Stories Behind World’s Parties and Pastimes
Few things define a culture as well as its myths and celebrations, those traditional folkloric tales and festivals that are passed down through generations to explain and venerate everything from the rising of the sun to the changing of the seasons. And in a place like Southern California, where people from more than 100 distinct cultures live, work, study and play together on a daily basis, these tales can’t help but cross cultures, forming the hybrids that we pass on to our children.
On our street, for example, our Polish neighbors recently celebrated a birthday with a pinata, borrowing a tradition that came to this country from the Aztecs, who broke jars filled with treats to mark the birthday of Huitzilopochtli, the god of sun and war.
Understanding the original meaning of these cultural markers can open a whole new world of appreciation for traditions we might not fully understand. “A Family Treasury of Myths From Around the World” (retold by Viviane Koenig, Harry N. Abrams Inc., 159 pages, $29.95) helps us do just that, rounding up 10 tales that have been passed down through the ages, from the Old Testament story of Moses in Egypt to a legend from Senegal about the son of heaven.
Brilliantly illustrated by Koenig, Veronique Ageorges and Daniel Henon, the timeless myths gathered here were once used to explain natural and historic wonders, to entertain and to teach moral lessons. Today they do that and more, shedding light on ancient societies seldom explored in a way that makes them accessible to readers of all ages.
In “Pinatas and Smiling Skeletons: Celebrating Mexican Festivals” (Pacific View Press, 48 pages, $19.95), authors Zoe Harris and Suzanne Williams narrow their study of traditional folklore to just one culture, but that certainly didn’t leave them wanting for material. In Mexico and throughout much of the U.S. Southwest--which, after all, used to be part of Mexico--colorful festivals that typically blend ancient indigenous traditions with customs imported by the Spanish conquistadors mark holidays as divergent as Christmas, the Day of the Dead and quinceaneras, the most important day in the life of many young Mexican and Mexican American girls.
Here the authors explain to young readers and adults alike the story behind each festival, including recipes for appropriate holiday treats and tips for celebrating the holiday.
“Raising Yoder’s Barn” (by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Bernie Fuchs, 30 pages, $15.95) is much lighter on the history, but its warm tale of true community values in action offers an accurate portrayal of Amish customs. When a lightning strike ignites the sawmill and barn outside 8-year-old Matthew Yoder’s house, every family in the area rushes to help put out the flames. Then they team up to rebuild the structures--just as Amish families have done for centuries.
Yolen, a prolific children’s author who has penned more than 150 books, spent a great deal of time among the people of Pennsylvania’s Amish country, and this story for young readers helps dispel many inaccurate portrayals.
George Ancona, an award-winning photographer and author, also uses the simple story of one child’s experience to capture the heart of a larger culture in “Barrio: Jose’s Neighborhood” (Harcourt Brace Children’s Books, 48 pages, $18 [$9 in paperback in English or Spanish]).
The book captures the ebb and flow of daily life in Jose’s San Francisco neighborhood, where people speak as much Spanish as English. Ancona’s rich photos and attention to detail force us to focus on the things in Jose’s neighborhood that we overlook in our own. And by telling the story through the eyes of an elementary school student, Ancona has invited young readers to find themselves in Jose’s daily experiences as well.
* For more on reading, see Section Gee for reviews written by children about their favorite books and a new story for kids starting every Sunday. E5
