Santa Rosa Festival 2002

This is an "unofficial" presentation of the annual Santa Rosa Festival, celebrated on August 24-25, 2002, in Arima, Trinidad.  

Arima is the oldest continuous settlement of the Caribbean.  The feast commemorates the death of Santa Rosa, the first Roman Catholic Amerindian saint.  "Rose of Lima," was born in Arima, Trinidad, and died in Lima, Peru (Reyes 1978; Khan 1992).  She symbolizes Trinidad's indigenous heritage, and the ongoing role of the Carib community in Trinidad and Tobago.    
 

	This is the mass held on the morning of Sunday 25, 2002, to commemorate the Santa Rosa Festival.  It was held on the grounds of the neighboring boy's school.  During the service, a variety of music was performed, including parang, traditional church hymns, gospel, and steel band calypsoes (before and after).  One of the visiting Guyanese Indians recited a prayer in the Arawak (Lokono) language.
	After the mass, the statue of Santa Rosa is placed on the back of a truck and made a procession through the town.  Center, wearing a tan shirt, is Cristo Adonis, Paiman (shaman) of the Carib Santa Rosa community and parrandero.
	After the Santa Rosa statue, the Carib Queen (in yellow) processes with her court of girls in pink dresses.  The colors red, pink, white, and yellow symbolize the crown of roses left behind by Santa Rosa where she was first found.  According to  Elma Reyes, the original crown, worn by the Queen of the tribe, was lost.
	The silver cross at the top of the banner supposedly symbolizes the end of hostilities between the Amerindian people of Trinidad and the Catholic church.  The original cross (now stolen/lost) was given to Princess Anacaona, daughter of the legendary Carib chief Hyarima.
	The procession moves past the "dial," or town clock, on Queen Street.  As they process, a car with loudspeakers leads songs and prayers of "Hail Mary" and "Santa Rosa", as well as a special hymn to Santa Rosa that the participants recite.  Several of the elder women also carry rosaries.  The procession moves down Queen Street, past the open-air market on Hollis Avenue, and up the hill to the Santa Rosa church.
	After the statue is returned to Santa Rosa church, the rest of the procession encircles the Santa Rosa Park (across from the church) for a solemn benediction.  This is led by the Church priests.  The benediction reinforces the symbolism of the festival as a commemoration of Santa Rosa's death.  The park is the original location of the Amerindian village and church built by Spanish Catholic missionaries.  A reception is held afterward at the Carib Community Center, on 7-9 Paul Mitchell Street.
	The cannon on the top of Calvary Hill is "shot" by the Trinidad army at exactly 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on August 1st, August 23rd, and the day of the festival.  Since the cannon isn't functional, army personnel create powder charges near the cannon to emulate the sound.  Mostly local children and a few parents make the trek up the hill to watch the blasts.
	The Rebuscar parang group performs at the Carib Community Center, in Arima. The night's fete includes several parang groups, steelbands, and a DJ.  The ladies of the Carib community are particularly fond of Rebuscar, and their lead singer Cristo Adonis.
	This couple dances to the Castillion, a stately Spanish waltz.  The Castillian is a tradition in the parang musical repertoire and a favorite amongst the more senior party-goers. On the left is the Maypole, performed earlier in the evening by members of the community.  This is also traditional to the Carib community and the festival.  The party continues into the wee hours of morning...