After a three-odd yr hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Vincentians and different Caribbean nationals in Brooklyn Saturday night time reminisced about Christmas at house, because the United Vincie Cultural Group of Brooklyn (UVCGB) introduced a lot nostalgia with its annual Christmas Serenade.
The occasion – which, in earlier years, happened on the Miracle Temple Ministries, an evangelical church within the Brownsville part of Brooklyn, the place a number of UVCGB members formally worshipped – happened this yr, for the second time, and first time because the pandemic, on the Mates of Crown Heights Instructional Heart on Prospect Place in Brooklyn.
UVCGB members and members of the neighborhood participated in Saturday’s three-hour-odd-long occasion by rendering wistful Christmas songs, reflecting on Christmas preparations at house and dramatizing Christmas themes, amongst different issues.
“In Vincy (St. Vincent and the Grenadines), we wish the ham, the ginger beer, sorrel, mauby, baked bread,” stated Dr. Roxie Morris, UVCGB president, who served as mistress of ceremonies, after singing “O, Holy Night time.” “That is how we do it within the village.”
President of the Brooklyn-based St. Vincent and the Grenadines Diaspora Committee of New York, Sherrill-Ann Mason-Haywood, joined with Kamla Millwood and Annette Stowe in portraying “We Three Kings.”
“Christmas in St. Vincent and the Grenadines could be very good,” Mason-Haywood stated. “We have fun within the morning, and we have fun within the night time.
“Tonight, we’re going to fake that we’re going to your own home,” she added. “Convey out the Black cake and salt ham.”
Then, the kids joined them in singing “Jingle Bells”, “O, Come All Ye Trustworthy”, and “Pleasure to the World.”
“And so, once we depart, we sing, ‘We Want You a Merry Christmas’,” Mason-Haywood stated.
Afterwards, Millwood turned to the 2 Puerto Ricans within the viewers in singing “Feliz Navidad.”
Puerto Rican Hector Perez, who’s married to Vincentian Yvette, previously McKenzie, stated they celebrated Christmas in Puerto Rico by consuming rice and peas and ingesting the very sturdy and procured alcoholic beverage mama wana (to not be confused with marijuana, as Morris burdened).
Hector Perez’s brother, Raymond Perez, chimed in: “We have fun with a number of household, consuming pork. Mainly, we go house to house.”
Hector’s father-in-law, Edwin McKenzie, 90, who hails from Rose Financial institution, North Leeward, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, performed the guitar and sang “Whereas Shepherds Watch Their Flock”, ending with “We Want You a Merry Christmas.”
A Guyanese nationwide, who solely recognized herself as Christian, stated: “To expertise Christmas in Guyana, it’s a must to go there. It’s one thing about Spring Cleansing; all of the furnishings is outdoors and all-day cleansing; meals, Pepperpot (Guyanese favourite dish at Christmas); it’s all about household.
“It’s not concerning the reward,” Christian added. “They (folks) come, and so they (households) feed them. Some come to expertise this for your self – wild meat, antelope and manicou (opossum).”
Barbadian Joshua Inexperienced stated consuming ham and turkey is a giant half in celebrating Christmas in Barbados.
“We have now a very good time,” he stated tersely.
Vincentian Haywood Thomas, 97, famous that “we’re right here to have fun Christmas. So, I would like you to place your hearts collectively and be a part of collectively”, singing “Hallelujah.”
One other Vincentian, Emily Mentor James, 72, performed, on the harmonica, “Pleasure to the World” and “Silent Night time,” amongst others.
Selena Nanton, famend as “Auntie G” within the Vincentian neighborhood, rendered “It’s Christmas.”
The lyrics say partly: “I like my sorrel and ginger beer/salivating and cooking/each night time we serenading/there may be music in every single place.”
Educator Karen DeFreitas, who served as mistress of ceremonies in earlier UVCGB Christmas serenades, learn a poem, “Christmas Gone Business.”
“I’m right here to inform you Christmas is about Jesus birthday/hearken to the banjo and de pan/Christmas gone industrial,” she learn partly.
Initially and sporadically all through the occasion, Sezzie Miller, sang, amongst others, “Hark the Herald” and “Pleasure to the World.”
Singers and serenaders had been backed by the UVCGB band, and the UVCGB choir introduced the continuing down with its signature “All We Need for Christmas” and “Christmas, Christmas, We Want you a Merry Christmas.”
