Downtown #VictoriaBC will be filled with music, colour and tradition on April 11 as the Victoria #BengaliCulturalSociety hosts its first outdoor celebration of #PohelaBoishakh - the #Bengali #NewYear. The #FreeEvent, set for #CentennialSquare at noon, marks a milestone for the local Bengali community, bringing one of its most recognized #cultural traditions into the public square. For the first time in Victoria, organizers will stage the #MongolShobhajatra -a “parade of well-being” recognized by #UNESCO. The procession will feature large, handcrafted masks and vibrant artistic structures, accompanied by drumming and music symbolizing #peace and #unity.

The parade is expected to begin around 1 p.m. The celebration will also include live Bengali music and dance performances, a food fair showcasing #SouthAsian cuisine, and vendor stalls offering traditional clothing and handmade goods. Organizers say the event is meant to highlight the #diversity of #cultures on #VancouverIsland while offering residents a chance to engage with Bengali traditions.

https://www.vbcscanada.com/
https://saanichnews.com/2026/04/05/victoria-to-host-first-outdoor-bengali-new-year-celebration-and-parade/

#CommunityEvent #CommunityBuilding #CulturalConnecting #SouthEastAsians #AsianMastodon #CulturalEvent #FamilyFriendly #YYJEvents #CulturalFood #CulturalMusic #GlobalSouthDiaspora #AsianDiaspora #VanIsle #ArtsAndCulture #CommunityDiversity

Metis Nation of Greater Victoria invites you to join for the annual Knowledge Keepers Gathering! This is an event where we highlight and showcase Metis knowledge from academic researchers, Metis-focused research, to cultural knowledge holders, storytellers, artists, musicians and dancers.

This event is free, for anyone and everyone to attend, and there is no registration required.

*I'll update with more detailed info, closer to event date. A few things are still being worked out.*

#Indigenous #VictoriaBC #BCIndigenous #CommunityBuilding #CommunityEvent #CommunityConnecting #CulturalConnecting #Metis #KnowledgeKeepers #Lekwungen #Xwespsm #Wsanec #YYJEvents #FreeEvent #CulturalWisdom #CulturalSharing #POCVoices #VancouverIsland #VanIsle #FirstPeoples #MetisCulture #CulturalArts #CulturalDance #CulturalMusic #IndigenousStorytellers

Welcoming the return of pink blossom laden trees during this liminal space of Spring and the good byes of this Winter dreamscape. Immerse your senses in this exploration or Art and Foods with the talented artists and food creatives at the #Hanami : #BlossomMarket.

The day is filled with fun flavours, traditional foods, brilliant artists, games and workshops! Explore our talented array of unique designers inspired by the first bursts of pink cherry blossoms of spring. Dress up and take photos with J-Fashionistas while singing to Karaoke classics with local pop stars. This is a one day extravaganza to explore all the fun and beauty of spring and the subcultures we adore in this amazing artistic community.

MARCH 14th 2026
11 – 4pm
1240 Gladstone Ave.
Kids 12 and under are FREE
Adults $4 TAP or CASH

Please enter through the STREET LEVEL FRONT DOORS.

The Fernwood Community Centre is accessible with a ramp inside (no elevator) & 3 accessible washrooms. Wheel chair access at the main entrance off the street (1240 Gladstone Ave). There is a wide ramp leading down to the gym. The centre is a mix of fluorescent lighting and natural light. It can be busy at these markets so we offer an early assisted access to those in need 15 minutes before the doors open at 10:45am at the main street level entrance.

#AsianMastodon #Korean #Japanese #Kawaii #Kpop #AsianFashion #AsianArts #AsianCulture #FernwoodCommunity #VictoriaBC #YYJEvents #AsianCommunity #Cultural #CommunityEvent #CulturalConnecting #FamilyFriendly #VancouverIsland #SpringFestival #CulturalFood #AsianMarket

Make a #Temari ball for the Christmas season.

