Today@Dal

Each year the Dalhousie Office of Human Rights, Equity & Harassment Prevention (HREHP) develops a mosaic calendar of religious holidays and cultural dates for faculty, staff and students.

See below for a sample of October dates to observe, reflect, celebrate or promote throughout the university community. The spring and summer calendar is available on the website, http://hrehp.dal.ca/Calendar/.

All Jewish and Islamic Holidays begin at sundown on the evening before the first date shown.


Mi’kmaq History Month

Treaty Day (October 1st) marks the beginning of Mi’kmaq History Month in Nova Scotia as proclaimed in 1993 by then Premier John Savage and Mi’kmaq Grand Chief Ben Sylliboy. Its purpose is to promote public awareness about the Mi’kmaq culture and heritage for all citizens of Nova Scotia. It is celebrated annually by the Nova Scotia Government and the Mi’kmaq community to renew peace and friendship

Women’s History Month

Proclaimed by the Government of Canada in 1992, Women’s History Month provides an opportunity for Canadians to learn about the many and significant contributions of girls and women to our society - and to the quality of our lives. To honour the girls and women in Canada, past and present, who have gone first, who opened doors for others to follow.

October 2

Annual Mi'kmaq Pow Wow

Dalhousie hosts its fourth-annual Mawio'mi (or "pow wow"), a celebration of aboriginal heritage and Mi'kmaq culture that's one of the most colourful campus events on the Quad.

International Day of Non-Violence (UN)

October 2nd marks the birth anniversary of Human Rights Activist, Mahatma Gandhi .

October 5-13

Navaratri (HI)

October 12-16

Ghambar Ayathrem (ZO)

Celebrates the creation of plants, the sowing of the winter crop, and the return of herds from pasture.

October 14

Thanksgiving (Canada)

Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a traditional North American holiday, which is a form of harvest festival. Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States.

Dassehra (HI)

(Vijay Dasami) celebrates the victory of good over evil: of Lord Rama over the demon Ravan, and the Goddess over a demon. It follows the nine-day celebration of Navaratri (nine nights) and Durga Puja (worship) when other Goddesses are worshiped

Day of Hajj/Day of ‘Arafat

Commemorates the last revelation to the Prophet at Mount ‘Arafat shortly before his death. Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, is one of the greatest religious observances in Islam.  Muslims on Hajj attend a service on the plains in front of Mount ‘Arafat.

October 15-18
Id-al-Adha (IS) or the Feast of Sacrifice or Day of Sacrifice, is observed after the Hajj -- the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca) in Saudi Arabia. It is the second of the two major Muslim holy days. The other is Id al-Fitr which follows Ramadan -- a lunar month of partial fasting

October 16

Pavarana (BU)

Pavarana marks the end of the Rains Retreat for the Ordained. (Theravada/ North America)

Founder’s Day (BU)

celebrates the introduction of Buddhism into Canada in 1905 and the first assembly of Canadian Buddhists in Toronto in 1980. (North America)

October 17

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (UN)

Is celebrated every year on October 17 throughout the world. It was officially recognized by the United Nations in 1992, but the first commemoration of the event took place in Paris, France in 1987. When the General Assembly, by resolution 47/196, designated this day to promote awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution in all countries, particularly in developing countries - a need that has become a development priority

15th Annual Mosaic for Mental Health

The 15th Annual Mosaic for Mental Health is an art exhibition and sale all in support of the mental health programs at the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Halifax-Dartmouth branch. Hosted at the Craig Gallery at Alderney Landing, this annual fundraiser will open on October 17th, 2013 and have hundreds of works of Mosaic art tiles (6” x 6”) on sale for $25 each with the exception of silent auction pieces. New this year will be an exciting live auction showcasing Mosaic tiles created by artists who care about mental health and mental illness.

Information: CMHA; (902) 455-5445; Gallery (902) 461-4698
www.haldart.cmha.ca; www.alderneylanding.com
 

Mahavira Nirvana (JA)

On this day, (6th century BCE), the 24th Tirthankara, attained nirvana and release from the cycle of rebirth (moksha).

October 19

Persons Day (WO)

On October 18, 1929 the Persons Case was settled when the Privy Council in England declared that Canadian women were indeed ‘persons’ under the law and thus could be appointed to the Senate. In honour of this decision, October is declared Women’s History Month in Canada and the 18th is Persons Day

October 20

Birth of the Bab (BA)

On October 20th, Baha’is around the world celebrate the Birth of the Báb, one of the founders of this faith. The Báb is often referred to as the Herald of the Baha’i Faith, because it was His mission to prepare the way for Baha’u’llah, the Founder of the Baha’i Faith

Installation of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (SI)

It is revered as an eternal Guru, a sacred conduit for wisdom and guidance. Guru Gobind Singh named the text Granth Sahib as his successor, terminating the line of human Gurus. From that point on, the text remained not only the holy scripture of the Sikhs, but is also regarded by them as the living embodiment of the Ten Gurus. The role of Guru Granth Sahib, as a source or guide of prayer, is pivotal in worship in Sikhism

October 31

Jnana Panchmi (JA)

Some Jains celebrate transcendent wisdom by fasting for 36 hours. Others perform rituals and pray for right knowledge.

Samhain (WICCA)

Samhain is the word for November in a few Gaelic languages. The Festival of Samhain is a celebration of the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture, and is generally regarded as ‘The Celtic New Year’

Halloween

The modern holiday of Halloween has its origins in the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain. Traditionally, the festival was a time used by the ancient pagans to take stock of supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, the boundary between the alive and the deceased dissolved, and the dead become dangerous for the living by causing problems such as sickness or damaged crops. The festivals would frequently involve bonfires, where the bones of slaughtered livestock were thrown. Costumes and masks were also worn at the festivals in an attempt to mimic the evil spirits or placate them.