TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

I’ve come across Trinidad quite a few times during my life. They’re highly known for their music. And of course, their famous moko jumbies walking on stilts at the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. But I typically only hear about Trinidad while the island of Tobago is often included as an afterthought. (What’s going on over there anyway?) I’m sure like much of the other Caribbean islands, they have a long history of people taking over the islands and swiping pieces of all those cultures.

Christopher Columbus was the first European to arrive on the islands and named it “Isle of the Trinity [La Isla de la Trinidad]” which got shortened to just Trinidad. The island of Tobago is a derivative of the Spanish word for tobacco, but it’s not exactly clear if it’s because it’s shaped like a cigar or because of the tobacco growing and use by the people who live there. (Columbus originally called Tobago Bellaforma.) However, the original Arawak people living on Trinidad called it Cairi. It’s often said that it means “hummingbird,” but some historical linguists argue that it doesn’t. Regardless, the hummingbird has become a symbol of the country.

Trinidad and Tobago are the southernmost islands in the Caribbean. In fact, they’re actually on the South American plate, which probably makes them a part of South America rather than the Caribbean. They’re quite close to Venezuela and almost directly south of the countries of Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It also shares maritime borders with Barbados and Guyana. Not surprising, they have a tropical climate with definite rainy and dry seasons. The islands are typically outside of the hurricane paths, but every now and then they’ll get hit with one; Hurricane Flora did significant damage on the islands in 1963.

After Hurricane Flora in 1963.

The island was inhabited by various Amerindians, mostly Arawak- and Cariban-speaking groups. The Spanish were the first Europeans to land on the islands, and shortly after that, Sir Walter Raleigh made landfall searching for the famed El Dorado, or City of Gold. Both Trinidad and Tobago both became coveted islands for Spain, England, Netherlands, and France. Quite a few incidents happened between all these players in search of control of this island set, including skirmishes between the Spanish and the native people living here as well. (Not to mention that the Spanish also introduced disease to them that they had no immunity for. Seems a running theme wherever the Spanish went.) Trinidad became part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, along with the rest of Central America, Mexico, and part of the southwest US, but that didn’t last long. During the late 1700s, a lot of French planters with their slaves moved to Trinidad as well as freed blacks and mulattos from nearby islands in the Caribbean. This created a rise in population. The British took over in 1797 and declared it as a crown colony. Slavery was technically abolished in 1833, but instead of being freed, they were placed under an “apprenticeship.” That garbage program lasted about five years until there was a revolt and it was also abolished. Once there were no more slaves to work the fields since most went to work in the cities, they had to find labor somewhere else. So, they brought over indentured workers from India to fill the gaps. Some of these contracts were dubious at best. The British added the island of Tobago to their colony in 1899 when they realized the sugar industry was collapsing and thought they could help. The early 20th century brought about several revolts over labor and management of resources. By the 1920s and 1930s, the sugar industry had completely gone kaput, and labor issues were at the forefront. The US had a couple of military bases on Trinidad during WWII and actually did some good in building up the island, but they left in 1961. After the war, the British started decolonizing some of their colonies; the British-ran Caribbean countries formed a federation to help facilitate independence, which Trinidad left on its own later after Jamaica did. They did well during most of the 1970s because of the oil that was discovered. But then they hit a recession, inflation, and unemployment. In the early 2000s, they hit a second oil boom, which helped propel itself to a more stable economy.

The capital city, located on the island of Trinidad, is Port of Spain (which is also spelled as Port-of-Spain and called Puerto España in Spanish). It’s not the largest city, coming in third behind San Fernando and Chaguanas. Port of Spain serves as a financial center and has one of the largest stock exchanges in the Caribbean. The city is tucked away in the northwest corner of the island along the Gulf of Paria. The city has quite a few parks, gardens, stadiums, museums, and arts venues and is known for its Carnival festival.

Trinidad and Tobago boasts having the most developed economy compared with other Caribbean countries. The majority of their economic drive comes from oil and gas and is also the majority of their exports. Sugar and coffee used to dominate their agricultural sector, but in recent years it’s mainly been relegated to fishing along with fruit and vegetable production (mainly coconut, cassava, cucumbers, eggplants, and pumpkins). Tourism isn’t quite as strong as other Caribbean countries, and the tourists they do get tend to go to Tobago. Trinidad and Tobago has also developed their science and technology sector quite a bit, and several companies in this field are putting some effort into research and development.

