Culture Days were proclaimed by Yorkton Council at its regular meeting Monday.
“Founded in 2009, Culture Days is a non-profit organization dedicated to building a national network of cultural connections devoted to providing Canadians with opportunities to participate in, and appreciate, all forms of arts and culture. Through an annual three-day national celebration each September, hundreds of thousands of artists and cultural organizations in hundreds of cities and towns come together and invite Canadians to participate in free interactive and behind-the-scenes activities to discover their cultural spirit and passion,” explained Tonia Vermette, Adminstrator with the Yorkton Arts Council at the Council meeting.
“Culture Days raises the awareness, accessibility, participation and engagement of Canadians in the arts and cultural life of their communities. With the support of volunteer groups at the national, provincial and local levels, hundreds of thousands of artists, cultural workers, organizations and groups, volunteers and supporters self-mobilize to host free participatory public activities that take place in hundreds of cities and towns throughout the country over the last weekend of September each year.”
The biggest thing in terms of culture is getting a handle on exactly what that is.
While there are book definitions, perhaps the more practical approach to culture is that it is anything which is important on a level to an easily defined region, or people.
For example, music is part of many cultures, although not all music is necessarily cultural.
Take for example East Coast music in Canada. It is distinct in terms of musical style, and it permeates the region.
It is similar when you think of the music of the Appalachian Mountains.
We tend to encompass culture as things like music, dance and art, but it goes deeper.
As an example darts are clearly part of British culture, much as is the neighbourhood pub.
Soccer is culturally important in many countries, the New Zealand All Blacks in rugby matter culturally to Kiwis.
In Canada curling matters, and hockey is about as culturally ingrained as anything can be.
What that means in general terms is that culture is rather diverse, and what becomes important to one region or people may mean little to another.
Bao mancala might be part of certain African cultures, but mancala is barely known here.
Bonzai is part of Japanese culture, but not here.
And the list goes on.
For Canada though the biggest question is what defines us as a nation?
We see Ukrainian dance as important to many locally, and Robbie Burns Day is still celebrated by those of Scottish descent.
But are they Canadian, or simply cultural elements brought to this land and maintained by rather distinct groups within our country?
Certainly celebrating culture is a good thing as it lets us share parts of what make us distinct, but in Canada the core culture of Canadians is not something we can easily define.
Perhaps in time we will find those things which matter to all Canadians, but at present we seem to simply relish the diversity which has come with wave after wave of immigrants to create our country.
