[Fictionary] Grounation Day on your calendar

[Jean-Joseph Cote]

Hutch's def is edged out by the real one, and therefore takes the 
Grounation Day ganja cake.  Your turn, Hutch!

Grounation Day: A Day of Atonement along the Washita River in OK, where 
Custer's troops massacred most of the Southern Cheyennes in 1868, headed 
by Chief Black Kettle, but consisting of mostly women, children, and old 
people.  Today there is a National Monument at the site.   Participants 
in the event tend to be Native Americans and descendants of the soldiers 
or local settlers at the time, plus some reenacters.  A somber service 
is held sporadically, when the Spirits give a sign, usually about once a 
year.  Often preceded by sweat lodge cleansing and followed by a healing 
dance.
by Linda.  Ranjit 1, David 1, Pierre 1, correct guess 1 = 4 points
Pierre: Is Chief Calling Pot somehow involved?

Grounation Day: (Día de Grounación) In 2014, a day of remembrance for 
those lost to floods and mudslides in Atoyac de Alvarez, Mexico, on the 
anniversary of Hurricane Manuel (September 18th) which devastated the 
area near Acapulco in 2013. Participants walked to the beach carrying 
garlands and built small fires below the high tide line. Prayers were 
said as participants watched the tide come in, extinguishing the fires 
and carrying away the flowers.
by Fran.  Melissa 2, correct guess 1 = 3 points
Eric: Jeebus, aren't we a cheerful bunch.
Pierre: "grounación" doesn't sound right.

Grounation Day: (fr Ger. grün, green) In rural, north-central England, 
the name of "Greening Day". This holiday is celebrated locally in rural 
areas across Europe when the first seedlings break out. The date is 
dependent on latitude: in Calabria (S Italy) "Giorno di Giovanazione" is 
celebrated in the middle of February; in Yorkshire and the Pennines of 
north-central England "Grounation Day" is celebrated near the end of 
March; and in Pomerania and parts of Mecklenburg and Brandenburg (N 
Germany), "Begrünungtag" is celebrated usually at the beginning of May. 
It is usually marked by the appearance of some particular plant 
(specific to each locale). Celebrations revolve around rituals involving 
hearthfires and spring cleaning.
by Hutch.  Linda 2, Fran 2, Pierre 2 = 6 points
Eric: Ah! Like Memorial Day weekend in Boston -- first date for planting 
of outdoor tomatoes.

Grounation Day: (April 21) The second most important Rastafari holy day, 
celebrated in honor of the only visit of Emperor Haile Selassie to 
Jamaica, in 1966.  After Rasta leader Mortimer Planno escorted the 
African monarch down the steps, journalists were puzzled by Selassie's 
refusal to walk on the red carpet on the way to his limousine. [hence 
/grounation/, Iyaric dialect equivalent of /foundation/, "uplifted" with 
the sound of the word /ground/ in the sense of "making contact with the 
soil"]
the real Grounation Day, definition excerpted from Wikipedia. Ranjit 2, 
Melissa 1, Linda 1, Fran 1, David 2 = 7 points
Eric recused himself from voting, because he had initially submitted a 
definition that was virtually identical to this.

Grounation Day: (Cumbrian dial.) A day reserved for pickling food; often 
two Sundays before Martinmas.
by David.  Correct guess 2 = 2 points
Eric: Theoretical points for being brief and different. Also, tasty.

Grounation Day: [Torres Strait Creole graun, land] The June 3 
anniversary of the legal decision that indigenous people have title to 
land, celebrated in the Torres Strait Islands by dancing along the 
boundary of a lot to the accompaniment of didgeridoos.
by Pierre.  No points
Pierre: This is Mabo Day; the dancing with didgeridoos I made up.

Grounation Day: (from GReek Orthodox UNified NATION) Civic holiday 
introduced in 1920 by the Greek-American fraternal organization the 
Brotherhood of St. Barbaras. Celebrated on the Sunday closest to June 17 
(the Greek Orthodox feast day of the Archangel Michael), the holiday is 
intended to promote unity and pride in their ethnic heritage among Greek 
Americans. Celebrations typically include a picnic featuring traditional 
Greek foods, Greek music, and dance performances in traditional costume. 
The holiday never gained the traction of St. Patrick's day or even 
Kwanzaa, and is not now widely observed.
by Eric.  No points

Two points to Ranjit and one point to Melissa for correct guesses

Delightful definition from Elliott that was sent in before the deadline, 
but which I somehow managed to omit from the list, presented here for 
your enjoyment:
Grounation Day (n.) --- A holiday on which Minnesotans celebrate the 
independence of North Dakota from Minnesota (June 30th N.S., June 19th 
O.S.).

Jean-Joseph

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.swarpa.net/pipermail/fictionary/attachments/20150619/1a3852a3/attachment.html