Temari (手まり）is a folk craft originating from Japan around 1300 years ago. Traditionally made in the form of "hand balls" given from parents to children on New Year's day. They've become a popular and versatile gift item while remaining a refreshing toy for children to play with.

All materials are provided.
Please arrive at least 5 minutes before the start time to ensure that you are there for the start of the workshop.
This workshop will take place on the same day as the Nikkei Craft Fair(10am - 5pm).

6688 Southoaks Crescent.
#Burnaby #Vancouver #YVR

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/temari-workshops-christmas-tickets-1781978368269

#Japanese #Arts #Culture #Crafts #MakeAGift #workshop #HandsOnLearning #CreateAndMake #FolkCrafts #TraditionalCrafts #CulturalConnecting #CulturalLearning

You are warmly invited into a #cinematic journey with Mauri: The Vital Essence in All Beings.

#Mauri is a powerful #documentary #film that invites us into the living world of #Māori #healing. Guided by #elders and lineage holders, the film weaves land, language, and ceremony into a story of #intergenerational care and #ancestral remembering. Filmed in Aotearoa, Mauri honors the sacred ways that continue even in the wake of #colonization and offers a profound glimpse into the resilience of #cultural memory and connection.

Join us for Mauri #GlobalFilmPremiere + 5-Day LIVE #OnlineEvent with #MāoriElders - October 14–18 →
https://theeternalsong.org/mauri/

Mauri: The Vital Essence in All Beings is the latest offering in our Wisdom of the Ancestors 12-film series, a living body of work shaped by #Indigenous knowledge, deep listening, and ancestral continuity.

The film invites us into stories that reach, beyond explanation, into embodied teachings, and generational healing work. As part of this gathering, you’ll be welcomed into daily live sessions and receive a rare workshop with Atarangi Muru, a world-renowned Māori healer whose practice has supported communities across the globe.

These gatherings bring you into direct connection with the voices and presences featured in Mauri:

Atarangi Muru, a respected healer whose life’s work carries #RongoāMāori into communities across #Aotearoa and the world

Mark Kopua, tā moko master and guardian of ancient story traditions

Donna Kerridge, trauma therapist and educator working with nervous system intelligence and land-based healing

Tina Ngata, international advocate for Indigenous, environmental, and human rights

Tāngaroa Ngaropo-Tāwio, Māori scholar, spiritual practitioner, and cultural leader dedicated to reviving ancestral knowledge

Tohe Ashby, Rongoā Māori Healer recognized for developing treatment for kauri tree dieback disease using traditional knowledge and whalebone

Erin Matariki Carr, lawyer and currently a project lead at RIVER, where she focuses on the constitutional transformation movement in Aotearoa

Stan Conrad, one of the foremost captains of Māori ocean voyaging, a leader in the wisdom and practices of Māori navigation and vessels

Each session opens a portal into ancestral intelligence — revealing relational systems of care, healing, and spiritual grounding that respond to our entangled modern crises.

#Decolonization #NativeWisdom #AncestralKnowledge #BIPOC #CulturalConnecting #CulturalSharing #Educational #DecolonizeYourMind #DecolonialEducation #TruthBeforeReconcilliation #NativeHealing #IndigenousTeachings

A local Indigenous artist/jewelry maker friend is teaching this workshop with Oasis Society. Please pre-register if you're interested.

Join Oasis Society and Sara Santana to learn about different #feathers and their meanings while we decorate and take home our own feather.

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/craft-connect-with-oasis-society-feather-teaching-tickets-1661229675679?

#IndigenousCrafts #FeatherSymbolism #ArtsAndCulture #CommunityWorkshop #HandsOnLearning #NativeCrafts #IndigenousCulture #CulturalConnecting #Wsanec #Saanich #VictoriaBC #YYJ #VancouverIsland #VanIsle #CoastSalish

Here's the fried #bannock #recipe from #OasisSociety.
Make some, yourself!

#IndigenousFood #cooking #frybread #MakeYourOwn #CulturalConnecting