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Schools| Independence Day at school...
September 15th (more or less) is Independence day for all of Central America. In 1821 on 15 September the Spanish gave up their hold on Central America and went home. After the war of 1812 they just had too many debts to maintain it's world wide posture (sound familiar?). Throughout Central America the date is sometimes celebrated later as you move South, but only because the date the news arrived in various locations was later and later as the news radiated out from Mexico.
Anyway...today at school we celebrated. And nobody knows how to celebrate like Ticos! Music, speeches, historical plays, dances, costumes, food, costumes, food...lots of costumes and lots of food... And for me...my first performance in Costa Rica.
For the past three weeks the music department has been rehearsing. Each week more and more came together. I could only imagine for what. The Spanish thing I pretty much have. I can participate in a rehearsal in Spanish, or in English/Spanish as these were, but I never have gotten the hand of "Singers". Singers just conceive of music and think of music in ways that are alien to us poor instrumentalists. I have the same problem in the US. It's just a part of the job.
I was told to show up for the performance at 8am... So...Big hand on the 12 and little on the 8 I'm there. People slowly wandered in. Students were dropped off, parents sat in seats, musicians were more or less in practice/warm-up mode. We had three pieces worked up. One was for a dance and there were two vocal pieces. Every once and a while one of those two vocal pieces was pulled up. We played them (often in different configurations) in what seemed like before performance warm-up.
By 10am the fireworks began. So I guess that was the official start. Out came the Mascaras followed by all the Kindergarten students (dressed as clowns). Then the elementary students in typical costumes. Costa Rica (it seems to me) has never seen itself as isolated from the other Central American countries. In fact in 1821 Costa Rica was a part of a confederation of Central American States. As a nod to this alliance Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua were represented. (Panama was taken from Columbia by the US and Belize was taken from Honduras by the British, both after 1821.)
Such glee, such energy, such celebration... The procession marched around the playground dancing, spinning, playing instruments...all accompanied by fireworks.
Once the students got situated in their places the presentation began (11am not BTW). All this energy coming in quickly became calm as the students sat and listened to the presentations. Presentation of the flag, patriotic songs, speech by the school director and then by a well known author. The Spanish class put on a play dedicated to Guanacaste, a part of Costa Rica that WAS a part of Nicaragua, but later (1825) voted itself a part of Costa Rica. The 4th graders did a polka (never did really understand why....) and the primary grades did a dance based on "Caballito Nicoyano" (I got to play... and am writing an arrangement for string quartet of this fun piece).
Then the food...................
I expect that this entire weekend will be like this. These people know how to party!!! |
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