Brackley Beach, Prince Edward Island.
By Rebecca Schmor
Every year, the Netherlands sends thousands of tulip bulbs to Canada in commemoration of Canada’s liberation efforts during World War II. In Ottawa, where the Dutch Royal Family was sheltered and Princess Margriet was born, Dutch tulips are planted and showcased as part of the Canadian Tulip Festival. Commissioners Park, the site of the Queen Juliana Gift Bed, boasts the largest tulip display, and a special bed at the Ottawa Hospital pays tribute to Princess Margriet’s birth. These flowers are just one reflection of the Dutch–Canadian connection. Canada’s Dutch settler community spans from sea to sea, bringing longstanding linguistic and cultural traditions.
In Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.), there is a small but established community of Dutch agriculturalists who came seeking economic opportunity after the Second World War. The community settled primarily in the rural, agricultural regions of the province, establishing and maintaining a strong presence in the Rural Municipality of Belfast, about 30 minutes south-east of Charlottetown.
The Dutch language also has an enduring presence in the province and was even one of the most common non-official-language mother tongues spoken there in 2011. Along with other Maritime and Canadian regions, P.E.I. celebrates the Dutch–Canadian connection through a series of holidays and festivals, with numerous cultural and social events organized by the Dutch-Canadian Association in P.E.I.
Dutch Celebrations in Canada
One of the most notable Dutch celebrations in Canada is Bevrijdingsdag, Liberation Day, which marks the surrender of the German forces in the Netherlands in 1945, largely achieved by the efforts of the First Canadian Army. In Belfast, a solemn commemoration and day of remembrance is held before the celebratory festival on May 5th, paralleling traditions observed in the Netherlands, such as reading of names and moments of silence. Locations like Belfast Lavender Labyrinth have hosted wreath-laying ceremonies where Dutch Canadians honour veterans and fallen soldiers with symbolic tulip distribution and local pipe band performances. Similar celebrations are held in the nation’s capital and other regions with a strong Dutch presence.
Another Dutch tradition celebrated across Canada is Koningsdag, King’s Day, honouring the birthday of King Willem-Alexander, born on April 27, 1967. In Vancouver, the North Vancouver Shipyards turns into a sea of orange, with festival attendees showing up dressed in the national colour to enjoy a full day of Dutch music, cuisine, games, and cultural activities. This celebration highlights the longstanding presence and vitality of the Dutch Canadian community.
After decades of these ongoing traditions and commemorations, in 2019 the Canadian government recognized May 5 (Liberation Day) as Dutch Heritage Day. This formal recognition honours both the Canadian soldiers who worked to liberate the Netherlands and the ongoing contributions of the Dutch community in Canada.
Read on to explore other international festivals celebrated in Canada in an adaptable classroom activity.
Cultural Festival Carousel
Activity Description
In this activity, learners research and showcase a cultural festival celebrated in Canada. This activity is designed for intermediate language learners at the high school level or above but can be adapted to other proficiency levels or contexts. Possible adaptations include modifying the reflection questions/focus in steps 5 and 6, enacting the activity in an online or blended format, and deciding whether to give teacher feedback during or after the showcase.
Activity Steps
Canada is full of cultural traditions from around the world. Large festivals take place in Canadian cities to celebrate Lunar New Year (Chinese New Year), Diwali (Indian Festival of Lights), and Caribana (Caribbean Carnival). Smaller cultural festivals also take place across Canada, like the Islendingadagurinn festival celebrating Icelandic culture with food and Viking battles in Gimli, Manitoba, or the Pysanka Festival showcasing Ukrainian Easter eggs along with folk dances in Vegreville, Alberta. With your group, you will research and present a cultural festival in a classroom showcase.
- Do some online research to learn more about the diverse cultural festivals taking place in Canada. You may want to focus on a particular culture or a particular place. With your group, review what you found and choose one festival to showcase.
- Learn more about your chosen festival. You can find blogs, articles, videos, or photos. Make sure to confirm the information about the festival across multiple sources. Find out where the festival takes place, how long it lasts, what activities are involved, who attends, and what cultural traditions are represented. Include examples and details.
- Prepare to share your chosen festival in a classroom showcase. With your group, decide how you will showcase the festival. You could create a slide deck or short video, design a virtual festival experience using music and photos, or prepare something else. Be creative!
- Share your festival in the classroom showcase. You will take turns presenting and attending the showcase in a carousel format (e.g., Round 1: groups members 1 and 2 present while group members 3 and 4 listen to other groups; Round 2: group members 3 and 4 present while group members 1 and 2 listen to other groups). Ask questions and take notes as you learn about the other festivals.
- With your group, reflect on the showcase content. Share something you learned about another festival.
- With your group, reflect on the showcase delivery. What is one thing your group did really well? What is one thing you could improve on for next time? What is something another group did really well? What is something the class could improve on overall?
- Walk around the classroom and share your reflections with your classmates. Exchange your ideas with 2–3 other people.
Activity Commentary
This activity encourages collaborative, technology-integrated, and movement-based learning. Students make meaning in a variety of small group interactions, maximizing affordances for communicative language use (i.e., more chances for each student to speak) and minimizing perceived communicative risk (i.e., the anxiety inherent in presenting to the entire class). Parameters around technology use support independent and informed choices, with the option to draw on AI tools but the necessity to produce and synthesize original language to complete the activity. Finally, the activity involves movement (as learners are able), activating the cognitive and physical benefits of dynamic learning.
