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Storytime Tapestry Newsletter
The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural
awareness throughout the world.
Special Treat – By Hartson Dowd
June
24, 2006
Saint Jean Baptiste Day - 24 June
Also known as
the Feast of St John the Baptist
The 24th of June marks the Feast of St John the Baptist.
This is known as St Jean Baptiste Day to
French speaking cultures.
"Quebec
Day" is officially called "Fete
nationale du Quebec" and is celebrated on June 24th, the
Saint-John-the-Baptist day, the saint patron of Quebecers and most
French-Canadians (except Acadians who have as saint patron
Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption (Assumption in English?), but they still celebrate
Saint-John's, it's just not as big a holiday for them. Acadians were never
historically called French-Canadians, even though they are French and
"Canadians" but in another sense...
THE GREATEST CELEBRATION OF THIS DAY TAKES PLACE IN THE PROVINCE OF Quebec. St. Jean Baptiste is the
patron saint of French-Canadians.
Traditionally, a saint is honoured by the church on his death. St. Jean Baptiste is the exception of the
rule, as he was consecrated in his mother’s womb, when the Virgin Mary, great
with child, entered the house of Elizabeth.
It is a day for folks to celebrate their love of ‘La Belle Province’. There are parades in many areas of the
province, and often there is a float that features St. Jean as a young
shepherd with a pet lamb. The lamb is
wooly and white with a bow tied around its neck.
It’s a wonderful day to be French Canadian.
In the city of Montreal, the
festivities are many and varied. Through
the years, there have been musical reviews, featuring leading artists in the
province; a Gala featuring band competitions, choral music and folk dancing; a
Mass on the square in the front of Notre Dame Church; and the Guillaume Couture
Oratorio, Jean le Precurseur, at Place des Arts.
The night before, on the 23rd, there is a
“Communion of Bonfires” all along the banks of the St. Lawrence
River. One town begins
with its fire and this is the signal for the next town or village to light its
fire. The fires travel on both sides of
the St. Lawrence River, all the way to
the Ontario border. Also called “Fires of Joy,” they are part of
a long-lasting custom that came to Canada with the early
French-Canadian settlers.
St. Jean Baptiste Day is
also known as La Fete National and is an official holiday in the Province of Quebec.
In many of the smaller towns and villages, this is a day
for family get-togethers, where picnic dinners are enjoyed with fireworks being
a part of the evening celebrations.
It is usual in Quebec on this day to
attend an early morning mass and then get the whole family together for a
traditional Quebecois dinner of tourtiere. One of the most popular dishes
enjoyed by the Quebecois is the meat pie, la tourtiere. A dear friend, Michelle, in Montreal, sends this
recipe for her family pie.
Tourtiere (Meat Pie)
1 onion
1 clove garlic, minced
? teaspoon salt
? teaspoon thyme
? teaspoon salt
? teaspoon ground cloves
? cup cold water
In a pot, mix together the beef and pork and add the other
ingredients.
Bring all ingredients to a boil. Turn down to simmer for 20 minutes.
Add 1.4 cup bread crumbs spoon by spoon until the fat is
absorbed.
Cool the mixture.
Pour into an uncooked pie shell.
Add the pie crust.
Cook for 25 minutes in a preheated 450 degree F oven.
St. Jean Baptiste Day is
an important celebration in francophone communities across Canada. It’s also an interesting fact that St. John’s, Newfoundland, was given its
name because it was on the eve of St. John’s Day that
explorer John Cabot sailed into the harbor in 1497. This day in Newfoundland is called
Discovery Day.
I was told a story by a local Indian friend, he said came
from the Micmac Indians – The Indians say that when the Manitou, the Great
Spirit, was making the continent of the New World, he found that he had much
material left over in the shape of rocks, swamps and useless trees. So he formed a big rubbish heap by casting it
all in the sea to the northeast, and called it Wee-soc-Kadao. Several years later, Cabot discovered it and
claimed the island for Great Britain, and called it Newfoundland.
In Ontario, the
Franco-Ontarians still call it the "Saint-Jean-Baptiste" and they
have a festival in Ottawa during that
week called the "Festival Franco-Ontarien".
St. John’s Day, St. Jean Baptiste Day or
Discovery Day, all are important to us as Canadians from coast to coast.
The date originally was the pagan celebration of the
summer solstice. King Clovis of France Christianized
the event by making it a religious celebration of the birth of John the
Baptist. John the Baptist is known as the Precursor of Christ, rebirth, and the
light to the world, which explains the link to the solstice. Bonfires were lit
to symbolize the light to the world. Unfortunately, like many religious
holidays, the holiday was secularized, and is now know as the F?te Nationale in
Quebec. This does not stop modern Christians though
from remembering the deeds, service, and loyalty of John the Baptist.
Kinsmen of the King divine
Greatest of the prophets line
Blest forerunner of the Lord
Who his praises can record?
“If you are of French Canadian heritage I
wish you a happy St. Jean Baptiste Day.”
Hartson Dowd
hsdowd@telus.net
PostScript: SAINT JEAN BAPTISTE'S
FEST
Saturday June 24th at 9pm
Chinese Cultural Centre (50 E. Pender St) Vancouver, British Columbia
Live concert by DJ ?ric Lenger and the West East Band
Tickets : members $5 / non members $10
With the West-East Band, you
will enjoy a St. Jean Baptiste Day party that will remind you of the good old
times, singing around a camp fire and all dancing together! This group of
artists has more than one surprise in store for you… So be sure to come out and
join us! A good time is guaranteed!
Aboriginals and the Canadian
Military: past, present, future
21-22 June 2006 Kingston, Ontario
Royal Military College, Canadian
Forces Base Kingston
The Canadian Forces Leadership
Institute is pleased to celebrate National Aboriginal Day 2006 by hosting the first conference on Aboriginal
contributions to the Canadian
military experience. This event aims to celebrate, raise visibility and
increase awareness of Aboriginal contributions to the Canadian Forces. It also endeavours to
build bridges between these communities and develop ideas that will help
strengthen Aboriginal-military relations in the future.
The conference will incorporate traditional Native elements in the opening
ceremony, a feast for participants, displays of CF Aboriginal programs and
testimonials from past and serving Aboriginal members. The conference will also
have an academic component, providing a venue for presentations of research findings,
discussions and analysis. The military component of the conference will be
highlighted through the history of the conference site, the Royal Military College of Canada, and other martial traditions such as a Reviewing Parade.
Through this holistic approach, the conference aims to advance the
transformation of the CF's posture towards diversity - from accommodation
(through minimal compliance) to acceptance (that maximizes benefits) - by
fostering mutual understanding, respect and trust between Canada's military and
Aboriginal peoples.
It is hoped that this conference will not only advance the Canadian Forces' efforts to enhance
Aboriginal representation and retention, but also assist the Aboriginal, public
service, military and research communities to find common ground and ways to
promote future collaboration and discussion.
The conference is open to all, and there is no conference fee.
Hartson S. Dowd
hdowd@telus.net
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