July Days—Independence, Ripening, and a Pony Swim

This month was originally named Quintilis (“fifth”) in the old Roman calendar, which had March as the first month of the year. It was renamed to honor Julius Caesar, who reformed the calendar in 46 BCE to add leap years, and move the start of the year to January.

To the Mdewakaŋtuŋwaŋ Dakota of Minnesota, the full moon on July 29 is either the Chokecherry Ripening Moon or, more generally, When Things Ripen Moon.