Category: Holidays & Observances

Juneteenth

Also known by such names as Freedom Day and Jubilee Day, Juneteenth is a celebration of the end of slavery after the end of the American Civil War.

source: amny.com

Juneteenth has grown to be a day that is observed in the US and around the world, as it symbolizes not only the fight against the evil that is slavery, but also the fight against racism in all its forms. Slavery finally came to end in the US in 1865, but racism lies at the heart of so many of the evils that still haunt the United States, Canada, and indeed, humanity. Current issues such as Black Lives Matter, Critical Race Theory, are all just part of the ongoing and centuries old struggle against racism.

Find out more about Juneteenth:

source: mosaictemplars.com

Quiz: First Nations, Inuit and Metis

Try the Sporcle which asks you to identify famous people from Canada’s First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities. Go here to try the quiz.

June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada.

Indigenous Peoples Collection

Come down to your School Library to check out our newly established Indigenous Peoples Collection. The collection features books written by indigenous writers. Here are just a few of the more recent titles that share an authentic indigenous voice.

World Press Freedom Day

May 3rd is World Press Freedom Day, as established by UNESCO / United Nations. The freedom of the press is essential to the establishment and health of democracy.  In our world of social media, misinformation, disinformation, fake news and conspiracy theories, more than ever we need a free, independent, professional and ethical press.

source: UNESCO

Find out more:

source: UNESCO

Beltane

Beltane is the ancient Celtic festival marking the beginning of summer. Bealtaine, (or various other spellings) is old Irish for “bright fire” or “mouth of fire.” On Beltane great bonfires may be lit, so it also known as the Fire Festival. Beltane is celebrated on the evening of April 30 into the day of May 1st. Beltane is celebrated in Ireland, Scotland and in other places where people have tried to revive Celtic festivals and observances. Remnants of Beltane traditions can be seen in many May Day festivals, including parts of Canada, such as Newfoundland.

source: uisneach.ie

Find out more:

RTE (Irish Radio & Television)

Uisneach

Newgrange: Beltane

Irish Culture and Customs

The Irish Independent

Your Irish Culture: Bealtaine

Canada’s Poet Laureate

Marie-Célie Agnant is Canada’s Poet Laureate.

source: lop.parl.ca

Ms. Agnat was appointed as the Parliamentary Poet Laureate for 2023 & 2024.

According to the Parliament of Canada, the role of the Poet Laureate is:

  • To write poetry, especially for use in Parliament on important occasions;
  • To sponsor poetry readings;
  • To advise the Parliamentary Librarian regarding the Library’s collection and acquisitions to enrich its cultural materials and
  • To perform other related duties at the request of the Speaker of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Commons, or the Parliamentary Librarian.*

Click here to find out more about Ms. Agnat

Click here to find out more about the position of Parliamentary Poet Laureate

April is Poetry Month in Canada. Visit your School Library to find out more.

Book Spotlight: Earth Day

Come down to your School Library to find out more about Earth Day and all the issues that we face in terms of protecting life on this planet.

If you are looking for a quick introduction to the scientific understanding of the issues of climate change, this is a great place to start: This is Climate Change: A Visual Guide to the Facts: See for Yourself How the Planet is Warming and What it Means for Us, by David Nelles & Christian Serrer.

What they (the authors) were hoping to find was a book that explained the nuts and bolts of climate change and presented the scientific evidence in a way that was concise and enjoyable to read. After a long and fruitless search, they eventually gave up and instead decided to write it themselves.

“Who’s Behind the Book”, Nelles and Serrer, 128)

An excellent feature of the book is the comprehensive bibliography that can be reached by QR code or by using the given URL. Go here to see the Bibliography.