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LOST CUSTOMS: EASTER

In Costa Rica, the Easter is celebrated totally different compare how it's

done in USA. We don't celebrate it with bunnies or chocolate eggs. This

custom in particular is Catholic, inherited by Spain, the country that used

to rule almost all Latin America. During Easter, there are parades

representing Jesus going to the Calvary. It's a big event. There are

communities that make remarkable ones. This week involves a lot of other

ancient customs that have been disappearing over the years. In the Spanish

language we say "Saint Week" if it's translated direct from Spanish to

English, but the real meaning is Holy Week.

The Holly Weeks celebrated with respect and devotion belong to the History.

The religious Christmas and not the celebration to spend the Christmas bonus

belongs also to the Grannies' tales. These two dates that should be holy,

have been marketed for business intentions and disrespected.

I believe since the 80's it became so popular to do a "drunken or wet week"

at the beaches. When I was a little girl, it was necesssary to do a hole

ritual for this epoch; from how to get dress until what to eat. The life

was lived different during this week years ago.

I still remember the grannies in the neighborhood when they commented at the

local convenient store:

- I've 4 black dresses for this Easter (that was the only color allowed to

wear during this time of the year).

- Tomorrow, I shall give you (1) chiverre jelly that I prepared.

- How lucky! I did already the (2) "mute" tamales because you are not

supposed to cook during Easter.

- How terrible it is! The priest married Mrs. Hermigia's daughter. It is

a sin to get marry the week before Easter.

- I'd to growled my daughter because she showered my little grand daughter.

You are not suppose to take a shower during Thursday and Friday Easter

because you may turned into a fish.

- I sent my son to confess because he said a bad word. He didn't respect

it's Easter.

- What I like te most about Easter is that all the bars are closed and

these are the only days when my son fasts the booze.

- What a great honor! My daughter is going to participate in the parades.

Those old lady's grand daughters would say nowadays:

- I bought in the boutique the dresses that I shall wear to go to the

Easter parades.

- I've to go to the supermarket to buy the (1) chiverre jelly.

- I bought the canned sea food; if grandma didn't cook these days, well I

won't either and what a problem, we can't go to the beaches because there is

not enough money.

- How lucky the neighbor's daughter is! She got married before her

pregnancy showed off.

- I bought a beer box, a vodka bottle, other of rum and some booze. There

shall be a bar at home. You are invited for Thursday and Friday Easter when

all the bars are closed.

- Oh no! My son forgot to buy the pop corn to watch the Easter movies on

TV.

- How lucky! The San Pedro Mall is going to be open all Eastern.

- Too much expenses during Easter.

-Did you see Miss Refugia at the parade? What an ugly dress did she wore!

Looks like she bought it in any cheap garage sale.

One custom I saw to change during Eater but among the Protestants: to

celebrate te Resurrection Sunday worship at the same time. The Protestant

tradition says that Jesus rose at 5 in the morning, that's why this worship

was celebrated at this hour. The Protestant has lived Easter like any other

day. The only difference observed during this date is the theme of the

speeches. These are emphasized in the sin, Jesus's sacrifice and salvation.

Also, the canticles are related to these themes.

The Mormons and Jehovah's Withesses don't have customs related with this

time of the year. In fact, they are such as good neighbors like the

Protestants, to take care of the house of the people who go to the beaches

in order to celebrate a "drunken or wet week". No matter, over the years we

share with them our sweets, jellies or hard candies that we do for these

days. They always shall accept them with a big thankfull smile, a sincere

thanks, but they won't return other sweet Costarrican treats in exchange

because they don't have this custom.

Other thing that has changed a lot in the business calendar: decades ago,

it was mandatory to buy enough food and do everything before Easter because

the commerce in general, closed the doors during the whole week saint of

Saint Week (Easter). So, it was necessary to pay the water bill at the bank

(long ago you paid it at the bank not at the supermarket like nowadays), buy

the embroidery threads, buy at the market the fig leaves, cinnamon sticks

and cloves for the (1) chiverre jelly, go to the seamstress in order to have

ready the dresses to go to the parades and Masses. All this had to be done

the week before Easter, because all of us had a saint rest...

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(1) a fruit similar to the pumpkin.

(2) a tamal with any feeling, just the white flavored corn meal. If you

want a further explanation, feel free to request it at my e-mail address.

Ana Zahler xiyvza@hotmail.com