Hispanic or Latin American? What Are We Celebrating in Canada?
Last month, I found myself a little confused. I knew that here in Canada we celebrate Latin American Heritage Month in October, but suddenly my feed was full of posts celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month in September. So, naturally, I did what any good millennial with access to the internet does and fell down a rabbit hole.
It turns out that in the United States, National Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15, beginning around the independence celebrations of several Latin American countries, including Mexico and many countries in Central America.
Here in Canada, we celebrate Latin American Heritage Month all of October. In 2018, Parliament officially designated October as a month to recognize and celebrate the contributions of Latin American communities across Canada.
So what exactly is the difference between Hispanic and Latin American?
Hispanic generally refers to people and cultures connected by the Spanish language.
Latin American refers to people and cultures from Latin America.
So Spain is Hispanic, but not Latin American. Brazil is Latin American, but not Hispanic. And Spanish-speaking Latin America is both.
Sounds simple enough, right? Well, not quite.
Brazil is an easy example: it is Latin American, but not Hispanic, because its primary language is Portuguese. But the more I looked into this, the more I realized that even the definition of Latin America isn't always that simple.
French Guiana, for example, is in South America and speaks French, another Romance language that comes from Latin. Depending on the definition being used, French-speaking regions of the Americas may also be considered part of Latin America.
And however we define it, one thing is clear: the Latin American community in Canada is growing. In 2021, more than 726,000 people in Canada identified as Latin American, representing about two percent of the population.
Here in the Comox Valley, we have a wonderfully diverse community. Through SOMOS, I've had the opportunity to connect with people from Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Brazil and more.
So, what can you do to celebrate Latin American Heritage Month?
You can learn more about Latin American cultures, support and follow Latin-owned businesses in our community, and attend local Latin events.
We're very lucky to have two Latin American events happening in the Comox Valley this month. On October 8, Colombian Shakedown brings the community together for a fundraiser organized by members of our Colombian community.
And on October 24, Día de Muertos comes to Gladstone Brewing, with SOMOS partnering with Gladstone and Salsa with Chris to bring this celebration to the Valley.
And if you're up for a little travelling, there's even more happening on the Island and the Mainland.
In Vancouver, Latincouver's Latin American Heritage Month celebrations run from October 14 to November 2, while the Vancouver Latin American Cultural Centre's Latin Expressions Festival runs throughout October, from October 1 to 27.
So my little internet rabbit hole ended up being about much more than dates and definitions. It made me think about what Latin American Heritage Month means here, in our own community, and why sharing these cultures and stories matters.
I've heard Canada described many times as a cultural mosaic, a place where people from different backgrounds are encouraged to keep their languages, traditions and cultures rather than blending them all into a single identity.
This month, I feel even luckier than usual to be part of that mosaic, and to have the privilege through SOMOS of helping showcase and share some of the beautiful Latin American cultures that are part of the place we call home.
Because making a home somewhere new doesn't mean leaving your traditions behind. It means finding a place for them in your new home and sharing them with the people around you.
Prefer to watch instead?
Here's the quick version of Hispanic vs. Latin American from SOMOS.