For many people in Dominica, the word Christmas is automatically associated with shopping and feasting, decorations and dressing up, but a few decades past, there was greater meaning to this most important celebration both in Dominica and around the world.
The word Christmas according to Wikipedia, (meaning “Christ‘sMass“) is an annual commemoration of birth of Jesus Christ.
It is a widely observed cultural holiday, celebrated generally on December by billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, it closes the Advent season and initiates the twelve of Christmastide, which ends after the twelfth night.
Christmas is a civil holiday in many of the world’s nations, is celebrated by an increasing number of non-Christians, and is an integral part of the Christmas and holiday season.
Dominica is no different from the rest of the world, with regard to the changing attitudes toward the celebration of Christmas as reflected in the following accounts which DNO obtained, highlighting the unique ways in which various communities on the island celebrated the holiday and how is it done today.
For Gregory Rabess, growing up in Waraka, Atkinson, Christmas celebrations began one month before Christmas, with distinct carol singing from the sewinal bands as they attempted to heighten the village’s awareness that Christmas was around the corner.
They would come out in the wee hours of the morning singing carols and imploring those inside their houses to let them in as they were getting wet by the rain.
After they were welcomed indoors, (not always), they would continue their caroling where light foods and alcohol were brought out and they would continue entertaining for some time, then they would take their leave and seek another home.
Rabess remembers his village having no surfaced roads, pipe borne water, or electricity and they had to collect enough food and fire wood to last at least two weeks, since they regard that time as a holiday for feasting.
“As little children I remember staying up one o’clock waiting for our parents or my dad coming from Roseau with the toys…it was more about the toys”.
Then there was the tradition of the bamboo cannon bursting with kerosene and salt, the slaughtering of cows and pigs and the midnight mass.
“A lot of merriment, lots of consumption of alcohol, the midnight mass, where you had to walk through mud and rain to get to midnight mass. Then after midnight mass it was all about the feast and Christmas day was about family, especially the lunch. The sewinal band would pass after lunch and make their rounds and that same scenario happens today as well with our generation,” he said.
He said although certain traditions like the sewinal is not as vibrant as it used to be it is still alive in Atkinson and the Carib Territory.
Cultural enthusiast, Joan Frampton was born and raised in the southern community of Pointe Michel.
According to her, one of the major activities that the entire village would take part in, was the raffle where a month before Christmas, every Friday and Saturday, the entire village would take their bags and their pennies and raffle.
“I know we used to have a shop and they used to do it here and people would come and if is 5 cents they put everybody put 5 cents and they rolled the dice and the person that get the highest in (that’s) the dice the amount of money that they collect. They shopping on it,” she recalls.
She says the shop keepers were happy since they were making some money and the village would look forward to it.
Frampton also remembers the heightened excitement in the air as every home would be cleaned thoroughly until it shone, a lot of painting would also take place as well as sewinal where people would look forward to buying their local zaide (home-brewed alcohol) and coffee. She said carol singing was also an integral part of the festivities.
She also remembers the smell of the linoleum carpet and the Christmas decorations, clear indicators that the Christmas celebrations were at hand.
“Then before Christmas you take the scent of the cake, the ham, they kill a pig by there, then they get cow meat, then goat meat that is when you know red beans eh?,” Frampton recounts.
“Because you have people who would just wait. At that time, my grandmother used to make a soup with something called lounge a little thing like rice but they call it lounge and if they don’t have that they don’t make the soup you know… and oh it’s wonderful I wish these days could come back,” she relates with a wishful expression in her eyes.
Frampton also mentioned the new clothes, underwear and shoes that had to be worn to church and “as soon as you return you must remove it and put on old clothes.”
The excitement of going to town was part of the anticipation which gripped the populace, particularly children, in those days, but now “there are no Christmas carols being sung or played, hardly any decorations and the general festivity that was once there” has lost its weight over the years, she laments.
In the Western part of the island, Hector ‘Spags’ John captures in his poem “Christmas Before” as one that was good,
“And plenty food
Excitement filled de air,
Pig meat smoking everywhere
Mummy making ginger ale
Papa has cow meat on sale
While girls clean,
With kayé pail
To make sure the house, have no fig stains”
John also makes reference to wearing “hand me down polyester pants” at Christmas and how all the fun memories of “Christmas Before…..almost gone.”
“It’s a big difference today. It is a big difference,” Business Woman Annette St. Hilaire stresses as she helped DNO to assess the economic aspect of the celebration of Christmas.
“Before it was more local people that had business and the bananas was green gold,” she stated. The banana industry had a positive impact on cash flow, she said and “people were free to spend, but today everyone is depending on each other and things are just completely different. Before it was better, completely better to now, now you don’t feel Christmas any more I mean from the ending of November there was a presence of Christmas you would hear carols, lighting outside…you would feel Christmas in passing in the city,” she reminisced.
According to the veteran business woman, high electricity costs as well as the lack of motivation from other businesses contribute the lack of Christmas decorations and “lighting up” in the business community which is so evident today.
Many suggest that the spiritual aspect of Christmas has declined over the years but Catholic priest, Fr. Herman Sharplis of Vielle Case says that he does not think that ‘much has changed from a spiritual perspective in that you have in terms of the Catholic Church and I think some of the other churches; and for us in the Catholic Church, we still have the preparation which involving the preparation of the whole advent season”.
Sharplis also says that there’s a greater presence at church. However, he says the whole Christmas season, in his view, has become too commercialized.
