Why you should be paying more attention to other cultural traditions
Photo courtesy of Catherine Roche-Wallace/Wikimedia Commons
As February comes to an end, The Lamron e-board has been inspired to reflect on the many different cultural and religious traditions that all take place around the same time. While many of us are familiar with the extravagant celebrations of Mardi Gras, other traditions go overlooked.
Mardi Gras takes place on the day before Lent begins, which was Feb. 17 this year. The holiday has Christian roots and is known as a “final celebration before Lent, the 40-day period of fasting and penitence in the Christian liturgical calendar observed between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday,” as explained by Brittanica. New Orleans is commonly associated with the parades and festivals of Mardi Gras in the United States.
The celebration of Mardi Gras was inspired by Carnaval. Many other countries such as France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Brazil celebrate Carnaval each year. While it is known that the current Carnaval traditions have Christian roots, it is likely that Carnaval existed prior to Christianity’s influence, as reported by the Smithsonian Magazine.
Trinidad and Tobago are known for their spectacular Carnaval traditions that seem to get better each year—even being known as the “Greatest Show on Earth,” as stated by Visit Trinidad. To celebrate, people will wear different costumes and masquerade attire while partaking in different traditions and parades. It is a time for the community to come together and engage in different cultural activities.
The Lamron e-board has noticed that many people do not acknowledge different cultural celebrations of similar holidays. While some of us may be celebrating Mardi Gras, others are acknowledging various other holidays. Ramadan, Lent, Chinese New Year, Carnaval, and more have all taken place recently , or are still going on. With all of these different events taking place—even if you do not celebrate them—it is important to be aware of them!
Even if you have not grown up celebrating Carnaval or Mardi Gras, there is nothing stopping you from changing that. These traditions are wonderful ways to engage and learn about various different cultures, as well as being another fun thing that you can do! Educating yourself on these different traditions increases your cultural awareness, and as many members of The Lamron eboard shared, it creates a larger sense of community.
With the rise of social media and content creation, there are an abundance of ways to engage with cultures. Many videos of Carnaval performances are available on various online platforms and there are numerous content creators who post content on the celebrations. The Lamron also suggests taking the time to have conversations with your peers about your own experiences with Carnaval or other cultural traditions. Many members of the e-board have grown up celebrating some of these customs and traditions, while others have not—talking about these experiences is extremely beneficial, not just for our e-board, but for all those open to the conversation.
Some of The Lamron e-board members have also noted that the world is currently very divided and full of hate—what better way to counter that than to educate yourself on cultures other than your own? Educating yourself on a different culture is a very accessible and simple way to resist hatred and isolation. It is also important to acknowledge that learning about these cultures often takes up little time. With the various resources available, there is no reason to not learn more about Carnaval and other traditions!