The Columbus Day Parade, Essay Example

Introduction

The Columbus Day Parade takes place at 47^th Street and Fifth Avenue. It continues north along Fifth Avenue until it reaches 79^th Street. The event has been a part of the United States’ history.  Every year more than 100 bands perform for more than 35,000 people lining the parade route. The day is a significant day for the Italian American culture and the heritage.

Recently, this last October 11^th, included noteworthy Italian Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and gubernatorial candidates Andrew Cuomo and Carl Paladino. Lined with Cartoon models, bands and revelers, the parade features a wide array of colors and excitement. The Columbus Day parade in New York celebrates the excitement of new voyages and exploration, just as Christopher Columbus experienced himself.  The spirit of exploration gripped Columbus and his plans to find a new route to India led him across the Atlantic to what has now become the prolific United States of America.

The parade means many things to a great many people.  To the Italian-American people, it is a once-a-year celebration and affirmation of their heritage.  They take pride in  the fact that Columbus was from their native country, and often attend the parade in the colors of  the Italian flag or other ceremonial costumes.  Children are taught, from an early age, that the Columbus Day parade means more than just pageantry and pomp, it alos represents a deep sense of pride and commitment to a time and country many of them have never known or seen. There are entire families who attend the festivities together and make this time of year a kind of reunion of their families, a traditional reweaving of old ties and roots which go back more years than most of them can even remember.   For a country such as America, one forged out of the hopes and dreams of immigrants hoping for a better way of  life, the time of year of this particular parade is almost a sacred time, one where they can cherish their new democracy even as they remember their shared culture.

For young band students around the United States, the Columbus Day parade has an entirely different meaning.   It is considered one of the highest honors available to be picked to march in this ceremonial tribute to the man who founded our country.   Many schools begin to compete for  the invitation early in their school’s academic time.    Parents hold bake sales, fund raisers and other money-making events to raise needed money for the trip and band students themselves sell cookies, jewelry, or any other items they can find in order to partially pay for the cost of a bus and the trip, but this is only the beginning of their work.

Band members start to perfect marching routines and music as early as summer before their freshman years, often working long hours to master the intricate routines and footwork which is necessary to become just a small part of the pageantry which is this very famous parade.  Music is selected with an eye for popular tunes which will catch the eye of judges and selection committees, then that same music is rigorously practiced over and over to achieve the perfection which is demanded for the final cuts.   Even this is not the end for these young music students, however.  It is only the beginning of the hardest part of all – the meticulous putting together of the music with the routines and steps which will look entertaining and exciting to the crowds of people who will line the streets that morning.   It is more difficult than most people will ever know, but it forms a discipline and a highlight that many of these students will remember all their lives.   Possibly never again will some of them be able to be part of such a rich tradition; most will never again be part of something where the whole is so mch greater than the swum of its parts.   As the poet, O’Shaunessey, put it, though, it is wonderful to be one of the “music makers, the dreamers of dreams”.

Parade Overview and History

The parade features the best of American and Italian cultures. Over a dozen high school bands show off their talents and over 35,000 marchers join the festivities, exhibiting professional talents in the Northward march up Fifth Avenue. Talents from Italy’s finest as well as America’s finest join together for this illustrious event.

The floats for the Columbus Day  parade are beautiful and eye-catching.   For people watching the line of beautiful flowers, flags, balloons and music, whether at home on their televisions or braving the weather and actually likning the streets to see it in person, most weill never have the slightest idea of the amount of time, effort, creativity and money which go into these displays.   They go by in just a few seconds, but the making of them often begins months and months before the parade begins.   Committees are formed to come up with a theme, then begins the hard work of making this theme into a reality.   Thousands of dollars are often raised and then spent to make the animated pictures, each which represent a particular time or part of history to the people making them.  It is well worth it, however, to the people who put these long hours into the making of these amazing creations.   Not only are their much-coveted prizes for categories such as “most Creative” and “Most Original”, but the pulling together for a common theme and purpose, once again, is something that groups of people will remember all their lives.  They might never have a trophy sitting on their mantle or a ribborn hanging on their wall, but they will always remember the feeling of common purpose, the thrill which comes from the single goal of making something which has one and only one real purpose in mind: to enchant others and to make something which makes our country, for one brief shining moment, a more united and beautiful place.

Christopher Columbus

After the Portuguese had navigating around the Cape of Good Hope, Spain wanted to seek its own explorations before the Portuguese conquered all lands. Like Portugal, Spain wanted to share in the profitable spice trade of Asia. Queen Isabella of Spain also had the goal of forming an alliance with India, China, and the Muslims. After many appeals, she finally selected Christopher Columbus to take on the task. He was capable captain who could lead a crew to a new  shorter route to India.

On August 3, 1492, Columbus set sail west with a crew of 90 men. After a voyage that lasted until October 12, as rations were becoming frighteningly low, the ships finally saw land. Because he thought he’d reached the Indies, Columbus named the inhabitants Indians. After regaining supplies from the Indians, Columbus set sail three more times, exploring Cuba and Hispaniola, Haiti,  and the Dominican Republic. He claimed the lands, his explorations opening a way for the Spanish to colonize an entire new continent.

Columbus’s great accomplishments fueled a bigger feud between Spain and Portugal. John II of Portugal denied Spain had any claims on the Caribbean Islands. Each country disputed the right of others to explore new lands. To keep peace, the pope arranged a settlement called the Treaty of Tordesillas.

Further voyages by Columbus finally made him aware that he was not actually in India but an enormous continent instead. His discovery led many to a new land where freedom of religion and freedom from the British rule would not suppress their expressions of individual freedoms. At least, that’s what they hoped upon leaving Britain. But the British rule would eventually lead to the inhabitants fighting back. The American Revolutionary War was had, and the beginning of the great superpower, the United States, was born. And it began with the discovery of the Italian captain, Christopher Columbus.

Italian-American Heritage

While event is the most enormous celebration had in honor of Italian-American heritage and culture, there are great protestations that occur. Contrasting the happy celebrations are various lines of protesters at various segments who cite the plight of the American Indian as their agenda. While the festivities drown out the comparatively miniscule protest groups, their perspectives indeed bear mentioning.

Conclusion

At a time of unrest and turmoil – and most times have these elements, from the very beginning of our country to the present day – regardless of the year, it  can be a magical thing to stop thinking and celebrating the ways we are all different here, and for one day and for one parade, celebrate one of the ways we are all the same/  At times we, as a common citizenry, become too fixated on the melting pot which is America, and this is important.   But it is also important to never lose sight of the commonalities we share as a people and as a culture of our own.  And on the day of the Columbus Day parade, we are able to honor one of the greatest similarities of all:  the fact that we are all, rich and poor, old and young, this United States tapestry of many colors, races, and religions,  every one of us are all here, in this country, because of one man.  And that man is Christopher Columbus.

References

http://www.columbuscitizensfd.org/cparade.shtml

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/11/columbus-day-parade-nyc-2010_n_758521.html