He also noted the notable absenteeism of Christmas carols in the media and around the country.
Today the vast sea between Christmas then and now is staggering, since for merchants it’s a money making thing and for the citizenry it’s a time for gifts and bargains and unlimited feasting.
It may be time to seek deep and remember the real meaning of Christmas and where it all began so many years ago, Fr. Sharplis advises.
“Bring back the milk and honey, cane juice and bush medicine”, I remember the balloon decorations, and the viande cochon parfumee. Singing of carols, Music Lover’s Band came to play every year. It was fun. Clean houses, new carpet and curtains and new clothes. Local cake and juices. There was both an excitement and calm n the air.
Ok you know what my folks? Why don’t we form a US Dominican committee to revamp and re-energize the spirit of Christmas once again? I know it might sound a bit difficult but if we find ways to connect things might work, you never know until you give it a shot. If you’re interested here’s my #8177184398. I am Dominica
First off let me state that I do not believe that Jesus Christ was born on December 25th. However,I am happy that He came to save us. Growing up as a lad in my village I loved the way that Xmas-day was celebrated. Like some of the previous commentators stated today it is so commercialized that the day comes and goes and we do not even have time to enjoy it. Some of the old time stuff that I really loved was the singing of the Xmas carols a month or so before the day actually arrived. Then the Xmas eve shopping in Roseau was nothing like now. We didn’t have much but what ever little we had we really enjoyed it a lot. Then came the (BIG BRAFF) that was cooked at midnight to enjoy with family and friends. And talking about toys, however small it was we really enjoyed it because we know the sacrifice that was made to give them to us by our parents. Yes I know that I live in the States but going to the large malls cannot compare to what I enjoyed going to Roseau with my Mommy on Xmas eve. In closing I would like to wish all Dominicans at home and around the Globe Merry Xmas and a blessed and Christ centered New Year. And let us agree to disagree, when we make our comments on DNO. We will never agree on every thing but we can disagree without being rude and insulting. DNO thank you for allowing us to make comments on your site, because trust me there are many of us in north America that would not be allowed to make some of the comments that we sometimes make. And for those of you reading this I know that it is a bit lengthy but try to accept HIM in the new year and blessed you all.
This is what DA need again, the good old Christmases spirit where it was more emphasis on food family and good old music
Christmas time is a celebration of the first coming of Christ our Savior. It doesn’t matter whether He was born on the 25th of December or the 4th of July. What matters most is that He came to earth over 2,000 years ago on a mission of love and mercy – to save sinful man. Mission accomplished and that my friend, is cause for great celebration regardless of the time of year – if you were to ask me I’d say, let’s have Christmas celebrations every day!!
Amen, give God the Glory. I agree.
Just this morning a friend and I were talking about Christmas then, and now. She is from Trinidad but they celebrated Christmas similar to us in Dominica.
I remember Christmas then, it took a long time to come by. I remember as a child early in the morning there were some men from my village who came and sang Christmas songs, they were papa Noel and my grandmother and mother would open the door and they sang Christmas songs. This was nice.
I also remember going to Roseau with my mother, waiting to wear the new dress and shoes my mother made for me.
This was a totally different excitement. Children were crazy for starlight, some girls did get a doll. The preparation was at least a month in advance. People cleaned their houses, they would know who is killing what for Christmas, and they would place their meat order in advance, especially if they knew who is killing a cow, or a pig. Not everyone had an animal to kill.
I remember in the afternoon after you eat at home, you would visit friends and family and eat food from them, mostly cow soup, (that was the best). I also remember this lady who would make peperment candy that’s the best pepermint candy I have ever eaten.
Some boys in the village made their own trucks, and color them pretty. These were the days, and there was a lot of harmony amoung people.
Now it’s a different generation, so I appreciate the time I had as a young person in that time.
Christmas was a joy, a time to look forward for. I am happy that I was born in Dominica and had this special experience that will live on my memory forever.
Jesus was NOT born in December! Christmas does not have ANY connections whatsoever to Jesus, the Christ.
Like this story. The traditions need renewal.
we are a small, resourced starved island, by definition.
The success of our lives is in the small, simple and unique traditions that we can create. I often wonder whether I reflect on Dominica with rose colored glasses. Or whether the cadence music and many bands, the holiday visits ‘up river’, the Christmas traditions so well captured in this article, maintaining a family garden, our commercial production of oranges and bananas, the local cricket and soccer tournaments….all reflected a simple, yet great life beyond the limits of our own ‘resources’ or lack thereof.
We are resource starved? who fed you that info? We are the most rich island in the caribbean with a wealth of one of the greatest resource, human resources. Don’t sell your island short.
The christmas before was really something else.
Tons of people would head to Roseau for shopping. The trucks used to make three trips loaded up and down.
Mostly every house hold had an animal to butcher.
Moreless pigs though. There was excessive amount of meat.
Electronic devices were far in existence; cell phones, tv, computers etc. There was one pubic one in the village. To make a call, you have to wait your turn… or go down to Roseau to make a telegram by cables. So funny.
Those days, cars, guns and dolls that were reigning. When your parents give you a toy, you had to be certain to take care of it. As soon as christmas over the toys were put away for the other coming christmas and if you destroy or damage your toy, don’t exspect to get another one that soon.
Dried pig meat with yellow yam and other ground provision was the go on christmas day.
Those days were enjoyable and unforgetable.