Day of the Afro-descendant culture

DATE: August 31 (activities may vary by region)
Location: City of Limón and in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca.

History

The celebration of Black and Afro-Costa Rican Culture Day took place more than a decade ago at the initiative of the Black Ethnic Cultural Civic Committee. The Black Ethnic Cultural Civic Committee was born in 1999 thanks to the vision of a group of Limonians concerned about the loss of values ​​and cultural elements of the black culture.

This date was chosen in commemoration of the First International Convention on the Status of Blacks, which concluded on August 31, at Madison Square Garden, in New York on August 31, 1920, and as a result of the discussions in that convention , “The Declaration on the Rights of Blacks” is promulgated.

In the eighties, it was decreed in Costa Rica on August 31 as the celebration of “Black Day”. Initiative that was promoted by the Costa Rican Teachers Union (SEC), in the administration of Rodrigo Carazo.

Later, another decree was signed that extends the celebration as the “Black and Afro-Costa Rican Culture Day”. Being April 26, 2018, the date on which it is published in La Gaceta Digital, Law 9526 that declares August the Historical Month of Afro-descendence in Costa Rica.

Description

The celebration includes a range of activities such as exhibition of paintings by artists from Limón, lectures on the health of black women, jazz concerts, forums and educational conferences, traditional games for children tournament, cultural event for girls, food and music, among others

There are also other symbolic activities and tributes to personalities from Limón, Mass of thanksgiving.

The Festival closes with the celebration of the Grand Parade through the streets of Limón towards the “Black Star Line” building. The Grand Parade has existed for 15 years and consists of a parade in which Limonese people celebrate the values ​​and tradition of black culture with events such as dances, music, floats and traditional costumes. The latter are specially made for the parade, in order to represent the black person at different times, such as the colony, slavery, or costumes of different African tribes.

According to its organizers, the festival aims to “raise awareness among the people, parents, youth, educators, children and even the different organized groups participating in the Festival, about the importance of the rescue and, above all, the practice of these values, because to stop practicing them the last generation does not know what they are, because they never saw them “.

This celebration responds to the need to recognize the great contribution of Afro-Costa Rican culture to the country in equality with the other contributions that other ethnic groups have provided in Costa Rica.