Global Holidays and Traditions - September 2024

We all now know the origins of the word August, so let’s keep learning!?September comes from the Latin root septem-,?meaning “seven,” because in the original Roman calendar, it was the seventh month of the year… how can that be?? Well, the original Roman calendar only had 10 months! But if seven is your lucky number, then this should be a great month!

Once again, September, like July and August, celebrates many National and Independence Days of many nations around the world.? If you know somebody from any of these countries, impress them with your knowledge while you celebrate with them!

1st??????? Uzbekistan

2nd?????? Vietnam

3rd??????? Qatar

6th??????? Swaziland

7th??????? Brazil

8th ?????? Andorra and North Macedonia

9th??????? Tajikistan and North Korea

15th????? Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua!

16th????? Mexico, Papua New Guinea, and Malaysia

17th ???? The Marshall Islands

18th????? Chile

19th????? Saint Kitts and Nevis

21st????? Malta, Belize and Armenia

22nd???? Bulgaria and Mali

23rd????? Saudi Arabia

24th????? Guinea Bissau, Trinidad & Tobago, and Cambodia

27th ???? Turkmenistan

28th????? Yemen

29th????? Brunei

30th????? Botswana and Nauru

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September 2nd is recognized as the end of WWII with the surrender of the Imperial Japanese army to the Allied forces and Victory in the Pacific (also called VJ Day). Though the official surrender occurred two weeks earlier, the official day commemorates the official signing and end to the war.?

Monday, September 2nd is Labor Day in the US (May 1st in most other nations around the world) and is celebrated on first Monday of every September.? Like its international equivalent, Labor Day recognizes the men and women who work. Labor Day also signals the official end of summer. With the school year starting and summer (at least in the northern hemisphere) winding down, the long weekend is the final bridge back to reality. Its original celebration has slowly morphed away from a celebration of workers to an opportunity for a final extended weekend and (weather permitting) a last barbeque or celebration with friends and family.?

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Similar to many other celebrations this month that celebrate the rice harvest, Onam is one of the three primary Hindu celebrations. Originating in the Indian state of Kerala, Onam celebrates King Mahabali’s annual homecoming through a ten-day festival that includes a variety of traditions such as Vallam Kali (boat races), Pulikali (tiger dances), Onathallu (martial arts), and a nine-course vegetarian feast called Onasadya on the last day.

Kiku no Sekku or Chrysanthemum Day—is one of Japan’s five ancient festivals (called sekku). Koku no Sekku is celebrated on September 9th: the 9th day of the 9th month and the word “Chokyu” refers to this repetition of the number 9. It also means permanence) so the festival celebrates the wish for long life. Chrysanthemum Day is observed by drinking chrysanthemum sake sprinkled with chrysanthemum petals and by eating dishes such as kuri-gohan (chestnut rice) and kuri-mochi (chestnuts with glutinous rice).?

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The United States will never forget September 11th, 2001 – when a coordinated series of terrorist strikes included the hijacking and crashing of civilian airplanes into the World Trade Center North and South Towers, the Pentagon and a fourth crashing into a field in Pennsylvania. This terrible day over 20 years ago this year is forever memorialized with the Memorial Museum located at ground zero in New York. It is a powerful, emotional place to visit but strongly recommended.

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September 11th also celebrates New Year or Enkutatash in Ehtiopia. Enkutatash means the 'gift of jewels’ and is associated with the Queen of Sheba returning from her visit to King Solomon in Jerusalem in 980 BC. Legend has it that the Queen's arrival back in Ethiopia was greeted a treasury of jewels ('enku’) provided by her chiefs. Others believe it may only refer to the countryside, as this time of year coincides with the end of the rainy season meaning the landscape is covered with Adey Abeba, whose bright yellow flowers appear almost in celebration of the impending harvest.

Hindi Diwas is observed on September 14, every year. Hindi is the fourth most spoken language in the world after English, Spanish and Mandarin and one of the most widely spoken languages in India, with most of North India celebrating the language as their mother tongue. Every year on Hindi Diwas, the President of India presents the Rajbhasha awards to honor contribution towards the language.?

