The Pawkar Raymi and Mushuk runa is also known as the indigenous New Year celebration party of the Andean and Amazonian communities. It starts at the beginning of February and goes until March 21. This celebration is a way to give thanks to Earth for the flowering of the plants. There are many rituals that happen during this time and they are accompanied by water and flowers.
March 20 marks the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. Also known as the spring or vernal equinox, this marks the moment when the sun crosses the celestial equator. The celestial equator is the imaginary line in the sky above the earth’s equator. This is just one of the ways that we measure seasons — it is called astronomical spring. A more common way that we measure the start of a new season is called meteorological. This system is based more on average temperatures.
March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day. It is a day for the Irish (and Irish at heart) to celebrate all things Irish. The day honors St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. St. Patrick was taken to Ireland as a slave. He eventually escaped and returned to his family who were Romans living in Britain. Years later, he returned to Ireland to share the Christian faith.
The first St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated in America in 1737, more than 1,000 years after St. Patrick lived. It was organized by the Charitable Irish Society of Boston and included a feast and religious service. Today, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations include parties, parades and the wearing of green.
