1. Prayer, lights, food, and remembrances Cultural Celebrations Around the world for the departed. MSSO 2011

2. Life, Death and Spirits This presentation prompted by the Mexican Celebration of the Day of the Dead lead to multiple discussions among Multicultural (MSSO) students, faculty and staff. After introducing the concept of the celebration of the Day of the Dead it became clear that even if we might come from different parts of the world and have very different religious backgrounds somehow our humanity transcends our cultures. Setting up this altar has exposed us to an intrinsic commonality. While rituals, traditions and celebrations might differ we all seem to find solace in honoring our loved ones. This Altar was started as a Day of the Dead altar, but has morphed into an altar that hosts Indian, Chinese and Christian symbols amid pictures of loved ones. This altar presents a glimpse into an aspect of our diverse student body. The more we learn about each other the more we understand each other.

3. All Saints' Day All Saints' Day (officially the Solemnity of All Saints and also called All Hallows or Hallowmas [ ), often shortened to All Saints, is a solemnity celebrated on 1 November in Western Christianity, and on the first Sunday after Pentecost in Eastern Christianity in honor of all the saints, known and unknown. In terms of Western Christian theology, the day commemorates all those who have attained the beatific vision in Heave. Specifically, in the Catholic Church, the next day, All Soul’s Day commemorates the departed faithful who have not yet been purified and reached heaven. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints_Day

4. Celebrated by people of Mexican heritage. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and relatives who have died. The celebration occurs on the 1st and 2nd of November, in connection with the Catholic holy days of All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Traditions include building private altars honoring the deceased, using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these as gifts. Scholars trace the origins of the modern holiday to indigenous observances dating back thousands of years, and to an Aztec festival dedicated to a goddess called Mitecacihuatl (known in English as "The Lady of the Dead"). MEXICO Day of the Dead November 1 st and 2 nd

5. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/All_Saints_Day_in_New_Orleans_-- _Decorating_the_Tombs.jpg/800px-All_Saints_Day_in_New_Orleans_--_Decorating_the_Tombs.jpg All Saints Day in New Orleans, Decorating the Tumbes A tradition with stronger Catholic roots brought by the French colonizers. USA All Saints Day All Souls' Day, in France Notre Dame Procession, France 2007

6. India Diwali is a spectacular religious festival. It is held in late autumn, and on the evenings during this time, the windows of houses are illuminated by lamps and candles. From a distance and in the darkness, these hundreds of glowing lights are a wonderful sight. The word Diwali is a shortened version of Deepavali, which means "cluster of lights". The festival of lights is a universal Hindu festival. In India Diwali is seen as a renewal of life. On this day old lamps are thrown out and a new lamp are bought. New lamps are thought to help the souls of the dead find their way to heaven. The festival also commemorates the coronation of God Rama. When Rama arrives at the end of 14 years of banishment, Hindus rejoice because Rama has conquered Ravana. He has conquered evil and good has triumphed. People show their happiness and joy by lighting lamps in praise of Rama. http://www.sfindian.com/bay-area/eventDisplay.asp?id=20253 http://www.daijiworld.com/chan/exclusive_arch.asp?ex_id=458 http://www.mibazaar.com/2006/08/diwali-in-michigan-uttar-pradesh.html

7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali#In_oth er_parts_of_the_world

8. Some Haitian practice Vodou which is based upon a merging of the beliefs and practices of West African peoples, along with Roman Catholic Christianity. These two different practices were brought to Haiti in the 16 th century by Eruropean colonizers and African slaves. Haitian Vodou is a combination of these two cultures as a consequence of slaves being forced to convert to the religion of their owners, none the less slaves found a way to preserve and followe their traditional African beliefs. HAITI Day of the Dead November 1 st and 2 nd http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voodoo_in_Haiti

9. Cambodia Pchum Ben Festival also know as “Festival of the Dead”. September 15 through the 25 th The fifteenth day, of the tenth month, of the Khmer calendar marks the Pchum Ben festival. This is a time when the spirits of the dead ancestors walk the Earth. And the living can ease their suffering by offering them food to eat. At four in the morning, nearly all of the residents of Phnom Penh gather at the temple with offerings of rice, which they toss on the ground, feeding the dead ancestors. "Some of the ghosts have small mouths," "So we have to use special rice." Many of the people throw sticky rice, which, apparently is easier for the spirits to consume. people return to the temple, with offerings for the monks by giving food, money and other things as well. As a monk they looked forward to this period all year long, because they could get new clothing and good food.

10. http://bless-lord.livejournal.com/2985.html http://cmb.rsuh.ru/article.html?id=254914 http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A4%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%BB:Arhipov_radonica.jpg On the first week after Easter commences the festival of the Krasnaya Gorka (Red Hill). It is chiefly devoted to the memory of the dead. Women take food and drink to the cemeteries, and there mourn over the graves of their dead friends and relatives. Later they sit down and proceed to eat, drink, and be merry, as if the dead can rejoice with them. After their meal, the fragments which remain over are thrown to the evil spirits, in order to prevent them from troubling the repose of the dead, and with similar intent their drinking cups are emptied over the graves. UKRAINE

11. The Qingming Festival is a traditional Chinese festival. It is a statutory public holiday in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. The Qingming is commonly called as Ching Ming, Clear Bright Festival, Tomb Sweeping Day, Festival for Tending Graves, Grave Sweeping Day, Spring Remembrance, Chinese Memorial Day, All Souls Day. The Qingming Festival is an opportunity for Chinese to remember and honor their ancestors at grave sites. Young and old pray before the ancestors, sweep the tombs and offer food, tea, wine, chopsticks, paper accessories to the ancestors. Food like roasted suckling pig, steamed chicken, fruit and wine are offered during the ceremony. Some people carry willow branches with them or hang it on the front door. It's believed that willows help to get rid of evil spirits, when Ching Ming (Tomb Sweeping Day) is one of the days that ghosts and spirits wander about http://holidayyear.com/holidays/images/qing-ming.jpg http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Qingming+Festival+&view=detail&id=AAC1B638E0A8643A33FF13D939E99D8DCF1A706D&first=0&FORM=IDFRIR CHINA, Qingming Festival Early April

12. USA Halloween October 31