Mid-Autumn Festival  - Sep 19 - 26

This festival is ANCIENT. Believe it or not, the Mid-Autumn Festival has been around for more than 1000 years! It was first established as a holiday in the Song Dynasty (960-1279) but is believed that Mid-Autumn Festival originated from the custom of worshiping the moon back in Zhou dynasty over 3000 years ago.

Ancient Chinese emperors traditionally used the Mid-Autumn Festival to pray for the harvest, fine weather and peace for the country. Because the harvest was tied to the moon cycle, the festival is meant to take place when the moon is at its fullest. Some rulers took it incredibly seriously - Empress Dowager Cixi (late 19th century) loved it so much she took five days out of her busy schedule every year to stage elaborate moon-worship rituals.

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Powley Day - Sep 19

Now known as “Powley Day”, September 19 celebrates the anniversary of the landmark Métis rights victory at the Supreme Court of Canada in R v Powley.

As Métis, we are nation builders; we stand up and stand strong for the rights, respect and recognition of our families and communities. It has been 18 years since the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) celebrated Canada’s highest court’s unanimous decision alongside the Métis Governments in Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia, ending a ten-year legal battle and ushering in a new era recognizing Métis rights in Canada.

In Powley, the courts recognized and affirmed what the MNO had been saying all along–-that there were distinct Métis people and communities on the land before Canada became Canada, before Ontario became Ontario, with a culture and identity all their own, and that their rights were entrenched within Section 35 of Canada’s Constitution. While other Métis rights cases had been fought in the courts before, Powley was the first to be appealed all the way up to the Supreme Court. It was lead by the MNO, the Powley family and the Métis community around Sault Ste. Marie, but all Métis communities across Canada have greatly benefited from it.

The victory in Powley set the stage for a series of achievements for Métis people, not just in Ontario but across the Métis Nation Homeland, including the ground-breaking Métis Government Recognition and Self-Government Agreements signed in June, 2019 by the MNO, the Métis Nation of Alberta, Métis Nation–Saskatchewan and the Manitoba Metis Federation.

Today, we remember the sacrifices made by Steve, Roddy and the entire Powley family, and reflect on how the Powley decision forever changed the world for Métis in Canada-–finally securing recognition of Métis as a distinct Indigenous peoples within Canada, and helping open the path forward toward full Métis self-government.

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Anant Chaturdashi  - Sep 17

One of the prominent festivals celebrated with much fanfare in India is Anant Chaturthi, the festival which marks the end of the 10-days long Ganesh Festival. Ganesha Chaturthi – is the festival which celebrates the greatness of the harbinger of all things good – Lord Ganesha. This year, the grand occasion of Anant Chaturdashi falls on Sept 17, 2024. The Ganesh Visarjan vidhi or bidding adieu to the great Lord is done with as much fanfare and spirit, as the Ganesha Pooja is done. 

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Mawlid al-Nabi - Sep 16

Across the globe, including in North America, Mawlid al-Nabi, the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, is celebrated on the twelfth day of the month Rabi’ al-Awwal. Celebrations include festivals, prayer services, recitations of poetry and litanies, as well as religious gatherings. Celebrations of the Mawlid in North America and distinctly English forms of poetry, songs, and literature shows the increasing importance of Mawlid al-Nabi amongst North American Muslims.

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Holy Cross Day - Sep 14

Holy Cross Day or Exaltation of the Holy Cross is a liturgical feast celebrated on September 14 to honour the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. In the Eastern churches the feast dates back to the dedication of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (the site of Christ’s tomb) in Jerusalem circa 335. It was adopted by the Roman Catholic Church in the 7th century and is also observed in various Protestant traditions, including Lutheranism and Anglicanism.

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Coptic New Year - Feast of Nayrouz - Sep 11

The Coptic New year begins according to the ancient Coptic calendar used by the ancient Egyptians 3000 years before Christianity, it begins on the 1st Tout  (11th Sept) which is when the star Sirus reaches its highest point this coincided with the rising of the Nile which was a feast called Ni-Iaro-oo. The Christians of Egypt maintained this day, as the first day of the year. Instead of adopting the word Ni-Iaro-oo we have taken the Persian word for New Year, Nayrouz. It is not clear why this happened but some say it occurred long before Christ when the Persians ruled Egypt 525-405BC. While others argue it occurred later when Arabic was the main language of Egypt and the ancient Egyptian word was confused for the Persian word.