The largest religious following in Trinidad and Tobago is Roman Catholicism. Several other Christian denominations (Pentecostals, Presbyterian, Anglicans, Seventh-Day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Baptists, Methodists and others) are also represented in the islands. Because of its history of bringing people from India to the islands, Hindu temples and Islamic mosques dot the islands as well. Other Asian religions include, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. There are even a few African-based religions in Trinidad and Tobago: Orishas, Rastafarians.

English is the official language of Trinidad and Tobago, but more specifically Trinidad and Tobago Standard English (TTSE). However, the most spoken languages are Trinidadian Creole and Tobagonian Creole, which are two English-based creoles that include influences from African, Asian, European, and Amerindian languages. There are also speakers of a Trinidadian variety of Hindustani (Hindi-Urdu). Chinese is also spoken by immigrants from China, and there are also a few indiginous languages still spoken on the islands (mainly the Cariban languages of Yao and Karina and the Arawakan language of Shebaya).

The county north of Indianapolis, Hamilton County, is known for its numerous roundabouts. In fact, the city of Carmel (pronounced like “CAR-ml”) boasts that they have more roundabouts than any city in the United States, coming in at more than 128 in the city alone. Frankly, I don’t mind the roundabout, but the “figure-eight” roundabouts are annoying and slightly confusing. However, the city of Port of Spain lays claim to the world’s largest roundabout -- it’s about 2.2 miles around! That’s almost as much as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (which is 2.5 miles). However, there is a dispute between Port of Spain and the city of Putrajaya, Malaysia for this title. The one in Malaysia is 2.1 miles, but the Malaysians claim that because the Trinidadian one isn’t exactly an oval, it really shouldn’t count as a roundabout. This is the kind of dispute you imagine siblings go through. They really should be sister cities to each other. It only makes sense.

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GRENADA: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

The island of spice: Grenada is especially known for nutmeg, a spice that is known to cause psychoactive effects if taken in large doses. But in small doses, it’s quite tasty. The nutmeg is actually an interesting seed because it produces two distinctive spices: nutmeg and mace.  (Not the kind of mace you ward off potential attackers with, and it doesn’t contain the spice mace at all, so don’t start spraying down your food. Please, don’t do that.)

Grenada is a small island in the South Caribbean, just south of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and north of Trinidad and Tobago as well as Venezuela. It’s actually the largest island of the Grenadine Islands and includes several smaller islands in the chain. (The others belong to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, which I always think sounds like a great band name.) The islands are volcanic in origin, and Mt. Catherine is the highest peak.  Grenada has distinct rainy and dry seasons typical of its tropic climate. The islands are also subject to Atlantic Ocean hurricanes and suffered greatly during Hurricane Janet (1955), Hurricane Ivan (2004), and Hurricane Emily (2005). The term Grenada comes from the French “La Grenade” and from the earlier Spanish “Granada,” a reference to a province of southern Spain of the same name, originally serving as a Moorish emirate.

The French were the first Europeans to land on the island and essentially forced the indigenous peoples to move to other islands. Some of them refused and opted to jump off cliffs rather than be relocated by the French. The island was mostly used to grow sugarcane and indigo at that time. It was formally handed over to the British but then the French took it back after the American Revolutionary War, which was then toggled back to the British with the Treaty of Versailles. A merchant ship on its way back from the East Indies stopped in Grenada and left a small number of nutmeg trees behind – the start of Grenada’s nutmeg industry.  The island country became a Crown colony in 1877, and by the mid-20^th century, Grenadians were striking for better working conditions and held their first elections in regards to universal suffrage (to oppose the system that was put into place which tied eligible voters to property ownership and wealth, only allowing them to vote for 1/3 of the available seats for the Legislative Council).  Independence was finally granted to the Grenadians in 1974, and several coups took place in the decades afterwards. During the early 1980s, a pro-communist group took over, and the US, along with the support of nearby countries and regional groups, invaded Grenada in 1983 and stopped this radical group.  While other countries criticized the invasion and other military tactics, democracy and general peace were established once again. Hurricanes have ravished the island several times in recent times, destroying homes and businesses and straining their economy and resources.

