The culture of Canada is unique and peculiar. It attracts many guests from around the world. After all, this is a combination of different cultures and traditions of many peoples who immigrated here in different years.
Multiculturalism of Canada
The culture of Canada is truly diverse. It is so diverse that some researchers sometimes come to a standstill when they try to give it an unambiguous definition. The reasons for this lie in the history of the country. After all, the current population of Canada was formed from immigrants who for centuries have come here from different parts of the world. They brought with them the cultural characteristics, traditions and customs inherent in their people.
In Canada, they are intertwined, forming a kind of multicultural society, constantly affect each other. Therefore, if you want to highlight some single, common feature of this country, then it will be synthetic.
Canadians Etiquette
Getting to know Canadian culture is best started with etiquette. After all, it is the well-established rules of human behavior that shape his relationships in society, regulate life and the steady flow of life. Communication in Canada is characterized by several things that you need to know about if you decide to visit this country or are seriously interested in its features and traditions.
When meeting a friend in the culture of Canada, the same greeting was accepted as in Russia. This is a handshake. You need to shake your hand strongly and confidently. In this case, eye contact with the interlocutor is welcome.
If you were invited to visit
If you came to visit, then shoes are usually left at the entrance to the house. Canadians, like us, always take off their shoes indoors. If you received an invitation to dinner, then it is not customary to come empty-handed. It is best to bring along a bouquet of flowers, chocolates and a good bottle of wine. In this case, you will be impressed as a cultured and educated person.
One of the features of the culture of Canada is associated with personal space in communication. It is not customary to violate it. Tactile contacts in conversation are not welcomed in this country - a crony pat on the shoulder can be perceived as inappropriate familiarity or even unceremonious behavior.
During communication, you should use the titles or full name of the person. It is customary to communicate only by name with family and close friends. For example, if you were invited to visit for dinner, it means that you are accepted into a close circle of friends. That is, you can contact the owners of the house by name.
Canadian Holidays
Studying the culture of Canada briefly, it is necessary to pay attention to national holidays and festivals. A large number of them are held here. Annual festivals suit every taste for a wide variety of people. Many theatrical, musical events attracting a huge number of guests. A large place in the life of Canadians is occupied by sports events, visiting matches of your favorite teams.
The comedy festival in Canada is extremely popular. The country's culture welcomes an ironic attitude to life, so the Laughter Festival annually attracts thousands of guests in Montreal. According to recent estimates, up to two million people come to it, not only from Canada, but also from other countries. In addition, Montreal is rightly called the capital of Canadian entertainment. Mostly they take place in the summer months, when the weather has a long stay on the street. Large festivals for every taste are organized here almost every week.
Winter festivals
But do not assume that in the winter months life in this country freezes. In the national culture of Canada there are enough holidays and at a time when the temperature is below freezing. For example, in Vancouver, on the eve of Christmas, a festival of lights is taking place. Every December, this city is decorated with thousands of lights and garlands, creating a feeling for the upcoming holiday, magic and romance.
In Ottawa, the Winterlude Festival takes place in winter. Its name is derived from the English words "winter" and "interlude." This holiday is filled with various amazing events. For example, dog sled racing, which takes place on the main city street. It is worth noting that in Canada this type of entertainment has turned into a real sport. For racing use riding huskies. These dogs are very smart and adapt perfectly to the cold. Also, masters to create snow and ice sculptures come to this festival every year. Between them a prestigious international competition is held.
Cowboys and Balloons
In Canada, culture and tradition combine the customs of different nations. Therefore, various festivals are held here. Some of them have a century of history. For example, since 1912, a cowboy festival has been held in Calgary. On it, shepherds compete in races on wild mustangs, domestic horses and even bulls. Moreover, contests are held both with a saddle and without this attribute of a horse harness. Spectators evaluate how professionally they throw lasso, milk cows and chase carts.
Canada is home to one of the world's largest balloon festivals . This is one of the brightest holidays that is held in this country. In September, he is arranged in Quebec. It is worth remembering that the holidays listed in this article are only a small part of the splendor that is organized annually in this country. Speaking about the Canadian holidays, it is necessary to recall the festivals of grapes, tulips, maple syrup, which is considered one of the symbols of the country, and even the watermelons that are grown here, despite the fact that Canada is considered mainly a northern country. There are also many music festivals. The opportunity to listen to your favorite music get fans of all kinds of music styles.
Symbols of Canada
The language and culture of Canada play a large role in shaping national identity. There are many symbols in the country that can say a lot about its values. The three most famous of them are maple, beaver and horse. All of them illustrate how great a role the nature plays in the life of the inhabitants of this country. She is truly magnificent in these parts. Each of these characters has its own story. Behind each is an important social idea.
Maple is a world famous symbol of this country. Everyone knows that Canadians love to eat pancakes or pancakes with maple syrup for breakfast. Its preparation is similar to making honey in Russia. It is in this country that three quarters of the world's maple syrup is produced. A maple leaf is even depicted on the flag of Canada. It has 11 pointed teeth, although in reality such a leaf shape does not exist in nature. Just 11 teeth are depicted, since so many species of maple grow in Canada.
Another symbol of this North American country is a horse. She came to Canada with the first settlers and actively developed the country, which was mostly uninhabited at that time. Thanks to the Europeans, the horse began to play an important role in the life of the indigenous Indian tribes, who began to use it in agriculture, transportation of goods. The horse blends very organically into this diverse world.
A beaver in Canada is a key symbol of respect for the environment. The fact is that this animal is found exclusively in reservoirs with clean water. Canadians carefully guard beavers, taking care of preserving nature in its original form.
Canadian cuisine
Canadian cuisine is diverse. It is based on crafts and agricultural industries that have been cultivated for years in this territory. This is fishing, reindeer husbandry and hunting.
From them formed the taste preferences of Canadians and especially the national cuisine. It can be called subarctic or polar. The British had a great influence on culinary traditions. The only exception is the province of Quebec, which was inhabited mainly by French immigrants, so they prepare dishes from this European country.