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On the 15th of September in 1940, the Nazi Luftwaffe launched a massive air attack over the skies of Britain only be thwarted by a much smaller Royal Air Force (aided by Canadian, Polish, and other allied pilots) known thereafter as the Battle of Britain. That critical battle is still celebrated today as one of the critical turning points in the second world war.??

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The Oktoberfest usually starts in September (despites its name) coinciding with the Autumn Equinox. This year, this massive celebration starts this year on September 21st and goes through October 6th - a bit earlier than the Mid-Autumn Festival (see below) it celebrates.? Despites its origin in Munich, Germany, the Oktoberfest has become a global tradition!? I lived in Germany many years and despite the crowds and chaos, I loved it!?

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Did you know that the 19th of Septembarrrrr is International Talk Like a Pirate Day??

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September 21st also marks the International Day of Peace - a worldwide holiday dedicated to peace among all people. There are calls for a global ceasefire and no violence in active combat zones, while simultaneous discussions occur on how to promote peaceful solutions.

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On September 25th through the 16th, Mawlid-un-Nabi is the observance of the Islamic prophet Muhammad’s birthday. It takes place in Rabi’ al-awwal, the third month in the Islamic calendar. Most denominations of Islam approve of the commemoration of Muhammad’s birthday, and it’s recognized as a national holiday in most Muslim-majority countries. Celebrations include street processions, acts of charity and food donations, and children reciting stories about the life of Muhammad.

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Confucius’ Birthday is celebrated on September 28th.? It is also officially celebrated in Taiwan as Teachers’ Day and in Hong Kong (on the third Sunday of September) as "Confucius Day", though the traditional celebration on the 28th is most common.

The September Equinox!

Okay, time for a little astronomy and an explanation of why this time of the year is so important around the globe.? The?September Equinox?(or?southward equinox) marks the time of the year when the Sun crosses the abstract projection of the earths’ physical equator known as the “celestial equator,” heading southward. This year, it falls on September 22nd.? Like its Spring opposite, the Autumnal Equinox marks the point in the calendar at which the length of night and day are almost equal.? Many countries and cultures across the planet celebrate this time of year:?

• September 17th this year marks the beginning of the Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated across East Asia. In China, it's a reunion time for families, just like Thanksgiving, while in Vietnam, it's more like a children's day.? The Mid-Autumn Festival is?also called the Moon Festival or the Mooncake Festival. It traditionally falls on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar and time to eat lots of wonderful mooncakes!? All my friends in Singapore know how much I love my Durian Mooncakes, especially Mao Shan Wan!

• On the same day, Chuseok or Hangawi celebrates a good harvest in both South and North Korea and a chance for Koreans to visit their ancestral hometowns and share traditional food and rice wine!

• In Europe, the Autumn Equinox includes the Harvest Festival in the UK, Oktoberfest in Germanic countries, and Do?ynki in Poland and other Slavic countries. The annual dozynki feast is actually centered around the harvest of the PRIOR year. The wreath is a central feature of most celebrations associated with dozynki, as it symbolizes a rich harvest, the prospect of wealth and the power of new life vested in the grain gathered during the summer.

• Mabon is a pagan or Wiccan harvest festival which is celebrated during the Autumn Equinox (on the 22nd this year) and is a time to give thanks to Mother Earth for the bounty she provides and a time to rest after bringing in the crops. It is also the second holiday on the Wheel of the Year, which includes other harvest festivals such as Lammas and Samhain.

• And did you know this was also the first day of the (short-lived) French Revolutionary calendar, which was created and implemented during the French and used by the French government between late 1793 and 1805 with the goal of removing all religious and royalist influences from the calendar?
• Though it will be celebrated next month (October 20th), the Persian Festival of Autumn or Mehregān is also associated with the Autumn Equinox.

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As we end the harvest season, don’t forget to celebrate Michaelmas on September 29th!? This holiday is rich in history and tradition dating back to the 5th century! Also known as the Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels, this day honors the archangel Michael and his defeat of Lucifer in a battle for heaven; but has been celebrated not only as a religious holiday but also as the end of the harvest and the beginning of Autumn.?

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Only 30 days hath September, so enjoy it!

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