The capital city is St. George’s. Named after the patron saint of England, it was first discovered by Christopher Columbus. St. George’s is known for its Carnival festival, which takes place every August and celebrates the emancipation of the slaves. The city is also famous for the Grenada National Museum, Queen’s Park Stadium Complex, a large marketplace, several famous churches, beaches, and shopping centers.

Grenada is known for its spices, namely cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, clove, ginger, allspice, and sugar cane. Oranges, coffee, and cocoa/chocolate (like Grenada Chocolate Company) are also produced here as well. Grenada is the second largest producer of nutmeg (after Indonesia), and in fact, it’s so important to the Grenadian economy, that they put it on the flag. Tourism, especially eco-tourism, is also a huge economic driver. Its beautiful beaches (both black sand and white sand), pristine mountainous environment, and tropical climate make Grenada the perfect vacation location. St. Georges University with an enrollment of nearly 5000 students is the country’s largest employer.

The vast majority of Grenadians adhere to some denomination of Christianity with Roman Catholic making up the largest portion, followed by Protestants, and then Anglicans.  There are a small number of Rastafari, Hindi, Muslim, Buddhist, and Baha’i followers.  

Because of Grenada’s history as a Crown colony of England, English became the official language of the country.  However, Grenadian Creole English is the major spoken language and has influences from European, African, and Indian words and phrases. Grenadian Creole French is also spoken, but mainly in the rural areas.  It’s sometimes known as Patois or Kwéyòl.  

The main island of Grenada is divided into six parishes, named after the patron saints of the United Kingdom: St. George (English), St. Patrick (Ireland), St. Andrew (Scotland), and St. David (Wales). The other two parishes are named after two New Testament writers, St. John and St. Mark. Because the country’s origins are volcanic, there is a crater lake called Grand Etang that is essentially bottomless. Even sonar has not been able to find the bottom. (It makes you wonder what kind of strange sci-fi creatures lives down there. Or how many bodies have been dumped there.)  Most countries have a long form of their name (like People’s Republic of China) and a short form of its name (everyone calls it China).  However, Grenada is one of those few countries that only has a short form; it’s just Grenada. (Canada is another short-form-only country.)  Their cuisine is pretty typical of the Caribbean – except with the largest number of recipes containing nutmeg that I’ve ever seen – and it all sounds super tasty.  

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DOMINICA: HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS

New Year’s Day (January 1): To do a simple search on how people from Dominica celebrate New Year’s Eve and/or New Year’s Day was not simple at all. For one, I kept coming up with info for the Dominican Republic. And two, I found a lot of tourist suggestions if you were going to go visit, but nothing New Year’s specific.  So, I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that they celebrate it in similar ways that the rest of us bring in the New Year.   I did read that many people start off the celebrations by going to church and then following that with all of the typical celebrations, including a lot of dancing.

Carnival Monday (varies, February/March):  Dominica celebrates Carnival (also known as Mas Domnik) for two days, the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.  Most of the largest celebrations are held in the capital city of Roseau.  Dominicans did borrow some elements from Martinique and Guadeloupe as well as Trinidad.  Some of the main celebrations that are held year after year include a special opening ceremonies, music competitions, parades, and beauty contests.

Good Friday / Easter / Easter Monday (varies, March/April):  This is an important holiday weekend for many Dominican Christians. Again, it was hard to find information that was relevant to Dominica and their Easter traditions.  Since it is an English-speaking country, I’m guessing that they also have the tradition of eating hot cross buns, like other Caribbean English-speaking islands do.  Good Friday is generally treated as a day of solemnity.  People may attend special Good Friday services at their church. Easter is far more joyous and usually starts off with church services, followed by an elaborate luncheon of fish, bread, and a variety of fruits. Easter egg hunting isn’t really done like it is in the US and parts of Europe (probably because of the heat and spoilage), but many islands have a tradition of kite flying on the beach.  Easter Monday is usually spent as a day of relaxation, partaking in some sort of recreation with family and friends.

 Labour Day (first Monday in May): Businesses and schools are closed on this day in honor of Labour Day.  It’s a day to celebrate the worker and address labor issues.  They do have a 23% unemployment rate and about a third of the people work in agriculture, which can drastically be affected during hurricane season. (The last major hurricane to his was Hurricane Dean in 2007. Estimates say that about 95% of crops were destroyed, including about 99% of the banana trees which is a major export. It’s expected to take several years to regain what was lost.)  Dominica also has opened up to other countries and gave them a tax-free status in order for them to bring their businesses to Dominica.

