YORKTON - It is interesting Culture Days in Yorkton came to its conclusion just a couple of days ahead of our celebrating Thanksgiving.
The two things following so closely together should provide as all with an opportunity to be thankful for the growing cultural diversity we have in Yorkton today.
This has always been a rather diverse community, albeit an evolving one too.
Of course unless one is of First Nations descent we are all immigrants, with each immigrant bringing aspects of their culture with them, with various elements being blended into a sort of strange mosaic which became ‘Canadian’.
We are a country where we might listen to bagpipes play ahead of a hockey game, then enjoy poutine at intermission, then the next day stop for Chinese food ahead of attending a Ukrainian dance recital, and thinking each of these things is just part of who we are.
Certainly the earliest waves of immigration were decidedly white and decidedly Christian, but the world is rather more diverse than that.
And now we see the greater diversity arriving in noticeable numbers and like the earlier waves of immigrants they too bring their culture with them.
In time elements of each will be woven into the mosaic tapestry which is Canada and Yorkton.
That should been seen as a good thing – very good in fact – because we are made richer by our collective diversity.
If we are wise enough to be accepting of the widest possible diversity then we are made better as people because of that wisdom.
We accept perogies and something typically Canadian, so why not spring rolls and samosas?
We relish in Ukrainian and Scottish dance, so why not embrace the dances of India?
And the list goes on, as we see new aspects of the world brought to our community to enrich what we have here.
That is what Culture Days are all about, sharing all cultures in a celebration of each, and in the process being part of the weaving each thread into our unique tapestry.
So, maybe in the years ahead we might opt for chutney over cranberry sauce for our turkey, or biranyi rice over spuds for Thanksgiving. They would be what should become a very Canadian thing to do.
And that wonderful, ever-growing diversity – is certainly worth giving thanks for.
