If you search for the “history of events” on Google or any alteration of that you’ll be pointed toward many historical events, but not the actually of how events started.
The word event comes from the Latin word eventus which means “occurrence, accident, event fortune, fate, lot, or issue.” The beginning of the world, for example, is an event – this explains why you can’t find the “history of events.”
What do you call it when people gather? The most appropriate word I can find is festival, at least according to it’s original meaning. The record of festivals dates back to Ancient Egypt; where the public was served thousands of loaves of bread and hundreds of jars of beer. Festivals were a time for celebration and provide people with a sense of belonging.
The purpose of a festival is celebration, and the function is a sense of belonging. This applies to the majority of activities we call “events” today.
– Birthday parties, weddings, and graduations celebrate private accomplishments or fortune.
– Conferences and trade shows celebrate an entire industry.
– Music festivals, concerts, and art shows celebrate art.
– Christmas parties, Halloween parties, and July 4th parties celebrate national and religious holidays.
– Happy hours and house parties celebrate the end of a workweek.
– Family dinners celebrate the end of a workday.
My question to you is this. First, do you go to events? If so, are they functioning properly? In other words, do these events provide you with a sense of belonging to a religious, social, or geographic community?
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