Independance Day: An International Affair

"Gentleman, we are about to brave the storm in a skiff made of paper" John Handcock

The paper Hancock was referring to was America's Declaration of Independence; the storm, the wrath of the British Empire. The next year, and every year since, for 241 years, we Americans celebrate those men's brave decision to defy convention, to give the middle finger to their ancestral homeland and become their own nation. To commemorate that event we revel in community during the day, attending BBQs, beach days, concerts, and festivals; at dusk we may listen to speechs from local leaders, politicians, or celebrities extolling the achievements of our nation or reading passages from the famed document penned by Thomas Jefferson. Finally, once the sun goes down, we regal ourselves with massive firework displays, symbolizing the hard fought battles for our freedom. I know it's hard to fathom for us Americans, but to the rest of the world, the 4th of July (and its preceding or proceeding weekend) was just like any other day. The 4th is a uniquely American holiday, however, Independence Day is not. The idea of an Independence Day is celebratied in a myriad of other countries, on different dates, all with their own unique stories. While it would be a monumental task to go through them all, here are 6 to wet your appetite:

France: Bastille Day - July 14th

In 1789, after decades of abuse at the hands of the French king and aristocracy the commoner citizens of Paris had enough. After a failed attempt to establish a binding constitution between the the King, the aristocracy, the church, and the people, the citizens of Paris, aided by local police forces stormed the infamous prison, the Bastille, where the upper class kept political prisoners. This sparked a series of events for years to come; from revolution, to anarchy, to the reign of terror, to the military dictatorship of Napoleon, and finally to democracy. After decades of internal conflict and international war, the French people were free.

To celebrate, the day starts with a massive military parade (the largest in Europe) down Paris's famous avenue, Champs-Elysee, from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde, were the leadership of France and other heads of state and ambassadors sit in review. The parade is broadcast throughout France, meanwhile smaller parades dot the countryside where ever garrisons of French troops may be stationed. The rest of the day is spent in appreciation of French culture as people attend feasts of local cuisine and attend art and music festivals of local French artists; even the large museums and galleries participate.

Other countries with strong ties to France get in on the action. Bastille Day is celebrated by French Canadians with parades and festivals all over Canada, especially in Vancouver and Onterio. Liege, Belgium has been celebrating the day since the French helped liberate them from the Germans in WWI. The city of Podicherry, India, a former French colony city, celebrates with its own parade waving both French and Indian flags. Prague in the Czech Republic has a "July 14th Market Day" were the streets are filled with French food and music. Even here in the US, in cities that traditionally had large French descent populations get in on the action; St. Louise, New Orleans, Baltimore, and Philadelphia all have festivals to mark the day, with smaller events dotting the country.

Mexico: Grito de Dolores - September 15-16

At 2:30 am, on September 16, 1810, the people of the small town of Doloros, just outside the city of Guanajuato, awoke to the ringing of the church bells. Once the people had gathered at the church to see what the commotion was the local Catholic priest, Miguel Hidalgo, gave an impassioned speech during which he says:

"My Children: a new dispensation comes to us today. Will you receive it? Will you free yourselves? Will you recover the lands stolen three hundred years ago from your forefathers by the hated Spaniards? We must act at once....Will you defend your religion and your rights as true patriotes? Long live Our Lady of Guadalupe! Death to bad goverment! Death to the Napoleon collaborators! Death to the gachupines!"

His speech brought to the surface the resentment the Mexican people were already feeling toward their Spanish rulers, who under the alliance with Napolean started to curb religious freedom, speech, and assembly. His words sparked a 10 year long revolution for Mexican independence. Spain was now fighting a three front war; back home as allies of the French's march for European dominance, with rebel Texans who were already chaffing under the Spanish yoke, and now in the very heart of their holdings in the new world.

This event is celebrated as Grito de Dolores (the Cry of Doloros). On the night of the 15th, the President of Mexico will ring the bell at the presidential palace and from it's balcony give a speech on Mexican patriotism, invoking the name of Hidalgo and other heroes of the Mexican revolution. Afterward the bells will ring again while the President waves the national flag over the crowd. On the following day the country is awash in fiestas and parades.

Greece: Independence and Annunciation Day - March 24-25

The Greek celebration of independence is as much a religious festival as it is secular one as it coincides with the Greek Orthodox observance day of the Annunciation, the day Mother Mary received an angelic message that she was pregnant with the Christ.There is also another significant  religious connection to Greek independence, as the revolution was fought for religious freedom as much as secular freedom, as the Muslim Turks treated Christians as inferior second class citizens and imposed a tax on any who would not convert to Islam. March 25, 1821, is the commemorated start date of the Greek War for Independence from the Ottoman Empire. Technically fighting was already occurring throughout the Baltics including Greece by different rebel groups, scattered and uncoordinated, sometimes uncooperative with one another. Then one group, the Filiki Etaireria, gained support from the Russian Czar and the Russian Orthodox Church. This kind of support gave them the power and authority needed to call all other factions under their banner, including the powerful but fractured, Greek Orthodox Church. And so on that fateful March night, Bishop Germanos blessed the banner of the combined Greek forces.

