Giselle Laronde-West brings us some of her favorite Caribbean traditions during the Easter era.
tHis Easter weekend – a long weekend of public holidays in many parts of the Caribbean – is a fun time throughout the region, with activities and traditions that will excite young people and young people in their hearts.
In my home country, Trinidad & Tobago, a rare tradition is to beat “Boberry” on Good Friday. Efigy – a human-sized plush portrait – is created by members of the community and hung or tied up on a pole to see everyone until the act is carried out. These Boboreans usually represent (and similar) people who do not respect the members of the community, or who feel they have betrayed them. Of course, the original Bobery was Judas Iscariot. Bobores are ultimately beaten or burned in public spaces.
In Tobago, the goat and crab race — held on Tuesday after Easter at Bookco Village — is a tradition that began as the “poor human version” of horse racing in the early 1900s. Lots of locals and visitors are looking forward to this event where you can cheer on your favorite goats. Runners and trainers who run with goats train hard on charging all year round, hoping for the supreme nature of goat racing. A bonus is followed by a crab race. There, participants (including children) – equipped with a thin stick and gently fine-tune the crab towards the finish line.
Barbados has its own tradition. Physical nut tree bleeding. The red sap that oozes out of the bark of the tree when stuck on Good Friday symbolizes the blood of Christ. This tradition involves making small incisions in the trunk of a tree to collect the sap. This is usually applied to the skin. It is considered to be a traditional treatment for skin conditions and a variety of diseases such as arthritis and rheumatism.
The most common and popular Easter tradition in many Caribbean countries is kite flight. Family and friends gather together to create beautiful, colorful kits in a variety of shapes, patterns and sizes, head to the park, beach or open space, showing off when they dance in the lively, intense breezes during this time of year. Some kits will have unique shapes such as lions, ships, dragons, and more.
Another feature of Easter Time? Delicious hot cross pan. These are spice-rich, sweet breads with symbolic cloth of white icing sugar. Caribbean Easter celebrations are not complete without them. In Jamaica, it is often made with nutmeg and cinnamon and contains raisins, currants, or mixed skins. At Trinidad & Tobago, it is made with coconut milk or grated coconut and spices. Some other islands will tailor their recipes to include molasses, inger, and even rum. Enjoy plain with butter and cheese.
Easter hats and bonnet competitions are also very popular – in schools, churches and in larger community settings – Easter egg hunts are a favorite for family gatherings at home or in the park. Some families also compete for eggs to boil and paint, and have their kids compete by going to the top of the egg and rolling the eggs onto the slope. The person whose egg first reaches the bottom – the most as is – wins.
A special experience in Curacao is the Sue Harvest Easter Parade, usually held on an Easter Monday, early in the afternoon. It is an epic display of creativity and craftsmanship by locals who showcase the floats that decorated the city of Willemstad all around town, to the sounds of local marching bands accompanied by dance groups and other cultural organizations.
happy easter!
