Holiday Connections.World

Holiday Connections. World A Fiesta in the Making

Columbus Day

Columbus Day

Columbus Day is one of the most controversial events in history. If you look at this image, you can see why. One day, “Columbus landed in what is now the Bahamas, and informed the the Arawak/Taíno people that that day on, they and their land became property of the Spanish Crown.” The Spaniards  over worked the Taino people in the...

On the month of October, we will look into Columbus Day, Native Americans, and Halloween! It’s going to be a Fiesta!

Columbus Day is one if not, the most controversial holiday in our American calendar. We cannot ignore that when Columbus landed in the Bahamas, he brought ideas, sickness, and people that enslaved and oppressed millions of Native Americans for hundreds of years. There have been movements to completely remove it, change the name to Native American’s Day and others, but...

Say What!

There are about 5000 miles between Mexico and Argentina on a straight line, not including Brazil, and when ordering food at a restaurant in any of the Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America I needed a dictionary. Someone I know said: People born in any Latin American country is Latin;  All Mexicans are Latin, but not all Latins are Mexican. All...

The month of September: Latin American Independence and Jewish Holidays!

September presents us with an opportunity to look at the Latin American Independence movement, and Jewish culture and traditions. Most importantly the question is: How these two events have to do with each other? I hope you join me and read this fascinating piece of history that is little known. Converso- Jews have been living in Latin America since the...

Rosh Hashana – Jewish New Year, this September marks the Year 5782.

Jewish holidays happen throughout the year. The Shabbat happens once a week every Saturday. It is the Jewish day of rest.  Jewish people believe God worked for six days and rested on the seventh. It starts on Friday evening and ends at sundown on Saturday. Prayer can be recited in Hebrew and/or in your chosen language. First blessing to light the two...

Latin American Independence

Why is it called “Latin America? After the “Protestant Reformation” [1521] in Europe. Catholic countries like Portugal, Spain, Italy, and France, continued celebrating their liturgy [religious services] in Latin. The colonies of these Catholic countries in America became known as “Latin” America for that reason. Latin American Colonies It all began in 1492 with the landing of Cristopher Columbus in...

Latin America Celebrations of Independence Day

In the United States of America, people celebrate the “declaration” of Independence on July 4th. 1776; even though, it was seven years later, in 1783 at the Treaty of Paris. when Great Britain officially acknowledged the United States as a sovereign and independent nation. In the same manner, countries in Latin America celebrate the day of the “declaration” of Independence...

250 year Trade Route – Manila – Mexico – Spain, from 1565 to 1815.

In 1565 Andrés de Urdaneta, and Alonso de Arellano made the first successful return voyage from Acapulco, Mexico to Manila, in the Philippines across the Pacific Ocean making it possible to make one or two return trips within a year. The Manila Galleon route connected Asia, America, and Europe. The cargo from the Philippines was loaded on mules in Acapulco...