Festivities start in Athens on the 24th with a student parade through the ancient city to the parliament building, dressed in school uniforms or traditional Greek heritage dress. Then on the 25th the entire country comes to a standstill as religious services are held all morning followed by a military parade. Accompanying the soliders on parade are Greek Orthodox priests and bishops in full regalia, blessing the flag waving crowds as they walk past. Then it is off to home where the traditional meal of the day is Bakaliaros Skordalia, a fried and salted cod in garlic sauce made with potatoes and olive oil.

Indian Independence Day - August 15

Since the mid 1600's European powers had been competing for control of trade in the large, resource rich sub-continent of India. By 1773, Britain's East India Company, with the backing of the British military, had pushed out all other competitors and had subdued several small local kingdoms, establishing a company run government in Calcutta. But after several bloody uprisings and conflicts with neighboring kingdoms Britain decided to step in and take direct control of the companies territory, even expanding into conquered neighbors; and in 1858 the government of the British Raj was established. The British Raj consisted of principalities and other semi-autonomous states, and provinces run by parliament appointed governors; all, governor's, princes, Raj's, and any other rulers and administrators all answered to a Viceroy who was appointed directly by the British crown. The government of the British Raj ruled an area from Pakistan to the West to Burma in the east, from the Himalayan in the North to the Indian ocean to the south. Then in 1930s Mahatma Ghandi lead a non-violent revolt to British rule. After the WWII the British Empire did not have the resources to keep control and subdue the movement so on August 15, 1947, the flag of the British Raj at it's capital, the Red Fort in Delhi, was lowered and the new national flag of India was raised. 

Celebration of this event begins with a ceremonial raising of the Indian flag at the Red Fort with a 21 gun salute. Afterwards the Prime Minister gives a speech about the country's achievements that past year, what pressing issues the country still faces, and a call to action to solve them (much like our State of the Union Address given every year by the President). On this day the citizenry is clothed with their most colorful apparel and the buildings are decorated in colored lights as street fairs fill the cities. And high above, kites of every shape and color are flown all day and well into dusk.

Israel: Yom Ha'atzmaut - On the Hebrew Calendar day of Iyar 5 (falls between 4/15 - 5/15)

In 70AD, after four years of revolt against Roman rule in Judea and the rest of Palestine, the rebels were put down. It has been the second time the Jewish population of the Kingdom of Judea had rose up against Rome and its puppet king and between those two open conflicts and other instances of malcontent Rome had enough. As punishment the city of Jerusalem and its great Temple were burned to the ground. The Kingdom of Judea was no more. Thus begun Jewish diaspora, the Jewish people spread out among the nations of the middle east, north Africa, and Europe, without a homeland of their own. Since then Palestine had changed hands among foreign powers more then a dozen times. Until on May 15, 1948, the British gave up their claim on the land and the new State of Israel was born. After almost 19 centuries the Jewish people had their homeland back to self rule as their own.

 To celebrate this monumental event in Jewish history crowds gather the night before at Mount Herzl, a national cemetery were Theodor Herzl, father of the Zionist movement, is buried. There, people will be treated to performances of various artists followed by a speech from the speaker of the Knesset (parliament) and a lighting of 12 torches, symbolizing the 12 tribes of Israel. The day itself has been declared a Jewish religious holiday by the Chief Rabbinate in 1950, and so there is a religious ceremony conducted with a reading of the Hallel (Psalms 113-118). The day is filled with military parades, contests of Hebrew singing and scripture recital, awards for outstanding civil and military achievments, and music festivals.

Belize: September Celebrations - September 21

Belize's September Celebrations commemorate two events in the nation's history. The first is the defeat of the Spanish by British naval forces in a battle known as the Battle of St. George's Caye, ending the exploitative Spanish rule in favor of a more benevolent British rule. The Spanish had been trying to force out the settlers and natives alike, after they had opted to live under British rule instead of Spain, and to strip the land dry of its resources. They finally pushed their way through the channel at Montego Caye Shoal and faced the last ditch defenses of British naval captains John Moss and Thomaas Barrow. John Moss commanded the warships Merlin, Towzer, and Tickler; Thomas Barrow commanded the warships Swinger, Teazer, and several other smaller vessels. They faced off against 35 Spainish warships and through skill and superior knowledge of the areas, shoals, reefs, channels, etc., won the day driving the Spanish out for good. The resort colony would be given semi-autonomous rule under the Brits until September 21, 1981, when through an act of parliament they were granted independance.

The day is celebrated with the Queen of the Bay beauty pageant, along with various talent shows and concerts. Like most countries, they also have a parade of military and other uniformed personal (police, emts, firefighters, etc.), but afterward comes a grand carnival parade of dance and costumes depicting their Maya and Mestizo heritage, all to calypso music.