Explore Cultural Foods and Traditional Dress From Around the World!

You live in a place where many different cultures share their foods and clothing. Learning about Cultural Customs and Traditions helps you understand what makes each group of people special. Food and dress are two big ways people show who they are!

Every culture has its own special foods and clothes. When you learn about them, you learn about the people who make and wear them.

Canada is home to many cultures, and each one has its own yummy foods. You can find these foods in communities all across the country.

Bannock is a traditional bread eaten by many Indigenous peoples. It is cooked over a fire and has been part of their food culture for a very long time.

Poutine comes from Quebec. It is made with fries, cheese curds, and gravy. It is a special French Canadian food.

Perogies are stuffed dough pockets brought to Canada by Ukrainian settlers. They are filled with potato and cheese.

Maple syrup is one of Canada's most famous foods. It comes from the sap of maple trees, especially in Quebec and Ontario.

Tourtière is a meat pie from French Canadian culture. Many families eat it at holiday celebrations.

Naan is a soft flat bread from South Asian culture. Many South Asian Canadians enjoy it with their meals.

Inuit people in Canada's Arctic traditionally eat seal and Arctic fish. These animals live near them in the cold north. People in British Columbia enjoy fresh Pacific salmon from the ocean. Wild rice is a native water grain that grows in Canadian lakes and rivers. It is an important food for many First Nations peoples. You can learn more about how people share these foods by exploring Sharing Between Cultures.

Just like food, clothing tells you a lot about a culture. Many people wear special clothes to celebrate their heritage.

A sari is a long cloth draped around the body. Women from South Asian cultures wear it. A kimono is a long silk robe worn in Japanese culture. Many Japanese Canadians wear kimonos at special events.

A kilt is a pleated plaid skirt from Scottish culture. A ribbon skirt is a special garment worn by Indigenous women and decorated with ribbon strips. A kurta is a long loose shirt worn by men in South Asian cultures.

Inuit people wear warm fur clothing to stay safe in very cold weather. Mukluks are warm soft boots made from animal skin, worn by Inuit and other Indigenous peoples. Moccasins are soft leather shoes made from animal hide, worn by many Indigenous peoples across Canada.

At powwows, First Nations people wear beautiful colourful regalia. Regalia are special traditional outfits with beadwork, feathers, and decorated clothing. Métis people wear colourful beaded sashes called ceintures fléchées at celebrations. A turban is a cloth wrapped around the head, worn by many Sikh Canadians. Kente cloth is a colourful woven fabric worn by some West African Canadians for celebrations. At Chinese New Year, many Chinese Canadians wear bright red silk clothes because red means good luck. You can explore more about how people express themselves through Ways People Express Culture.

Some cultures have special items that are part of their traditions. A totem pole is a tall carved wooden pole made by First Nations peoples, especially on Canada's Pacific coast. A dreamcatcher is a woven hoop craft made by some First Nations peoples. A Hudson's Bay point blanket is a famous striped wool blanket made in Canada. A toque is a warm knit hat worn by Canadians in cold weather. A potlatch is a traditional First Nations gathering to celebrate important community events. A powwow is a special First Nations cultural gathering with dancing, drumming, and traditional food. Caribou meat is a traditional food eaten by Inuit and northern First Nations peoples. Smoked salmon is a traditional food prepared by many First Nations peoples on Canada's Pacific coast. West Coast First Nations peoples use cedar to make traditional boxes, hats, and canoes. At Diwali, many South Asian Canadians eat sweet mithai treats like ladoo and barfi. Many Sikh Canadians enjoy lentils and flatbread as traditional foods. Many Chinese Canadians eat dumplings and rice as traditional foods. The Lunar New Year is a cultural celebration enjoyed by many Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean Canadians.

Bannock: Bannock is a traditional bread that many Indigenous peoples in Canada make and eat. You cook it over a fire.

Poutine: Poutine is a food from Quebec made with fries, cheese curds, and gravy. It is a special French Canadian dish.

Perogies: Perogies are stuffed dough pockets filled with potato and cheese. Ukrainian settlers brought them to Canada.

