New Year’s Day. (January 1.) New Year’s is one of
the few holidays that is not tied to a religious basis. Marking the official
beginning of the year, it is celebrated much in the same ways as elsewhere in
the world: food and drink, parties with friends and family, etc.
Boganda Day.
(March 29.) This day is in
commemoration of Barthélémy Boganda, the first leader of the Central African
Republic. He was instrumental in
moving the country from a colonial state to autonomy. However, he was killed in a plane crash before he was able
to see the country into independence.
Easter Monday. (Varies.) The
Easter holiday often starts out with a special service at the church or
cathedral for the nation’s Christians and as with most places, a meal with
family and friends follows. This year, the CAR along with its neighbor
Democratic Republic of the Congo was one of the subjects for the new Pope’s
Easter address, in hoping that the fighting between the government and rebels
will subside and that agreements could be made. Easter Monday is a public holiday where businesses and
schools are closed and is generally used as a day of rest.
Labour Day.
(May 1.) Labor Day is a day in honor of the nation’s workers and is
often a time when labor issues are discussed. While the overall unemployment rate for the nation is around
8%, it’s closer to 23% in the city of Bangui alone.
Ascension.
(Varies.) Ascension is the Christian holiday that falls 40 days after
Easter. It surrounds the tradition
that this was the day that Jesus ascended into heaven. Special services are
held at churches and cathedrals.
Whit Monday.
(Varies.) Also known as
Pentecost, in Christianity this is the holiday that celebrates the Holy Spirit
descending to visit the twelve apostles. It’s celebrated 50 days after
Easter. Some people attend special
services held at the local church. The following Monday is a public holiday
where many businesses and schools are closed for the day. This posed to be a
somewhat difficult search, because almost every search result was trying to reference
the Whitsunday Islands in Australia.
I didn’t even know these islands existed, but I certainly know now.
General Prayer Day. (June 30.) This is one holiday
where there are a lot of mentions about it, but no information on how people
from the CAR celebrate it. I’m going out on a limb and saying that it’s
probably a day of praying for loved ones, those in need, and for the stability
of the country, and any other people/issues that need to be prayed about. I’m
sure there may be special church services for this day as well.
National Tree Planting Day. (July 20.) Similar and inspired from the Arbor Day traditions in the
US, it’s a day to plant trees around communities and preserve green areas. This is not a public holiday, so you
better plant those trees on your lunch break.
Independence Day. (August 13.) This
marks the day in 1960 when the Central African Republic declared its
independence from France. It’s one of the larger holidays of the year for many
of the people. Traditional foods and cultural arts displays are common on this
day. One of the common things people look forward to seeing every year is the
oral traditions of the Aka Pygmies, a nomadic hunter-gatherer tribe known for
its music. I studied their music when I took a world music course as part of
the music history courses when I was in college. I’ll get more into this when
we come to music.
Assumption.
(August 15.) Assumption is
the Christian belief that this was the day Mary ascended into heaven after her
death. It’s celebrated differently
around the world, but there’s not much information out there regarding how it’s
celebrated in the CAR.
All Saint’s Day. November 1. It’s a public holiday in the CAR. Traditionally
more of a Catholic holiday, it’s a day to celebrate and pay homage to all of
the saints, especially the ones who don’t already have feast days in their
honor. Since schools and many businesses are closed for the day, many
Christians may attend special church services on this day.
Republic Day.
(December 1.) This is the
day when the French colony of Oubangui-Chari became an autonomous region and
renamed itself to its current name. It’s celebrated in much the same way as
Independence Day, with the national colors and flags decorating the homes and
businesses and streets. Parades with military and community groups and speeches
from politicians occur throughout the day as well as other festivities. Dancers
and wrestlers are popular acts to perform for the public, and one of the annual
events is a dugout canoe (or pirogue) race.
 |
| Current President Bozize, who was forced to flee as rebels took over the city of Bangui about a month and a half ago. |
Christmas Day. (December 25.) For
many people Christmas is spent celebrating it with friends and family over a
nice meal. Some people may also attend a special Christmas Mass or special
church service as well. While many
other African countries partake in the Santa Claus tradition introduced by the
Europeans, many central African countries do not adhere to these traditions.
But for many, it’s just another day simply because they are too poor to do
anything special. Fighting in the country has caused such a disruption of
normal services, and food is scarce in many areas, especially rural areas.
There is humanitarian aid and help from NGOs, but a lot of the time the food
and medical supplies are not able to be delivered to these areas where the
fighting is more intense.
Up next: art and literature
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