By: Laila Schwin and Valery Warner
May 5, 2022
Throughout the world, people pay respect to their mothers in different ways. In the United States, this is observed via the holiday of Mother’s Day. In other countries, there are a whole host of other celebrations meant to honor mothers and the invaluable role they play in their children’s lives.
Holidays and festivals noting the importance of mothers are extremely prevalent throughout the world because mothers tend to take on the role of homemaker and main caretaker for their children.
The second Sunday in May (May 8 this year) is Mother’s Day in the U.S. and is usually observed by children by giving gifts, cards, and flowers to their mothers as a sign of appreciation. Many people also observe it by cooking for their mom and taking on the role of caring for the home for the day. Mother’s Day is also similarly observed in several other countries such as Australia, Denmark, Italy, and Belgium.
In India, there is a ten day festival honoring mothers, or more specifically Durga, the goddess of mothers. This holiday, Durga Puja, is both a religious celebration and a chance for families to reconnect. It is meant to be a holiday about reunion and bringing oneself back to their family.
In Japan, Mother’s Day is observed on the second Sunday of May as well. It is observed similarly to the way it is in the U.S. However, it is traditional to give moms carnations. The most common color to give is white carnations, but traditionally, a red carnation was given. This tradition began shortly after World War II to honor mothers who had their lost sons in the war. Children gave red carnations to their mothers or displayed a white carnation if their mother was deceased.
In Ethiopia, the three day Antrosht festival is observed in early Fall and has been dedicated to mothers. The festival begins at the end of the rainy season for the year. Families gather and the children bring food for the reunion to prepare a traditional hash. The holiday includes performances that are meant to tell the stories of family heroes and ancestors.
Despite any variances and history to how Mother’s Day is observed in other places, the main premise is always the same: To remember and highlight the value that mothers have in all of our lives and how important they can be.
Happy Mother’s Day to all of the selfless and wonderful moms!
{Information retrieved from: Scholastic.com, Time.com, and Globalcitizen.org.}
THE RETURN OF THE EYE 