Whit Monday (varies, May/June): Traditionally, this is the day that falls 50 days after Easter in which Christians believe is the day that the Holy Spirit came to Jesus’ disciples to give them the gift of tongues.  On this day, many Christians will attend special church services and special hymns are sung. 

Emancipation Day (first Monday in August):  This holiday is primarily celebrated in the former British colonies of the Caribbean and celebrates the emancipation of the slaves. This year, there was a special monument put up with a special concert ensuing afterwards.  People usually take this time to reflect upon Dominica’s history and give some sort of homage to their forefathers. 

Independence Day (November 3):  This is the day that Dominicans celebrate their independence from Britain.  It always includes a large parade and plenty of parties and get-togethers.  Everyone has a lot of good food and drink.  Just prior to this, there are a couple of other national pride holidays that are celebrated: Heritage Day and Creole Day – which include the famous World Creole Music Fest. Ok, actually, almost every day from about October 18 to November 5 is one huge festival.

Community Service Day (November 4):  This holiday is part of the on-going national pride holidays and was established by Dame Eugenia Charles administration in 1981.  It’s designed as a day for volunteers to help clean up and beautify the areas in and around their communities.  The government gives each community a stipend to use for supplies, such as garbage bags, disposal costs, flowers, etc.

Christmas Day (December 25): Dominicans celebrate Christmas with a lot of the same type of traditions that the Americans and British do. Christmas trees are seen up about a month beforehand, and every building is decorated.  However, people don’t really start buying gifts until Christmas Eve (I started buying gifts here and there starting in October).  While most Dominicans consider themselves Christian, Christmas tends to be more of a family holiday rather than a religious one.  One common theme of Christmas traditions is the meal – it’s almost always filled with roasted pig, fruitcake, rum, desserts, and tons of other sweet and savory treats.

Boxing Day (December 26): This is more or less considered a second day of Christmas.  Many people take this day to have a picnic lunch on the beach or by the river. 

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CAPE VERDE: HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS

Some of these holidays didn’t have a lot of information as to traditions and that sort of thing.  For some, I gathered information from a few blogs I found and a few sites that had some information, but I hope someone will enlighten me to fill in some blanks.

New Year’s Day.  January 1.  New Years celebrations in Cape Verde generally last two days. There is a lot of singing and music, and parades with singing and music.  I read that on some islands, there’s a tradition that these musicians will parade through the streets gathering people like that Japanese game Katamari Damacy, and finally ending at the local hospital and playing as loud as they could so the sick people could hear it too. The new year is brought in by fireworks and long parties with food and drinks. Most businesses and schools are closed during this time.

Democracy Day.  January 13.  Also known as Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day.  It marks the day of Cape Verde’s first election. They use this time as a means of studying Cape Verdean history in regards to civics lessons – discussing the roles of government and how government works. There are tours of the governmental buildings for students and special programs.  

Heroes Day.  January 20.  This holiday somewhat runs into the Democracy Day celebrations and programs. It commemorates the assassination of Amílcar Cabral. He was an agricultural engineer and writer who was actually born in Guinea-Bissau but was prolific in the fight for independence of these two nations.  Unfortunately, he was assassinated in 1973, eight months before Guinea-Bissau gained independence and about two years and a half years before Cape Verde would follow suit. 

Carnival.  February. Carnival is a fairly big affair in Cape Verde, and especially so on the island of São Vicente where tens of thousands of people show up for the festivities.  (This island is the home of the famous morna singer Cesária Évora.) Music is also a very important aspect of Cape Verdean life, and for a culture that already uses music and dancing as a means of celebration, Carnival is a given to be a huge affair. In fact the Carnival celebrations on São Vicente have been considered by some to be the Carnival capital of Africa. Music festivals, theatre fests, local food vendors, and other cultural arts fests are also very popular across the islands during this time.

Labour Day.  May 1. This day is in honor of the international workers of the world. It’s also a time to reflect and discuss labor issues.  Most businesses and schools have this day off, and it becomes a day of relaxing with family and friends.

