The Nepalese community in Edmonton, Canada observed Yomari Punhi (Nepal Era 1140) amidst a special cultural event at Duggan Community Hall on Friday December 20, 2019. The Newa Cultural Society of Alberta (NCSA), a non-profit voluntary organization to practice, promote and preserve Newa culture and traditions in Alberta, Canada, hosted the cultural event. This was the 7th Yomari Punhi cultural event of NCSA in Edmonton. About 60 people including local Canadians participated in the cultural event.
The cultural event was jointly inaugurated by Hon. Richard Feehan, Member of Legislative Assembly, Government of Alberta, Canada; and Dr. Hemanta Joshi, President of the Newa Cultural Society of Alberta (NCSA); by lighting the Twadewas, traditional Nepalese artistic oil lamps. In the cultural event, Annapurna, the Goddess of grains, was worshipped by offering Yomaries [unique Newa delicacy made from sweet rice-flour and inner content of Chaku (concentrated brown sugar) mixed with sesame seed powder]. Meanwhile, Yomari Punhi is celebrated on full moon day in December, after the end of rice harvest in Nepal.
In the inaugural session, Hon. Richard Feehan and Dr. Hemanta Joshi unveiled a booklet on Yomari Punhi jointly. Dr. Joshi also delivered a welcome speech highlighting on the significance of Yomari Punhi festival. According to Dr. Joshi, Newa people believe that celebration of Yomari Punhi brings them good health, wealth and prosperity. They also believe that after Yomari Punhi, days start longer at the rate of the length of pointed tail of the Yomari. According to Dr. Joshi, organizing cultural events like Yomari Punhi annually in the community not only bring people together in one platform for celebrations and socializations but also contribute in preserving and promoting Newa culture and traditions. Hon. Feehan expressed his satisfaction being part of the Yomari Punhi celebration with the Nepalese community. He also handed over the certificate of appreciation to a NCSA volunteer. Mr. Dwarika Shrestha, a senior person of the community, also spoke about the Yomari Punhi festival. The inauguration session was followed by distribution of Yomaries to all the participants as divine blessings.
Earlier in the cultural event, Yomaries were prepared engaging the community members. Hon. Richard Feehan joined in the preparation of Yomaries. In the second half of the cultural event, the local artists to entertain the guests performed two traditional ethnic Newa dances practiced under the Newa Heritage Project. A Jho Bhoye (a traditional ethnic feast in which all the invited guests sit cross-legged in rows on the floor carpet for eating and the host volunteers serve them with a variety of food items in an orderly way) was served to all the participants and guests at the end of the cultural event
Comment