OFFICE OF MULTICULTURAL AFFAIRS
- We're looking for outgoing, creative students with Work Study to join our 08-09 Student Staff!
Want to see the job description? Want to submit your online application?
Call us at 334.5090 if you have any questions. We're looking forward to adding some new faces! - Have you seen the slide show running at the entrance of the Multicultural Resource Center?
It’s a great way to get the word out about multicultural events on campus!
Find out how you can get your event included in the show!
Mark your calendar for this special event!
7:00 pm, Friday, November 30, 2007, in the EUC Auditorium
Email Jeffrey Coleman for more information.
Quick facts about some special celebrations
Junkanoo: A festival originating in the Bahamas when slaves were given freedom for three days around Christmas, it takes place between December 26 and January 1. It is a celebration where people wear masks and dance to music in the streets beginning at 2 am and ending at dawn.
Kwanzaa: A celebration of family community and culture that takes place from December 26 to January 1. It is an African American holiday that is focused on the seven principals of Unity, Faith, Creativity, Purpose, Cooperative Economies, Self-Determination, and Collective Work and Responsibility.
Chanukkah: One of the most popular Jewish holidays, not for its religious significance, but for its proximity to Christmas. The history of Chanukkah is the celebration of a revolution against assimilation and the suppression of Jewish religion. It is celebrated from December 26 to January 1 with the tradition of the lighting of the menorah, a series of seven candles.
Hogmany: A New Year’s Celebration in Germany from December 29 to January 1. It is four nights of partying, celebrating the New Year. Every night there are different activities and events for people to enjoy.
St. Nicholas Day: Observed on December 6 and traditionally celebrated in Northern Europe. Children are taught that Santa Claus is actually St. Nicholas, a Fourth Century bishop known for his kindness. Children place shoes outside to be filled with gifts and treats.
Ganga Bois: A Vodoun (Voodoo) holiday celebrated in Haiti on December 10.
Advent: Advent is the beginning of the church year for most churches in the Western tradition. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas day, which is the Sunday nearest November 30, and ends on Christmas Eve (December 24). If Christmas Eve is a Sunday, it is counted as the fourth Sunday of Advent, with Christmas Eve beginning at sundown. The main color is purple, which represent royalty. Advent is a Christian holiday that can be celebrated in the home and/or in the church.
Three Kings Day: Takes place on January 6 (12 days after Christmas). This is a Christian holiday in Mexico where children receive gifts instead of on Christmas day. It is a celebration that commemorates the Biblical story of the three kings who followed the star of Bethlehem to bring gifts to the Christ child.
Eid-al-Adha: A three day feast that follows the Pilgrimage to Mecca. This is a Muslim holiday that begins on January 10. It commemorates Ibraham’s (Abraham) willingness to obey God by sacrificing his son, Ishmael. Muslims believe Ishmael is the forefather of the Arabs.
Lunar New Year: A holiday celebrated for two weeks by the Chinese, Koreans, and Vietnamese, it takes place during the first three days of the first lunar moon (late January or early February). People dress up in costumes and exchange food and gifts.
Bodhi Day: On December 8, Buddhists celebrate this day to commemorate the Enlightenment (bodhi) of Shakyamuni Buddha. This is the most important holiday to the Buddhists.
Japanese New Year: Celebrating the New Year is the biggest event in Japan. Omisoka is New Years Eve in Japan. People spend a great deal of time cleaning and shopping to prepare for the new year (much like spring cleaning in the United States) in order to get rid of the dirty past and start the new year fresh and clean. Shogatsu is the celebration that takes place on New Years day. People decorate their homes and give gifts of money and toys to children and greeting cards to family and friends.
Las Posadas: This holiday takes place December 16 to December 24 in Mexico. In English, it means “the Inn” and is a traditional Mexican festival which reenacts Joseph’s search for a room at the inn. Each Christmas season, a processional carrying a doll representing the Christ Child and images of Joseph and Mary riding a burro walks through the community streets.
World Religion Day: This holiday takes place on January 15 and is celebrated by those of the Baha’i religion. It originated in the United States and aims to foster the establishment of interfaith understanding and harmony by emphasizing the common denominators underlying all religions. The message of World Religion Day is that mankind, which has stemmed from one origin, must now strive towards the reconciliation of that which has been split up.