by, Carolina Rojas-Gee
Traditions are lived from generation to generation and make us remember unique moments with our loved ones.
When I was a child, I loved the idea of Christmas. Since October, I began to feel the bustle and joy of the celebrations. I saw how the colors changed, the moods of the people were happier, the store windows were more colorful, and even the smell of the streets moved me. As I once said: “This smells like Happiness.”
According to Oxford Languages, tradition is the “Transmission or communication of news, popular literature, doctrines, rites, customs, etc., which is maintained from generation to generation.”
An Irish tradition that has become popular in the United States is St. Patrick’s Day, which has its roots in New York in 1762 and is celebrated on March 17 of each year. Some of the traditions of this date are: having a massive parade through the city, ‘painting’ with green color the Chicago River, eating the traditional dish (corned beef, cabbage, and bacon), and wearing something that is green. If you have green on, you will not be pinched.
In other countries, in South America, for example, there are celebrations such as The Carnival of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, considered the best carnival in the world. In Peru, Inti Raymi is celebrated, which means ‘Sun Feast,’ where thanks are given for a good harvest; in Colombia, you can see exuberant and unique flowers at the Flower Fair. In Argentina, the Harvest Festival is celebrated; in Chile, the Valdivian Week and in the Dominican Republic, the Carnival of Barahona and the Carnival of Santo Domingo are celebrated.
Other traditional celebrations that are commemorated around the world are the celebration of the Venice Carnival in Italy, where tradition dates back to the 11th century, Venetian XII-century costumes are used, accompanied by colorful masks. The Holi Festival in India, where the arrival of spring is commemorated and is celebrated around a bonfire, singing, and dancing. The Fallas Festival in Valencia, Spain, is part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. And the list goes on. This is part of the endless demonstrations of each culture: how we live, what we do, how we interrelate, what makes us belong to a community, and how our personal identity is part of a group and a story, colors, and flavors that are unique, but at the same time, it gives the joy to share with others. Because the traditions that are unique are to be shared! What tradition do you remember fondly that you would like to share with future generations?
Write me! carolina@greaterpalmbaychamber.com
Carlina Rojas – Gee is the marketing & Communication s Director for the Greater Palm Bay Chamber of Commerce and works with the Multicultural Networking Group to strengthen this community. She is originally from Colombia, which makes this experience more exciting and relevant.