Skip to main content

How I Got Lost on the Way to Hispanic Heritage Month



Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15th and runs until October 15th. I’ve been planning on devoting some space to it here and have begun the process of collecting information. And then a funny thing happened. I got sidetracked.

My husband was treated to a special lunch yesterday by a coworker who explained that his family was celebrating what he described as Korean Thanksgiving. “Oh!” I thought. I wonder if that’s related to the announcement I saw for an event at Wilde Lake High School this Sunday.


Korean Society of Maryland 


Chuseok (or hangawi) is one of the biggest holidays in South Korea. It’s a time when families gather together to give thanks to their ancestors for an abundant autumn harvest.

Sometimes called Korean Thanksgiving, Chuseok is celebrated with good food, wine, and family  gatherings. It typically takes place in September or October, according to the lunar calendar. - -Everything You Need to Know about Korean Thanksgiving , 90 Day Korean web

Well, let me find out more about Chuseok in Howard County, then.

And that is how I discovered … the Mid Autumn Festival, quite by accident. (Not to be confused with Chuseok)

It’s time to hang a lantern, share a mooncake and peel a pomelo – Mid-Autumn Festival is here.

Falling on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, it’s celebrated primarily in East and Southeast Asia and is a time for families to gather to sample autumn harvests, light lanterns and admire what’s believed to be the fullest moon of the year.

In 2024, the Mid-Autumn Festival, or the Moon Festival, falls on September 17. - - Mid-Autumn Festival: Mooncakes, lanterns and so much more, CNN Travel

The Howard County Libraries hosted a celebration on September 14th at the Central Branch entitled “Dances of the Mid-Autumn Moon: Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival”. And on September 28 The Howard County Chinese Cultural Center will be presenting a gala at the Jim Rouse Theatre.


Howard County Chinese Cultural Center 



At this point you probably won’t be surprised that, while doing further research, I happened to learn about:


Indian Cultural Association of Howard County, Maryland


Yes, this weekend at the Howard County Fairgrounds, the Indian Cultural Association of Howard County, Maryland presents a Festival of India.

The Indian Cultural Association is proud to present the FESTIVAL OF INDIA – DIWALI MELA to celebrate our Culture, History, and Heritage. On September 21st and 22nd, 2024, all roads lead to Howard County Fairgrounds for a taste of all things Indian! 

Wait a minute. “Diwali Mela.” Diwali is a holiday, isn’t it? I wonder…

And that, my friends, is how I started with Hispanic Heritage Month and ended up researching Diwali Mela. And did you know that More Than Java Café in Savage Mill is celebrating all things Jamaican this Saturday?

More Than Java Café



In the meantime, mark your calendar for this event in early October.




And don’t forget this season’s final Lakefront Live this Saturday. It’s a Latin Dance Night. 




If you have more local info about this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month, send it my way.



 

 




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Teacher Gifts

Today is the last day of school before the Winter Break. It’s a good time to remember the far-reaching nature of our public school system. You may not have children. You may have sent your children to independent schools. It matters not. You will be impacted one way or another. Yesterday I read a long thread on Facebook about several waves of illness in the schools right now. There’s influenza A and norovirus, I believe. And of course there’s COVID. Apparently in some individual schools the rate of illness is high enough for school admin to notify parents.  When I was little the acceptable holiday gift for a teacher was one of those lovely floral handkerchief squares. (I don’t know what it was for male teachers. They were rare in my elementary years.) These days the range of teacher gifts is wider and I have fond memories of Target gift cards which I have written about before. I think it’s safe to say that giving one’s teacher Influenza, norovirus, or COVID is not the ideal holiday...
1 comment
Read more

Getting Fresh

One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else.  Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not  chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...
1 comment
Read more

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday.  Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was  "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018.  2018 .  But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest.  In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...
1 comment
Read more