Embracing Multiculturalism: This season is all about belonging by Madeline Labriola
Westerly Sun December 21, 2023 For me, gathering for the Feast of Seven Fish on Christmas Eve is a great joy of the holiday season. It has been a tradition in our Italian family for generations. We rise before dawn on Dec. 24 to prepare for the evening meal. The aromas of garlic, squid, and fried dough flavor the constant jibber-jabber of my adult children and their cousins. They reminisce about “the ole days,” argue about how to cook the octopus or how often to change the water in the baccala, and share tears remembering their grandparents. The scene is familiar and fun for us, but it can be overwhelming for others experiencing it for the first time. Everyone is in action, weaving in and out of the kitchen, between and around one another. Six or seven people talk at once; someone shouts orders, laughter spices the whole group, and the seven fish cook perfectly. Prosecco sparkles in wine glasses as the house crowds with friends, relatives, and special guests. The table set, the candles lit, the feast begins. For many, it isn’t easy to imagine any way to observe Christmas Eve other than together in a room full of loud, joyful, and passionate people. Yet, my German friend enjoys a quiet meal followed by lighting the Christmas tree and unwrapping gifts. Many Irish families prefer to attend church in the evening and then open gifts, saving their special meal for Christmas Day. Many Spanish-speaking friends commemorate “Three Kings Day” 12 days after Christmas with a festive cake and other traditional foods and gifts. At about this time of year, our Jewish friends celebrate Hanukkah, an eight-day festival featuring the nightly lighting of an additional candle on the menorah, exchanging gifts, and sharing special foods and dishes. Kwanza, an annual celebration of African-American family, community, and culture, begins with candles on Dec. 26. Celebrants honor values daily like unity, self-determination, purpose, and creativity. On the sixth day, a communal meal called Karamu combines dishes from Africa, the African diaspora, the Caribbean, and Southern soul. Other friends don’t celebrate this time of year and prefer to eat take-out on Christmas Day and take in a movie. We can all enjoy our traditions, respecting others who may not share our rituals. We can honor all who have various customs holding special foods, recipes, and different stories as part of our community. For people of faith or not, the core of any celebration is our shared humanity and desire to be together and belong. We welcome friends like family, warmly embrace strangers, and open hearts to unique traditions, foods, and rituals. We create a community where the sheer joy of being together is the blessing. How will we celebrate with so much of our world in turmoil this year? Can we leave our worries at the door while carrying the pain of so many in our lives and world? It is hard to be joyful with so much sadness, yet we are called to be hopeful people. All the Abrahamic religions teach peace, nonviolence, and forgiveness. The Torah, the Koran, and the New Testament contain instructions to live together in love and harmony. Every faith tradition endorses the Golden Rule: “to treat others as you would want to be treated.” Compassion and empathy rule every religious or secular philosophy of life. People who interpret holy texts or doctrines of any kind as orders to hate those who are different or believe differently become lost in the conviction that their way is the right, only, true way. Such righteousness and revenge cause horrific violence that tears at our human desire to belong, leaving sadness and pain in its wake. As members of a social advocacy group, we at ARC see and seek the best in people. We strive to share a deep commitment toward listening to one another, discerning our commonality, and believing in the power of love and honor. After our Christmas Eve feast, when the last dish is dried and put away, my family often wishes the joy of the holidays would remain. As Howard Thurman wrote in his poem “The Work of Christmas,” we must “find the lost, heal the broken, feed the hungry, release the prisoner, rebuild the nations and bring peace among brothers.” Then, the true celebration of any season begins. Every week, members of our ARC community stand in solidarity, sacrificing their time to help others, learning to speak with integrity, and sharing their talents to bring about a more just and inclusive community. From the Post Office steps to your house, we wish you and your family a happy and peaceful holiday season in every way you celebrate special moments. This column is written by members of the Westerly Anti-Racism Coalition, which embraces multiculturalism to address racism. Geoff Serra is a contributing editor. A community coalition unaffiliated with any state, national, or international organization, ARC meets on the steps of the Westerly Post Office each Sunday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This Sunday, meet the author and join the discussion about this column. All are welcome. Learn more and subscribe to ARC’s newsletter at westerlyarc.weebly.com. Contact them at [email protected]. Comments are closed.
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This website is a publication of the Westerly Anti-Racism Coalition. ARC is a community coalition unaffiliated with any state, national, or international organization. ARC embraces multiculturalism to address racism.
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