Around the world, there are no shortage of ways to measure the passage of time. While the Gregorian calendar has become standard in many parts of the world, it’s often replaced systems with deep cultural and historical roots.
While some calendars have faded from use, time itself doesn’t stop, so timekeeping is, in a way, eternal. Whether or not you count the same days, observe the same holidays, or recognize the same cycles of time as your ancestors – the systems they developed, and even our current systems, will outlast the cultural memory, enduring forever. Cultures around the world, both past and present, have already named yesterday, today, tomorrow, and every day to come. The day some call January 1, 2021, others know as Dōngyuè 18, 4718, and whether or not you’re celebrating the start of a new year on that day, it doesn’t matter, because every day is likely New Years Day in some culture, somewhere on this Earth, even if no one living remembers. And that’s a reason to celebrate every day of life.
Graphic by Jordan Engel. As always, the Decolonial Atlas’ original media can be reused under the Decolonial Media License 0.1.
| Calendar | New Year’s Day, 2021 | Name of New Year’s Day Observance | Name/Number of Year |
| Gregorian | Jan 1, 2021 | New Year’s | 2021 |
| Japanese | Jan 1, 2021 | Shōgatsu | Reiwa 3 |
| Amazigh | Jan 13, 2021 | Yennayer | 2971 |
| Tibetan | Feb 12, 2021 | Losar | 2148, Iron Ox |
| Korean | Feb 12, 2021 | Seollal | 4354 |
| Chinese | Feb 12, 2021 | Nónglì Xīn Nián | 4719, Ox |
| Mexihcah | Feb 23, 2021 | Yancuic Xihuitl | 10 Tochtli (Rabbit) |
| Igbo | Feb 27, 2021 | Iguaro | 1022 |
| Bahá’í | Mar 20, 2021 | Naw-Rúz | 178 |
| Iranian | Mar 20, 2021 | Nowruz | 1400 |
| Kurdish | Mar 20, 2021 | Newroz | 2721 |
| Sikh | Mar 29, 2021 | Hola Mohalla | 553 |
| Shaka Samvat | Mar 29, 2021 | Nyepi | 1943 |
| Vikram Samvat | Mar 29, 2021 | Gudi Padwa | 2078 |
| Assyrian | Apr 1, 2021 | Kha b-Nisan | 6771 |
| Burmese | Apr 13, 2021 | Thingyan | 1383 |
| Cambodian-Thai | Apr 13, 2021 | Songkran | 2564 |
| Nepali | Apr 14, 2021 | Nava Varsha | 2078 |
| Bengali | Apr 14, 2021 | Pahela Baishakh | 1428 |
| Tripuri | Apr 14, 2021 | Tring | 1432 |
| Tamil | Apr 14, 2021 | Puthandu | 5123 |
| Yoruba | Jun 3, 2021 | Odunde | 10063 |
| Maya Cholq’ij | Jun 28, 2021 | Wajxaqib’ B’atz’ | 13 (Long Count) |
| Islamic | Aug 10, 2021 | Raʿs as-Sanah al-Hijrīyah | 1443 |
| Javanese | Aug 10, 2021 | Satu Suro | 1955 |
| Armenian | Aug 11, 2021 | Navasard | 1471 |
| Malayalam | Aug 17, 2021 | Vishu | 1196 |
| Byzantine | Sep 1, 2021 | Leitourgikí Protochroniá | 7530 |
| Jewish | Sep 7, 2021 | Rosh Hashanah | 5782 |
| Coptic | Sep 11, 2021 | Nayrouz | 1738 |
| Ethiopian | Sep 11, 2021 | Enkutatash | 2014 |
| Jain | Nov 2, 2021 | Bestu Varas | 2548 |
| Gujarati | Nov 5, 2021 | Bestu Varas | 2078 |
The Decolonial Atlas 
[…] know people say that dates, calendars (a fascinating look at calendars around the world) and timelines are arbitrary, but I feel our […]
LikeLike
[…] 1, and even though most of the world is observing New Year’s Day, I want to name this is one of many New Year celebrations, and they all deserve to be honoured. As someone who organizes their life across multiple […]
LikeLike
Hello & thank you for so many amazing WORLDVIEW-CHANGING projects you share with the world.
It’s appreciated.
I found this note interesting but surprising. It gives a reinforcement to Eurasian buy-ins — stereotype ideas that everything came from Eurasia and nothing much happened here among WHI.
The list of cultures showing the high numbers gives the impression that ONLY Eurasian cultures go back in time that far. It reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of my pet-peeve list that excludes the [4] colonized continents in our educational systems. ‘Anywhere but here’ — Assyrian, Chinese, Yoruba [yay!], Byzantine, Jewish, Tamil.
Where’s the Romans, Greeks, Macedonians, Fertile Crescent? They came over and taught the Indians agriculture, didn’t they? I guess the list reflects it with these ‘ancient cultures’.
Best,
Dave
LikeLike