Lifelong Learning: Journey to Decolonize Deepening the Experience - Celebrating Summer!
- Kimberlee Bow, Ph.D.
- 7 days ago
- 5 min read
Summer has finally arrived in the Northern Hemisphere. That means summer fun outdoors with friends, family, and community. We will now be blessed with longer days and more light! On June 20th, the Earth shifted its tilt so that the Northern Hemisphere would mostly be toward the Sun. Thus, we experienced the summer solstice. The Southern Hemisphere, on the other hand, is now celebrating the winter solstice. Like we talked about when welcoming the Spring equinox, our ancestors also understood and celebrated the importance of the summer solstice. These celebrations continue to remind us about the importance of honoring and remembering our connection to nature and each other as communities.
Diving into More Traditions and Structures in the World Celebrating Summer
What are some of these summer celebrations around the world? Let’s begin with Ancient Egypt. The summer solstice aligned with the Nile River rising for annual flooding that nourished the crops. Thus, the Egyptian New Year was celebrated. Jumping to Ireland, in the past, the Irish cut hazel branches on the eve of the solstice to be utilized in their search for gold, water, and precious jewels. Other European cultures also held Midsummer celebrations in places like Stonehenge.
In ancient China, the solstice was connected to the feminine force, “yin,” so celebrations celebrated the Earth, femininity, and “yin.” Many of the North American Native American tribes had rituals for the solstice. For example, the Sioux celebrated with a sun dance around a tree while dressed in colors that are symbolic to the tribe. Another example may be the Bighorn Medicine Wheel in Wyoming, where the structure is such that it aligns with the summer solstice sunrise and sunset. This site was also for the Plains Native Americans' annual sun dance.
Finally, we can once again examine historical architecture. Returning to Ancient Egypt, the view from the Sphinx on the solstice reveals the sun setting directly between the Great Pyramids of Khufu and Khafre on Egypt’s Giza Plateau.
Longest Day of the Year
From an astronomical perspective, in the Northern Hemisphere, the length of daylight is dependent on latitude. Places along the equator receive 12 hours of light from sunrise to sunset, while mid-northern latitudes receive about 15 hours. Finally, by the time one reaches the Arctic Circle, the sun stays above the horizon for 24 hours. While I admit that the science and astronomical perspective are fascinating (It is!), there are a couple more aspects that need to be highlighted.
As evidenced by the above discussion, our ancestors honored this time of year and left a cultural legacy that many of us still honor today. Their wisdom, traditions, and learning still live on when we take the time to learn about our own cultural heritage and ensure that our work honors, integrates, and respects the culture of those we serve.
What symbolism can we take from this time of year, like our ancestors? Themes that tend to come up are renewal, rebirth, nature, abundance, fertility, intentions, new beginning, and sun/light. Given these themes, there may be something we can learn from this time of year. Common sayings often involve reminding people that nature always finds a way or that light conquers the dark. We see this reflected in nature as the winter snow melts and life returns to plants with vibrant rainbow colors. Animals begin to grow and play. We, ourselves, venture out into the world. We often hear of examples of how even small actions give hope and life to those who need it. Given the nature of some of the systemic issues that many of us are facing, the summer solstice may be an opportunity to connect with these summer solstice themes and let our light shine. Our ancestors left us with reminders of the importance of honoring special times of year. We can continue to learn from their wisdom. And we can even take inspiration from the astronomical perspective and the different lengths of daylight that the Northern Hemisphere experiences on the solstice. Our work continues, our days may be long and feel like they never end, given the amount of work that remains, yet hope and a new beginning remain.
Final Thoughts
For those of you who have been reading my blog posts, you may agree with me that I do love turning to nature for inspiration. Just as we are connected to each other, we are also connected to nature. Our ancestors inherently knew this and left us those reminders. With busy days and so many demands on our time, there is wisdom and power in stepping out of the mindset that we always must be doing and going, and mindfully embracing moments that link us to our roots and the present moment. Part of decolonizing our thinking is remembering the value of rest, connection, tradition, and learning about the world around us and those who came before us. Summer is a good time to embrace the light and show how strong your light is in the world.
What’s Next?
Now it is your turn to reflect on your summer traditions. What traditions do you currently have? What did your ancestors do to celebrate summer?
Take time to reflect on other themes you noticed from the summer traditions. What caught your attention? What did not catch your attention? Both are important to see!
Is there a tradition that you would like to start with your friends and family?
How can you incorporate, if appropriate, summer cultural traditions into your work with students, friends, clients, etc.?
And one final task for you: If you are willing and able and it is safe to do so, take some time to get outside in nature. This does not mean that you have to plan a trip to the mountains; you absolutely can if you would like. It simply means to consider stepping barefoot on a small patch of grass or into a safe space to feel the breeze on your face. Embrace the season with mindfulness and connection.
Practical Tips and Suggestions
Given the theme of light, take the time to shine a light on places in your journey that you have been afraid to examine. When we shine a light there, we can only stand to learn and grow.
Embrace the opportunity to be brave, bold, and adventurous, and learn about a topic you have always wanted to discuss as part of your decolonization journey.
Remember the value of mindfulness. In our busy days, doing things mindlessly or on autopilot can be easy. By remaining mindful and present, we are more able to make choices rather than react.
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