Discover the Amazing Diversity Within Your Community!

Canada is home to many different people with different ways of life. You live in a community where people come from many places around the world. This mix of different cultures living together is called cultural diversity.

When we say Canada is a mosaic of cultures, it means every group keeps its own special identity. You can learn about Cultural Diversity in Communities to see how this works where you live.

Culture includes the traditions, language, food, celebrations, and ways of life that a group of people share together. It is not just one thing it is everything that makes a group special. You can explore Cultural Customs and Traditions to learn more.

A tradition is a special custom passed down through families over many years. Traditions connect you to your history and the people who came before you.

Indigenous peoples including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit have lived on this land for thousands of years. They were here long before anyone else arrived. You can learn more about First Peoples Ways of Life and their rich cultures.

In Nunavut, many Inuit children learn traditional skills like making clothing and travelling on the land. Elders in Indigenous communities hold important knowledge, stories, and wisdom that they share with younger people. You can also explore Pre-Settler Indigenous Community Structures and Cultural Variations.

Canada has two official languages: English and French. French is especially important in Quebec and New Brunswick. A person who speaks two languages is called bilingual.

Many Indigenous languages like Cree, Ojibwe, and Inuktitut carry the stories and history of Indigenous peoples. You can discover more about Community Languages and Multilingual Diversity and Languages Around the World.

Communities across Canada celebrate many different cultural events. Lunar New Year is celebrated by Chinese and other Asian Canadian communities. A Powwow is an important Indigenous gathering for dance, drumming, and song. Caribana (now called the Toronto Caribbean Carnival) is a joyful Caribbean festival. Canada Day on July 1st marks Confederation in 1867.

Other celebrations like Diwali and Eid show how people from South Asian and Muslim communities share their traditions. You can learn more about Cultural Celebrations, Festivals, Holidays and Events and Community Celebrations and Events.

Food is one wonderful way communities share their culture. Bannock is a bread with deep roots in Indigenous cultures across Canada. Poutine is a beloved Québécois dish enjoyed all across Canada. Perogies were brought to Canada by Ukrainian immigrants. Butter chicken reflects the contribution of South Asian Canadians.

You can explore more about Cultural Foods and Traditional Dress Across Societies and Food, Art, and Clothing.

Every person's culture is special and deserves kindness and respect. Being a good neighbour means being kind and curious about other people's traditions. You can show respect by welcoming new classmates, asking kind questions, and including everyone in activities.

You will learn more about Sharing Between Cultures and Different Points of View as you grow in your understanding.

Culture: The traditions, language, food, celebrations, and ways of life that a group of people share together. For example, your family's special foods and holidays are part of your culture.

Cultural Diversity: When many people with different backgrounds, languages, and traditions live together in the same community. Canada is known for its cultural diversity.

Tradition: A special custom or way of doing something that is passed down through a family or community over time. Singing a special song every holiday is a tradition.

Indigenous Peoples: First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples who have lived on the land that is now Canada for thousands and thousands of years.

Mosaic: A word used to describe Canada, meaning it is made up of many different cultures that each keep their own special identity.

Multicultural: A community or country that has people from many different cultural backgrounds living together. Canada is a multicultural country.

Bilingual: A person who can speak and understand two languages. Many Canadians speak both English and French.

Elder: A respected older person in a community, especially in Indigenous communities, who holds important knowledge, stories, and wisdom to share with younger people.

Powwow: An important Indigenous gathering that includes dance, drumming, and song. It is a celebration of Indigenous culture and community.

Lunar New Year: A celebration observed by many families with roots in East Asia and Southeast Asia, including Chinese Canadian communities.

Bannock: A type of bread with deep roots in First Nations and Métis cultures across Canada.

Poutine: A beloved Québécois dish made of fries, cheese curds, and gravy that has become popular all across Canada.

Perogies: A traditional food brought to Canada by Ukrainian immigrants, now enjoyed by many Canadians.

Butter Chicken: A dish that reflects the contribution of South Asian Canadians to Canada's diverse food culture.

Diwali: A festival of lights celebrated by many Hindu, Sikh, and Jain families with roots in South Asia.

Eid: An important religious celebration shared by Muslim families around the world, including many Muslim families in Canada.

You can celebrate diversity by attending cultural festivals in your community. Try tasting foods from different cultures or learning a few words in another language. You can also explore Cultural Expression through Art, Music, Traditions, and Holidays.

At school, you can show respect by welcoming new students and asking kind questions about their traditions. Explore Ways People Express Culture to see all the different ways people share who they are.

You have already learned about Family Origins, Languages and Communication, Cultural Foods and Dress, and Cultural Festivals. You also explored Physical Characteristics like Hair, Skin Colour, and Eyes and Family Structures. These topics helped you get ready to understand diversity.

Next, you will build on what you know by exploring Customs and Celebrations, World Religions and Values, Maintaining Traditions, Family Customs, and First Peoples Traditions. You will also learn about Understanding Other Places and Family and Community History.

This topic connects to many other important ideas. You can explore Cultural Characteristics: Language, Family Origins, Food, and Dress and Global Cultural Celebrations including Christmas, Lunar New Year, and First Peoples Traditions to see how cultures are expressed around the world.

You will also find connections in Coming to the Community, which explores how newcomers bring their cultures to Canada. The topic Cultural Aspects: Language, Traditions, Arts, and Food will help you go even deeper into what makes each culture unique.