Holidays Around The World � Malawi Holidays

Malawi Freedom Day

Noel — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:00:33 +0000

Freedom Date: April 27

Freedom Day is celebrated in Malawi as a public holiday.

Freedom means the sense of equality and liberation from control. For most countries freedom meant release from colonial rule of the western countries, But for Africans it meant something else, freedom from apartheid.

Apartheid –
A way of segregation of races, (i.e.) Negroes and the whites. For nearly a century it had been just a practice in South Africa but later on it became official in 1948. With the inception of a new legislation the people were segregated into racial groups based on the colour of their skin and were also forcibly removed from their residences. Services like education, medical care that were provided were of extremely inferior compared to that provided for the whites ,not to mention even the permission to visit public places were severely controlled.

Freedom Date History

The legislation enforcing apartheid had various rules and acts which forbade inter-racial marriages, racial identification (i.e.) which was to have an identification card specifying the racial group the person belongs to. This suppression eventually led to various rebel groups and the formation of African National Congress. During the administration of P. W. Botha who became the prime minister in 1978 and led the white supremacist government various acts that would enable the whites to enforce their wills where passed. Severe actions were taken against the rebel leaders and most of them were executed. Whipping was made a legal punishment for almost all kinds of offences.

Nelson Mandela the great leader was imprisoned on grounds of political offences. Emergency was declared which enabled Botha to make rules without having them made as decrees. Eventually nature took its toll on Botha who suffered a stroke in 1989. F. W. de Klerk succeeded him as the new prime minister of South Africa. During the emergency rule of Botha and the civil war that had ensued the economy and trade had suffered great losses. In an attempt to make things alright and to end the civil war he called for negotiations with ANC.

Mandela was released from imprisonment after 26 years and the talks ensued. The Bisho massacre which had 29 people murdered and more than 200 people injured ensured that talks would go smoothly between Mandela and de Klerk to put an end to racial violence. De Klerk had arranged a meeting comprising of all whites and it was decided that apartheid would be abolished when the matter was put to vote. The abolishment issue had 67% of the whites supporting the cause. Finally Apartheid was abolished and the elections which had parties of different races competing were held. Until then only the whites were allowed to participate in Elections.

The 1994 elections were hailed by the international community and the African National Congress led by Nelson Mandela acquired power with overwhelming majority, thus ending the suffering of millions of blacks in South Africa. This Victory was celebrated not only as the end of apartheid but as the victory of humanity. The day of this revolutionary election April 27, 1994 is celebrated as the day of independence and freedom of South Africa, The Freedom Day of South Africa.

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Malawi Celebrates Martyrs’ Day

Carol — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 03:25:05 +0000

Martyrs’ Day: March 3

Martyrs’ Day is a public holiday in Malawi

Every year, Malawi, formerly known as Nyasaland, a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, celebrates Martyr’s Day every third day of March yearly to commemorate the popular uprising in Malawi protesting British colonial rule. This resistance has caused the lives of more than forty men during the revolution. It is this day when the country mourns those whose lives were perished just to liberate the country from the foreign rule.

History of Martyrs’ Day of Malawi

In 1953, Malawi and its neighbour country Nyasaland (present day Malawi), formed a confederation called Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, in an effort to halt the discriminatory policy applied against the African population in Rhodesia and for fear that it may also spread and eventually be adopted in Nyasaland. Dr. Hastings Kamuz Banda became one of the prominent figures of the revolt who immediately became the first president of Malawi in 1966, two years after the declaration of Independence of Malawi.

The popular revolt started when John Chilembwe, a US trained Malawian soldier, revolted against the British in 1915 when African soldiers were forced to serve the British colonial army. Chilembwe, along with other brave men during that time, began taking offensives against the British colonial government forces during that time. The war ended only when Chilembwe was assassinated along the borders of the Portuguese-controlled African republic Mozambique and the country in the same year.

Numerous wars and power struggles happened in the Nyasaland and Rhodesia region after the initial war ensued which led to the then Queen of England in 1959 declaring state of emergency on these African protectorate territories in an effort to finally put an end to the rebellion. The first president installed during that time was sent for exile in Zimbabwe and put behind bars during the rebellion.

One of the most momentous incidents during the rebellion is the massacre that happened in northern lakeshore in Nkhatabay where, more or less, 30 people have died. The British colonial army gunned down and killed unarmed African natives who were peacefully demanding negotiations for the eventual independence of the Nyasaland. The rather peaceful negotiation turned out to be a bloody massacre of people who were killed by riffle bullets and some drowned in Lake Malawi.

After the dissolution of The Federation (1963), Nyasaland finally gained independence from the government of Britain and was renamed Malawi. The country prospered during Banda’s rule until he was deposed in 1994 after a new president was elected (Bakili Muluzi) under the new multiparty system.

Martyrs’ Day of Malawi: Traditions, Customs and Activities

Martyrs’ Day is considered as a national holiday in Malawi. During the celebration, public offices including schools and some private companies are closed. The government conduct ceremonial speeches to commemorate those whose lives were lost during the rebellion leading to the independence of the state. The president and other public officials attend local gatherings remembering the fallen heroes including the laying of wreaths on monuments dedicated to the popular personalities of the liberation.

