February 2011 E-News from Multicultural Activities

February is African American History Month

February 1 – National Freedom Day, commemorates the 1865 abolition of slavery.

February 2 – Imbolc, pagan holiday honoring the beginning of the return of the light in the Northern Hemisphere signaling the first glimpses of spring. In the British Isles, Bridget, a Celtic Goddess, would visit and bless homes. If the sun was seen on this day, winter was over, but if the sun was hidden behind clouds, winter was still to come. http://www.tricityvoice.com/articledisplay.php?a=2187  

February 2 – Groundhogs Day.  The legend goes that if the ground hog comes out of his hibernation and sees his shadow, then there will be six more weeks of winter.  If he doesn’t, there will be an early spring.

February 2 – Candlemas, Christians celebrate the presentation of the baby Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem 40 days after his birth.

February 3 – The 15^th Amendment, ratified by congress in 1870, gave African Americans the right to vote.  This is also the birthday of Rosa Parks, 1913 – 2005.

February 3 – Setsubun-sai - This holiday, celebrated among the Shinto of Japan, is a good luck festival. Commonly known as "O-mame-maki," Setsubun-sai is the bean throwing festival and is a very popular New Year's ritual. It marks the end of the coldest season, "Kan," and celebrates the coming of spring while throwing beans to keep demons away. Shouts of "Devils out, Good fortune in" are part of the long-standing ritual.  http://www.tricityvoice.com/articledisplay.php?a=2187  

February 3 – Chinese/Lunar New Year, a most important holiday in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Vietnam.  The Chinese clean and decorate their homes with the 5 lucky signs of happiness; new clothes are worn and even the poorest buy new shoes.  Vietnamese call it the “Tet” Festival.  This is the year of the Rabbit.

February 3 – Solnal, the biggest event of the year in Korea.  Koreans eat a five-grain meal and pray for a bountiful harvest.

February 8 – The Dawes Act of 1855 promised Indians 160 acres in reparation for the land they lost to settlers.  Unfortunately, much of the land intended for tribes was given away or sold to White settlers.

February 8 – Basant Panchami, Hindus of Northern India celebrate the approach of spring and yellow clothes are worn.  Even the food is yellow from using saffron.  This festival honors Saraswati, the Goddess of Learning, Wisdom, and the Creative arts.

February 8 or 15 – Parinirvana or Nirvana Day is a time for contemplation of the Buddha’s teachings. Some monasteries and temples hold meditation retreats. Others open their doors to laypeople, who bring gifts of money and household goods to support monks and nuns.  http://buddhism.about.com/od/buddhistholidays/a/nirvanaday.htm  

February 10 – “Repatriation” of Mexicans back to Mexico started in Los Angeles.  Mexican American U.S. citizens were offered money to “go back home” in 1930.

February 11 – Kenkoku Kinen No Hi National Foundation Day in Japan.  On this day, Japanese people consider what it is to be Japanese and express their patriotism to their country. The Japanese flag, known as the "Hinomaru," or sun flag, represents the divine selection of the Emperor. It remains a strong symbol on this day and many people will carry and wave flags at local festivities.  http://www.tokyotopia.com/national-foundation-day.html  

February 12 – The NAACP was founded in 1909.  In 1926, Negro History Week was initiated by Dr. Carter G. Woodson.  This later became the foundation for African American History Month in February.

February 14 – St. Valentine’s Day.  One version of the history of the holiday is that a priest named Valentine was martyred on this date in 269 A.D. for secretly marrying couples against the orders of the Roman emperor, Claudius II.

February 15 – Susan B. Anthony Day, American women’s suffrage advocate, was born in 1820.

February 15 – Eid-Maulad-un-Nabi, this is the date adopted by Muslims to honor the birthday and the death of the Prophet Muhammad.  It is observed for 9 days with fairs, parades and feasting.

February 17 – Lantern Festival, marks the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations.

February 19 – Executive Order 9066 ordered placement of 120,000 persons of Japanese heritage into concentration camps in 1942.

February 21 – Birth of Malcolm X, civil rights leader.

February 21 – President’s Day is observed honoring the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and George Washington.

February 26 – March 1 – Intercalary Days or Ayyam-i-ha, “Days of Ha,” are devoted to spiritual preparation for the Fast, celebrating, hospitality, charity and gift giving. They are celebrated the four days (five in leap year) before the last month of the Baha’i year.  http://www.bahai.us/bahai-calendar  

February 28 – This date marks the anniversary of the beginning of a ten-week occupation of Wounded Knee by the American Indian Movement to draw attention to Indian issues, 1973.

Much of the information above is available on the Multicultural Calendar: www.multiculturalcalendar.com