Her Culture Bi-Monthy Magazine April/May 2014 | Page 59

GLOBAL EASTER

The Easter season is a wonderful time of family, friends, and reflection upon the blessings of life. As the weather gets warmer and spring life is all around us, one cannot help but feel bliss when it comes to Easter. However, across the seas, there are a wide variety of customs and traditions that are interesting, powerful, and meaningful to the cultures that inhabit the area. Grab a Cadbury egg and enjoy learning about Easter around the world!

Instead of having a warm, sunny temperature in March or April, people in Australia experience autumn.In Sydney, there is a famous roadside show called “the Royal Easter Show” in which the best agricultural produce, farm animals, and fun are displayed. The bilby, rather than the rabbit, is the symbol for Easter in Australia. Rabbits are destructive to the Australian habitat, as it has destroyed crops, land, and burrows.

Mexico is a country that holds strong Christian and Catholic ties to it, and as a result, holds large religious festivities to honor the story of Easter. Semana Santa, or Holy Week, lasts from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. Many believers follow Lent, where they fast from something for forty days to get closer to Christ. Many communities reenact the Easter story through plays that have been rehearsed for nearly a year. Parades are thrown throughout Mexico during the last week of Lent, often very sad and emotional.

APRIL 2014

59