Children’s Day.  June 1.  At one time, Children’s Day was a huge festival.  Schools would start two to three weeks ahead preparing for this day. There would be food and games, music and dance, theatre performances, treats, cards, special activities, and small presents for the kids. Today, there may not be such a push towards the blowout on celebrations – perhaps for economic reasons – but some of these things still go on.  Just maybe on a smaller scale for some.

Independence Day.  July 5. This day marks Cape Verde’s independence from Portugal I 1975.  It’s a day commemorating the achievements and history of the island nation.  Like with most other country’s independence days, the day is filled with speeches and appearances from political leaders, local festivals, including local food, music, dancing, and displays of other cultural arts.  Every city and town is decorated with the national flag and its colors, and the national anthem is heard as well.  In the countries where there are a lot of ex-pats, you can also find local festivals in honor of Independence Day.

Assumption.  August 15.  Also known as Feast of the Assumption of Mary, it celebrates the ascension of Mary into Heaven. Because Cape Verde has a large Catholic population, it commonly celebrated by most of the people.

National Day.  September 12.  Another national holiday, this also marks the birthday of Amílcar Cabral.  Probably celebrated much in the same ways as Heroes Day. Not a whole lot of information on this.

All Saints’ Day.  November 1.  This is a mostly Catholic holiday, celebrating all of the saints, especially those who do not have their own feast days.  I know in some countries people choose to decorate and do some upkeep to loved one’s gravesites at this time as well as attend a special mass, but I couldn’t find any definitive answer that Cape Verdeans take part in this tradition as well.

Christmas Day.  December 25.  Unfortunately, and weirdly enough, there’s not much information on specific Christmas traditions in Cape Verde.  I’m sort of stunned. The country is by far majority Catholic, yet most of the information was that they just simply celebrate it. I imagine they probably celebrate it in many of the ways most Westerners are accustomed to, taking on many of the traditions of the Portuguese: decorating their homes and communities, sharing meals with family and friends (Cape Verdeans are very hospitable, even if they are poor), attending special church services, Christmas caroling, and exchanging gifts.

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BRAZIL: HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS

For having the most followers of Roman Catholicism, there are only a few religious holidays that warrant a public holiday status with businesses and government offices closed. During election years (which are on the even numbered years), election days are also considered public holidays. There are many holidays and celebrations that are held throughout the year that are not considered a national holiday, and yes, you still have to show up to work.

New Year’s Day.  January 1. Marking the official end of the holiday season, people gather at friend’s homes or in bars or clubs to celebrate with a nice meal and drink. Then at midnight, people cheer and drink champagne, making a lot of noise and enjoying the fireworks displays. Parties go late into the night and end early the next morning. Many Brazilians try to wear white on New Year’s Eve in hopes of a peaceful new year, but will also wear other colors for different wants (green for hope and health, red for love, yellow for money, etc.). Because it’s the middle of their summer in Brazil, many people have barbeques and go to the beaches. In a recent survey I heard yesterday on some news program, the nation that most people would want to spend New Year’s Eve in would be Brazil (followed by America and Spain). They also said that of all the cities that uses Twitter the most, São Paulo came in fifth. So there you have it. #thetvdoesntlie

Carnival. Varies. Marking the beginning of the Lenten season, carnival is celebrated throughout the world, but the ones in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo are the most famous. The samba schools (called Escolas de Samba) practice a long time for Carnival, where hundreds turn out for the annual parade. The dancers are dressed on costumes that only rival Mardi Gras and the Vegas strip. Some bands play for 8 hours at a time, and the biggest festivals last for four days ending on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.

Lie’s Day.  April 1. Very similar to what we call April Fools’ Day in the United States. People play practical jokes on each other and tell lies all day. It’s always been one of my least favorite holidays. I love the years when it falls on a weekend.

Easter. Varies. There are a lot of similarities between how Brazil celebrates Easter and how the US celebrates it. Most people start the day off with a special church service, and children receive chocolate eggs that represent the new life found in Jesus’ resurrection. They also have the Easter bunny hide eggs and children participate in Easter egg hunts as well. Most people will spend their afternoon sharing a meal and spending time with family.  