Maple syrup: Maple syrup is a sweet food made from the sap of maple trees. It is one of Canada's most famous traditional foods.

Tourtière: Tourtière is a traditional meat pie from French Canadian culture, especially popular in Quebec.

Naan: Naan is a soft flat baked bread from South Asian culture enjoyed by many South Asian Canadians.

Wild rice: Wild rice is a native water grain that grows in Canadian lakes and rivers. It is an important food for many First Nations peoples.

Sari: A sari is a long piece of cloth draped around the body. Women from South Asian cultures wear it as traditional dress.

Kimono: A kimono is a long silk robe worn in Japanese culture. Many Japanese Canadians wear kimonos at special celebrations.

Kilt: A kilt is a pleated plaid skirt from Scottish culture.

Ribbon skirt: A ribbon skirt is a special garment worn by Indigenous women and decorated with ribbon strips.

Kurta: A kurta is a long loose shirt worn by men in South Asian cultures.

Regalia: Regalia are the special traditional outfits worn by First Nations people at powwows. They include beadwork, feathers, and decorated clothing.

Mukluks: Mukluks are warm soft boots made from animal skin. Inuit and other Indigenous peoples wear them to keep their feet warm.

Moccasins: Moccasins are soft leather shoes made from animal hide. Many Indigenous peoples across Canada wear them as traditional footwear.

Turban: A turban is a cloth wrapped around the head. Many Sikh Canadians wear a turban as part of their faith and culture.

Kente cloth: Kente cloth is a colourful woven fabric worn by some West African Canadians for celebrations.

Totem pole: A totem pole is a tall carved wooden pole made by First Nations peoples, especially on Canada's Pacific coast.

Dreamcatcher: A dreamcatcher is a woven hoop craft made from a woven web with feathers, created by some First Nations people in Canada.

Toque: A toque is a warm knit hat worn by Canadians in cold weather.

Powwow: A powwow is a special First Nations cultural gathering with dancing, drumming, and traditional food.

Potlatch: A potlatch is a traditional First Nations gathering to celebrate important community events like births and marriages.

Caribou meat: Caribou meat is a traditional food eaten by Inuit and northern First Nations peoples in Canada's north.

Smoked salmon: Smoked salmon is a traditional food prepared and eaten by many First Nations peoples, especially on Canada's Pacific coast.

Cedar: Cedar is an important tree used by West Coast First Nations peoples to make traditional boxes, hats, and canoes.

Mithai: Mithai are sweet treats like ladoo and barfi eaten by many South Asian Canadians at Diwali celebrations.

Lunar New Year: Lunar New Year is a cultural celebration enjoyed by many Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean Canadians.

Hudson's Bay point blanket: A Hudson's Bay point blanket is a famous striped wool blanket made in Canada.

You can look at pictures of traditional clothing from different cultures and try to name them. You can also try foods from different cultures and learn where they come from.

Ask a family member about a special food or piece of clothing from your own culture. You can share what you learn with your class! Explore more about Diversity Within Communities to see how many cultures make your community special.

You may already know some things that help you with this topic. You may have learned about Family Origins, which tells you where your family comes from. You may also know about Cultural Foods and Dress and Cultural Festivals that different groups celebrate. You might also remember learning about Languages and Communication and how people from different cultures speak different languages. All of these ideas help you understand cultural foods and traditional dress even better! You can also look back at Cultural Characteristics Language Family Origins Food and Dress to review what you already know.

This topic connects to many other things you will learn about. Here are some important connections:

You can learn about Cultural Customs and Traditions to discover more about the special ways different cultures do things every day. You will also explore Community Languages Multilingual Diversity to see how people speak many different languages in your community.

You can find out about Cultural Celebrations Festivals Holidays and Events and Community Celebrations and Events to learn how people celebrate their cultures with food and dress. You will also explore First Peoples Ways of Life to learn more about Indigenous cultures in Canada.

After this topic, you will be ready to learn about Cultural Diversity in Communities and Customs and Celebrations. You will also explore Food Art and Clothing, Family Customs, Maintaining Traditions, and First Peoples Traditions. You can also learn about Coming to the Community to understand how people from different places bring their cultures with them.