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New Year

Noel — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 00:41:57 +0000

New Year Date: January 01

New Year Day is celebrated worldwide.

New Year is an extravagantly celebrated festival in all the cultures in the world. Each culture celebrates New Year according to their calendar. Countries which follow the Gregorian calendar celebrate New Year on January 1st every year which is considered the most festive day amongst all the other days of the year.

New Year History

During the Roman period the New Year was celebrated on the first day of March. Later in 47 BC, Julius Caesar made changes in the calendar and named it the Julian calendar. Marco Antonio and Augustus Caesar later modified the calendar in 44 BC and 8 BC respectively. Finally in the late 1582, Pope Gregory XIII modified the calendar to the form of the one that we all use these days.

January 1st is the first day in this calendar and is celebrated with great significance to it. The expansion of the Western culture all over the world then made January 1 a universally celebrated festival. The New Year which is celebrated worldwide is celebrated with huge fireworks and balloons etc. People wish each other for a very healthy and a prosperous year ahead.

Previously, in Jewish tradition, honey is used to represent a sweet New Year ahead, Rosh Hashana (New Year celebrations in the Jewish tradition). As the traditional meal for that holiday, apple slices are dipped in honey and eaten after a prayer and with blessings recited for a good, prosperous and sweet new year. Some Rosh Hashana greetings show an apple and honey, symbolizing the feast. In some other Jewish communities, small straws of honey are given out to usher in the New Year. The New Year feast which is always followed by the Christmas celebrations, the last week of the year is considered as a week of enjoyment and celebration in the winter season.

Many countries celebrate the New Year in a very grand way. This celebration usually consists of fireworks display and other parades and festivities. For example, London has a major fireworks display along the River Thames, followed by a parade on New Year’s Day. Once, Sydney which had more than half a million people present to witness the celebrations of New Year launched more than 80,000 fireworks at midnight. It was the highest watched celebration on tele-vision worldwide. In Valparaiso more than two million visitors witnessed the huge fireworks in a natural setting. A total of more than 21 kilometers of fireworks were set up on the bay, starting from the commercial port city of Valparaiso to Concon, Chile. These all were set up for 25 minutes of entertainment.

New Year Traditions and Activities

Usually in New York, the celebration is focused around a large crystal ball that slowly descends in a ten second countdown in Times Square, and last year was also the party with the largest number of attendees with more than three million people witnessing the New Year celebrations. Edinburgh plays host to one of the world’s largest Hogmanay (meaning ‘the last day of the year’) events. Celebration here lasts for four days and visitors from all around the globe are attracted to take part in the street parties and festivities, and attend the concerts which take place during midnight.

Important Facts about New Year

New Year is the only festival which is celebrated worldwide. Even though there is no special history behind the festival, all people around the world look forward for this celebration. New Year is a festival in which something innovative and better is done each and every year.

New Years Day is also known as:

New Year Celebrations
New Year Holidays

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Labour Day; May Day; Workers’ Day; Day of Kazak

Noel — Sun, 01 May 2011 06:00:14 +0000

May Day Date: May 1

May Day is celebrated throughout most of the world as a public holiday.

May 1 is considered as the Labour Day by almost all the nations of the world. The workers of the world celebrate this as an annual holiday. This day is the result of a massive labor union movement; this day celebrates the social and economic achievements of workers. This day is also known as May Day. Not only these two names, May 1 has many other names like Worker’s day, National Unification Day, Day of Kazak people’s Unity, Eid el-Ommal, etc.

History of May Day/Labour Day

The Eight-Hour day movement is the origin of the Labour Day. This movement advocated eight hours of work, eight hours of rest, and eight hours of recreation for workers everywhere. It was a revolution in that period.

In Europe, this day has a much older significance. This day is celebrated as a rural festival, which is primarily more important than the Labour Day movement. This is now an international holiday and various countries hold multi-day celebrations. Some of the countries conduct parades, patriotic and labour oriented events, and shows and other events on this day. On the other hand, in Northern Europe, Walpurgis Night is on this scheduled night, and this holiday combines with the Labour Day in some nations.

Although, May 1 is considered as the Labour Day in various nations, Germany celebrates it on May 2. In 1933, Labour Day was established as an official holiday after the Nazi Party came to power. It was expected that this day would prove to be the symbol of the newfound unity between the state and the people. The next day, that is on May 2, all the free unions were prohibited and outlawed by the Nazis. Yet, since workers celebrated the holiday for numerous decades before any official state approval, the Nazi Party’s endeavor to appropriate it left no more term offense.

Although this day has many names, but the essence of them all is the same – to honor the work force of the nation.

May Day/Labour Day Traditions and Celebrations

Time has changed; so the way of celebrating the day too. Throughout the rest of the world, there are May Day marches and rallies held out in the various part of the country. In England, a grand May Day march at the the famous Brewhouse Yard gardens starts near the Castle, Nottingham.

Even today celebration of May Day has a touch of ancient culture and tradition. The maypole is still one of the major features of the May festivities with distinctive interpretations. But whatever way you look at it the theme of the May Day celebration is all about celebrating the renewal of life with new hopes, new dreams and new resolutions. May Day flower baskets are made and treats are left at the thresholds of the loved ones as a token of good wishes and love to strengthen the bondage and to rekindle the lost touches.

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