Tiradentes’ Day.  April 21. Tiradentes is the nickname of Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, one of the major conspirators in one of Brazil’s most famous unsuccessful revolutionary attempts. Inspired by the 1776 American Revolution, it was basically started because the workers who were mining for gold realized the gold was running out, yet they still had to pay their taxes even though what they were paying with was quickly diminishing. And of course, those in command didn’t really care so much. So in essence, they wanted to break away from Portugal and create their own country. The conspirators were caught, held and questioned for years. Most were permanently banished to Africa (to Angola, Portugal’s other territory), except Tiradentes took the fall for everyone and was hung. His death date is the date of the holiday, and he’s considered a national hero.

Labour Day. May 1. Brazil first celebrated this day in 1894. While they originally tried to keep with the meaning of holiday – about celebrating the worker and discussing labor issues and such – it eventually became more or less a holiday where it gave the people a day off of working. Much like the United States.

Mother’s Day.  2^nd Sunday in May.  Celebrated on the same day as in the US, the holiday represents the same sentiments. People buy their mothers gifts or flowers or take her out to eat. It’s one of the most profitable holidays for businesses.

Valentine’s Day.  June 12. Started in 1950 by a Brazilian advertiser, Valentine’s Day in Brazil is celebrated in much of the same way as it is in the US. People buy small gifts and flowers for their girlfriends and boyfriends, or husbands and wives (hopefully not for both). Romantic dinners and other special events are also popular. People give cards and gifts not just to romantic lovers, but to family and other important people in their lives.

Father’s Day.  2^nd Sunday in August. Also started in 1950, Father’s Day in Brazil is often celebrated with buying gifts for their father and celebrating with a barbeque or going out for lunch in the afternoon.

Independence Day. September 7.  Marks the day that Brazil declared independence from Portugal in 1822. The entire country decorates in green, yellow, and blue; flags hang from everywhere it can be hung from. Parades march through most cities in Brazil and even abroad. There are a lot of festivals and outdoor concerts and many people have barbeques with friends and family.  It’s one of the biggest celebrations of the year, and it always ends in a large fireworks display at night.  If you go to Brazil, you’ll find that a popular street name is Sete de Setembro (7^th of September) in honor of this day. They use a lot of dates and important people as street names. And of course, I arrived in Brazil on September 8.

Our Lady of Aparecida/Children’s Day. October 12. Our Lady of Aprecida (or Nossa Senhora da Aparecida) is the patron saint of Brazil. Children often receive small gifts from their parents and family members. Some older children do service projects that include helping the poor or homeless.

Day of the Dead. November 2. Also called All Soul’s Day, this holiday is designed for taking care of the graves of loved ones. They will decorate their gravesites with fresh flowers, candles, and say prayers over them, a day to remember those who have come before you and to hope they have a better life in the beyond.

Republic Day. November 15. When Brazil first gained independence, it maintained itself as a monarchy under Dom Pedro II. Even though he himself was for the abolition of slavery, his handlers thought it was necessary. The people of Brazil however, were more upset that they remained in poverty and nothing was being done. So, they eventually revolted and took over, and this day marks the day Brazil became a republic. People will also decorate buildings in the national colors, and schools and government offices close for the day. This is also a date that you’ll also find on many street names (called Quinze de Novembro), as well as Dom Pedro II. In fact, when I was in Curitiba, I used to walk down 15 de Novembro, since it was rebuilt as a pedestrian-only street, and one of the first ones built in Brazil. 

Christmas Day. December 25. Brazil celebrates Christmas like much of the Western countries do. People will decorate their houses and put up Christmas trees. Most people will gather on Christmas Eve to sit down for a midnight meal. They do partake in the Santa Claus tradition (called Papai Noel, who apparently lives in Greenland and wears a silk suit when traveling to Brazil and other southern hemisphere countries), where he comes to deliver toys and gifts to good children.  Because Brazil is majority Christian of various denominations, many people will eat a late dinner (which is normal for Brazilians anyway, mostly after 9 pm) and attend a midnight mass on Christmas Eve. If you're up for a little travel trivia, Rio de Janeiro is really famous for having the largest floating Christmas tree in the world, measuring 85 meters high -- almost as high as a 31 story building!

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ARGENTINA: HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS

There are a lot of holidays that celebrate the country or a national event in Argentine history. There are of course holidays and celebrations that reflect the large Roman Catholic population as well.

