely diverse continent so different people will have different traditions and celebrations in winter. At the time of the winter solstice they hold a multiday celebration, known as the Shalako festival. At the Winter Solstice we reach the depth of that darkness with the longest night of the year. For that hemisphere, the winter solstice is the day with the shortest period of daylight and longest night of the year, when the Sun is at its lowest daily maximum elevation in the sky. The days for the celebration are selected by the religious leaders. Join the Goddess Full Moon Group for a celebration and discussion of the African Creatrix Goddess Mawu for Winter Solstice. So today people of Muslim faith sacrifice a lamb in remembrance of this day and share its meat with families or the less fortunate. Winter solstice traditions: Dong Zhi, China. On the last day of the journey we will experience the historic Solar alignment at Karnak Temple. At this time in the Northern Hemisphere we are experiencing the longest and darkest nights of the year and the shortest days with the least amount of daylight. They rarely held large religious gatherings in the winter. To understand the purpose of Woodhenge, scientists watched the sun rise from this structure on winter solstice. The day of the winter solstice is the shortest day and the longest night of the year. Scholars believe that ancient indigenous societies observed the solar system carefully and wove that knowledge into their architecture. First Fruits. Winter Solstice Rituals – December 21, 2019. This is the day when the divine origin of baby Jesus was revealed, and therefore a great reason for joy and celebration. In many African countries, it symbolizes the birth of African God Ra (Osiris). The returning sunlight is "invited in" with many symbols: Trees and evergreens, a variety of fires, candles, logs; and always singing and dancing. At this time, the sun appears over the Tropic of Capricorn, roughly 23.5 degrees South of the earth's equator. The Epiphany Day is another important holiday for the Christian world. One such place was at Cahokia, near the Mississippi River in what is now Illinois across from St. Louis. During this time, prayer sticks are often crafted and used for blessings and various rituals. They also found that the sun aligns with a different temple mound on summer solstice.
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