The Coptic New Year is also the time dedicated to remembering the martyrs. So revered by the church are the martyrs that the calendar was reset to begin in the year 284AD the year Diocletian came to power an era marked by the most horrific Christian persecutions and the greatest witness to our true living God Jesus Christ. As such it is considered a feast in the church that continues till the 17th Tout when the church celebrates the feast of the Cross.

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Ethiopian New Year - Sep 11

When is Ethiopian New Year?

This public holiday in Ethiopia is celebrated on September 11 unless it is a leap year in the Ethiopian calendar, in which case it is celebrated on September 12.

Known in Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia as Enkutatash, this holiday marks 1 Meskerem, the first day in the Ethiopian calendar.

History of Ethiopian New Year

The Ethiopian calendar is a solar calendar based on the Egyptian and Julian calendars and was brought to Ethiopia by missionaries. The year consists of 12 months of 30 days and a thirteenth month of five or six timekeeping days.

Pagume, the 13th month in the Ethiopian calendar, comes from the Greek word epagomene, which means ‘days forgotten when a year is calculated’. This month has five days or six days in a leap year. According to the Ethiopian calendar, a year has 365 days, six hours, two minutes and 24 seconds. Once every four years, the six hours add up to 24 hours and become the sixth day in a leap year. Once in 600 years, the two minutes and 24 seconds add up to a full day and form a seventh day.

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International Day of Literacy - Sep 8

Since 1967, the annual celebrations of International Literacy Day (ILD) have taken place on 8 September around the world to remind policy-makers, practitioners, and the public of the critical importance of literacy for creating more literate, just, peaceful, and sustainable society. 

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Nativity of Mary - Sep 8

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Nativity of Mary, Marymas or the Birth of the Virgin Mary, refers to a Christian feast day celebrating the birth of Mary, mother of Jesus. In the case of saints, the Church commemorates their date of death, with Saint John the Baptist and the Virgin Mary as the few whose birth dates are commemorated. 

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Ganesh Chaturthi - Sep 7

Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi, is a popular and extensively observed Hindu event. It marks Lord Ganesha's birth, the elephant-headed deity revered as the remover of barriers and patron of the arts and sciences. Devotees spend 10 days commemorating the birth of Lord Ganesha. The event is celebrated in the Shukla Paksha of the Bhadrapada month on Chaturthi Tithi (August or September). This year it will be celebrated starting on September 7. 

Traditional pujas (prayer practices) are central to Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in Canada. Devotees congregate in temples and community centres to pray, perform aarti (ceremonial lamp worship), and seek Lord Ganesha's blessings. The spiritual mood is created by the resonance of Sanskrit chanting and the perfume of incense.

Elaborate decorations adorn homes and temples, including beautiful idols and exquisite rangoli (decorative art formed with coloured powders). These artistic manifestations not only adorn the surroundings but also show the community's passion and creativity.

Due to the immersion of idols in bodies of water, there has been an increasing awareness of environmental issues related to Ganesh Chaturthi in recent years. In response, several Canadian groups have embraced eco-friendly practices such as the use of clay idols and symbolic immersions in enclosed water bodies.

Food is an important aspect of any celebration. Communities gather to cook delectable feasts featuring a mix of sweet and savoury delicacies. Sharing these meals fosters a sense of belonging and community.

While Ganesh Chaturthi is a widely celebrated festival in India, and people of all religions, castes, and creeds celebrate it without distinction, it also has a unique place in the hearts of Indians residing in Canada. 

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi for all those celebrating!

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Ukrainian Heritage Day - Sep 7

The first official Ukrainian immigrants, Vasyl Eleniak and Ivan Pylypiw, arrived in Canada on September 7, 1891. Soon afterwards, Ukrainian immigrants began arriving in Ontario in larger numbers.

In 2001, the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario proclaimed September 7 each year as Ukrainian Heritage Day. 

Today, Ontario is home to more than 376,440 Ukrainian Canadians, and there are over 1.3 million Canadians of Ukrainian descent across Canada. Ukrainian Heritage Day provides a special opportunity to recognize the role that Ontario has played in successfully welcoming generations of Ukrainians seeking a better life here in Canada while celebrating the contributions of Ukrainian Canadians across many communities and walks of life in our province and our country.

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