January 1.  New Years Day.  There are several traditions (some ordinary, some not) that take place. Most people will gather together for a late meal with friends and family. Traditional foods include pan dulce (a sweet bread) and turron (a type of cake of sorts).  Around midnight, everyone will go outside to bring in the New Year. Fireworks displays light up the night, and people will stay out and dance with live music, eat, and celebrate practically up until dawn. Many people will attend church services on New Years Day itself. (I have no idea how; I’d probably fall asleep if I attended after staying up all night.)  Some people will run around the house with a suitcase to hope for more travels during the coming year, whereas others will eat beans to ensure they stay on at their job or with hopes of a better one. Many others will go swimming, either in a pool, river, or lake.  (This isn’t a Polar Bear Club sort of thing; remember, in Argentina it’s summertime in January.)

February 20-21.  Carnival.  (This is a floating holiday.) The traditions of Carnival in Argentina are similar to those that we see in Rio de Janeiro. Many cities throughout Argentina hold their own Carnival traditions, but two of the largest are in Buenos Aires and in the city of Gualeguaychu.  There are presentations of many different samba schools with up to 700 dancers all dressed in brightly decorated costumes.

March 24.  Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice.  This is a day of remembrance for the victims of what’s called The Dirty War, where thousands of students, left-wing activists, journalists, trade unionists and sympathizers were killed.  It’s more specifically in remembrance of the coup d’état in 1976 when the National Reorganization Process took power.

April 2.  Day of the veterans and the fallen in the Malvinas War.  This day is to commemorate the day in 1982 when Argentina fought against the British to gain control of the Falkland Islands.  There are still disputes with them over ownership. 

April 8.  Easter.  (This is a floating holiday.)  Many towns and cities will have reenactments of the Passion during this time.  The whole week following Easter Sunday is a week of celebrations.  Many people take this two-week period off of work.  I would just be happy with taking the Monday afterwards off.

May 1. Labor Day.  There have been a lot of labor issues in Argentina’s history, and with a fairly high unemployment rate, it’s still a pressing issue today.  There are initiatives to try to make the work day only 6 hours, but most people probably work closer to 10 hours a day on average.

May 25.  Day of the First National Government.  It’s a day commemorating the May Revolution (which began the Argentine War for Independence) and the Primera Junta (the First Assembly).

June 20.  National Flag Day.  A day to celebrate the Argentine flag.  There are three horizontal bands: light blue on top, white in the middle, light blue on the bottom. The light blue represents the skies, and the white represents the snow-topped Andes. In the middle of the white band is a yellow sun with a face, known as the Sun of May.  Its facial features are those that are from Inti, the Incan god of the sun.

July 9.  Independence Day.  A day celebrating Argentina’s independence from Spain. Many people display flags and have cookouts with their families and friends.

August 17.  Anniversary of the death of General José de San Martín. He was one of the main tacticians in leading Argentina to independence. He’s considered a national hero.

October 12.  Day of Respect for Cultural Diversity.  Almost the same as Columbus Day in the United States. It’s a day to celebrate Christopher Columbus’ accomplishments and bringing “civilization” to the Americas.

November 20.  Day of National Sovereignty.  It’s a day to commemorate the Battle of Vuelta de Obligado, a battle where a small group of Argentine soldiers fought against the Anglo-French navy that entered the Paraná River. Even though it ended with the Argentines loosing the battle, it’s still considered a major national historical event.

December 8.  Immaculate Conception Day. This is a day for Christians (mostly Catholics) that celebrates their belief in the concept that Mary had conceived as a virgin. Many people will attend church services on this day.

December 25. Christmas Day.  Many Argentines celebrate Christmas in the stereotypical ways celebrated around the world. They decorate their homes with lights, as well as having a Christmas tree (although it doesn’t necessarily have to be an evergreen tree). Gifts are exchanged with family and friends. Even though Christmas falls in the summer in Argentina, they do have many of the traditional foods found in Europe or America, such as roast pork or turkey, but they also include a lot of fresh fruits and cold desserts as well. A popular tradition is to visit the beaches during this time. 

Up next: art and literature

Resources:

Wikipedia: “Public holidays in Argentina” “Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice” “Dirty War” “First National Government” “General José de San Martín”  “Day of National Sovereignty”

New Year: http://www.123newyear.com/newyear-traditions/argentina.html

Various holidays: http://www.the-allure-of-argentina.com/argentinatraditions.html

CIA World Factbook: Argentina

Immaculate Conception Day: http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/common/immaculate-conception