cultural celebrations

All cultures are welcomed and celebrated at McNally! Here are some special events that we hold throughout the year!

Chinese New Year

McNally's Triple C (Chinese Culture Club) is involved with putting on Chinese New Year (中国新年) celebrations every year!

Diwali

Diwali is a tradition that dates back to over 2,500 years. This year (2021), it is on Thursday, November 4th. Diwali is a festival of lights and one of the major festivals celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs. All the stories associated with Deepavali, however, speak of the joy connected with the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance. Here's a great link to check out if you want to learn more!

Students will use food, music, dance and information displays to celebrate this wonderful tradition and school diversity.

Diwali is a tradition that dates back to over 2,500 years. This year (2021), it is on Thursday, November 4th. Diwali is a festival of lights and one of the major festivals celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs. All the stories associated with Deepavali, however, speak of the joy connected with the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance. Here's a great link to check out if you want to learn more!

Students will use food, music, dance and information displays to celebrate this wonderful tradition and school diversity.

Vaisakhi

Celebrated among the Hindus and Sikhs, Vaisakhi is a spring harvest festival that’s celebrated on the 13th or 14th of April (Gregorian calendar) every year. The historical significance of this day is quite intriguing. It is believed that the 10th Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh, established the famous Khalsa Panth on this day.

How did Vaisakhi begin?

The story goes that on Vaisakhi, Guru Gobind Singh challenged any Sikh who was prepared to give his life. In a crowd of about a thousand people, five people volunteered in total. The Guru, instead of killing the volunteers, baptised them with “Amrit” and formed a five-member group of saint-soldiers called “Khalsa”. These five men representing the Khalsa were known as the Five Ks signifying Kesh (hair), Katchera (underwear), Kangha (comb), Kirpan (sword), and the Kara (steel ring).

Following that fateful day, the spraying of nectar or “Amrit” has become a common practice during the ceremonial baptisation of Sikhs.

Other than the historical significance, the day also marks the ripening of the Rabi crop and is celebrated with splendour among the people of Punjab.

However, in Hinduism, Vaisakhi is observed as the New Year’s Day and is celebrated with splendour in some of the states of India.

How is Vaisakhi celebrated?

Vaisakhi is a very precious day for Sikhs. It is the celebration of the ‘New Year’ according to Nanakshahi calendar. On the festival day, schools and colleges shall remain closed. The commercial outlets owned by Sikhs shall also remain closed or they can have reduced operating hours. The festival has no effect on public transport. Owing to festival events, the schedule for public transport may be disturbed.

This school year is like no other, and as a result, students will not get together on this holiday and celebrate it with one another. In the future, students at McNally, who are part of the Indian Cultural Club celebrate this special occasion with their fellow students and teachers using food, music, dance and education to celebrate diversity within the student body.