Discover Cultural Customs and Traditions in Canada

A cultural custom is a special habit shared by a group of people. A tradition is a custom passed down from family to family over time. You can learn about Ways People Express Culture through food, dance, clothing, and celebrations.

Canada is home to many different cultures. You will discover that many different cultures make Canada a diverse and wonderful country.

Canada's Indigenous peoples are called First Nations, Métis, and Inuit. You can learn more about their stories through First Peoples Oral Histories and First Peoples Ways of Life.

A powwow is a special First Nations gathering where people celebrate with dance, drumming, and community. Dancers at a powwow wear colourful regalia, which are special traditional outfits.

A totem pole is carved by some First Nations peoples on Canada's Pacific coast to tell family and community stories. Métis people are known for a lively traditional dance called jigging, which is done to fiddle music. Métis people also celebrate Louis Riel Day in February to honour their leader and culture.

Inuit people have traditionally lived in the Arctic north of Canada. An iglu is a shelter built from snow blocks used during hunts and travels. An inukshuk is a stone figure that helped people find their way across the land. Drum dancing is an important Inuit celebration that brings communities together. A parka is a warm coat that protects people from the harsh Arctic cold. Caribou have been a key source of food and clothing for Inuit people for thousands of years.

You will find many exciting Cultural Celebrations, Festivals, Holidays and Events in Canada. Families share food and songs at celebrations as part of their culture.

Lunar New Year is celebrated by many Canadian families with Chinese, Vietnamese, and other Asian heritage. Families eat special foods together to welcome the new year. Diwali is called the Festival of Lights and is celebrated by many South Asian Canadian families. Families light small oil lamps and share sweets together.

Canada Day is celebrated on July 1st every year. Many Canadian families watch fireworks together on Canada Day to celebrate. On Remembrance Day, Canadians honour soldiers who gave their lives for Canada. Canadians wear a red poppy on Remembrance Day to remember soldiers. At Canadian Thanksgiving, families traditionally eat turkey and pie together.

Jewish Canadian families celebrate Hanukkah by lighting a menorah each night. Muslim families celebrate Eid with food, gifts, and prayers. Ukrainian Canadians have a tradition of making pysanka, which are beautifully painted eggs at Easter.

French Canadians have many special traditions. Tourtière is a meat pie eaten during the holiday season. Carnaval is a famous winter festival in Quebec City. Maple syrup is made from maple trees and is an important part of Canadian food culture. Many families in Quebec speak French at home because it is the main language of that province. Canada has two official languages: English and French.

Families pass down traditions through stories and songs shared across generations. You can explore Family Celebrations and Family and Community History to understand how traditions connect families. Ice hockey is Canada's most beloved national sport and cultural tradition. Canada's two official national sports are lacrosse and hockey. Canada's national colours are red and white, seen on the flag, which features a red maple leaf.

We learn about other cultures so we can respect and understand each other better. You can discover more about Sharing Between Cultures and Different Points of View.

Cultural Custom: A cultural custom is a special habit shared by a group of people, like eating special foods or wearing traditional clothing.

Tradition: A tradition is a custom passed down from family to family over time, like singing songs or telling stories together.

Culture: Culture means the way of life shared by a group of people, including their customs, food, and celebrations.

Powwow: A powwow is a special gathering where First Nations people celebrate with dance, drumming, and community.

Regalia: Regalia are the special traditional outfits worn by dancers at a powwow.

Totem Pole: A totem pole is a carved wooden pole used by some First Nations peoples to tell family and community stories.

Jigging: Jigging is a lively traditional dance of the Métis people, done to fiddle music.

Louis Riel Day: Louis Riel Day is a celebration in February when Métis people honour their leader and culture.

Iglu: An iglu is a shelter built from snow blocks, used by Inuit people during hunts and travels.

Inukshuk: An inukshuk is a stone figure built by Inuit people to help others find their way across the land.

Drum Dancing: Drum dancing is an important Inuit celebration that brings communities together through music and movement.

Parka: A parka is a warm coat worn by Inuit people to protect them from the cold Arctic weather.

Caribou: Caribou are large animals that have been a key source of food and clothing for Inuit people for thousands of years.

Tourtière: Tourtière is a meat pie that French Canadian families eat during the holiday season.

Carnaval: Carnaval is a famous winter festival held in Quebec City that is part of French Canadian culture.

Maple Syrup: Maple syrup is a sweet food made from maple tree sap and is an important symbol of Canadian culture.

Pysanka: Pysanka are beautifully painted eggs made by Ukrainian Canadians as part of their Easter tradition.

Diwali: Diwali is the Festival of Lights celebrated by many South Asian Canadian families, where families light small oil lamps.

Lunar New Year: Lunar New Year is a celebration of the new year in the lunar calendar, shared by many Chinese and Vietnamese Canadian families.

Poppy: A red poppy is the flower Canadians wear on Remembrance Day to remember soldiers who served Canada.

Lacrosse and Hockey: Lacrosse and hockey are Canada's two official national sports and are important parts of Canadian culture.

You can practice by thinking about your own family's traditions. What special foods does your family eat? What celebrations do you share together? Explore Community Celebrations and Events to learn about more traditions near you.

You can also think about how traditions are passed down. Ask a family member to share a story or song that has been in your family for a long time.

You have already learned about Cultural Foods and Dress and Family Origins, which help you understand where cultural traditions come from. You also explored Cultural Festivals and Immigration Stories that show how people bring their traditions to new places.

You learned about Cultural Characteristics: Language, Family Origins, Food and Dress and Family Celebrations, which are the building blocks for understanding customs and traditions.

This topic connects to many other important ideas. You can explore Community Languages and Multilingual Diversity to learn how different languages are part of cultural identity. You will also discover Cultural Foods and Traditional Dress Across Societies to see how food and clothing tell stories about culture.

You can learn about Diversity Within Communities and how many cultures live together in one place. Explore Coming to the Community to understand how people bring their traditions when they move to new places.

After this topic, you will be ready to explore Cultural Diversity in Communities and Customs and Celebrations. You will also learn about Family Customs, First Peoples Traditions, and Maintaining Traditions. These topics build on everything you learn here about cultural customs and traditions.

You can also explore Food, Art and Clothing, World Religions and Values, and Basic Human Rights to see how culture connects to many parts of life.