Hosay

Today was Hosay, and I'm a bit embarrassed to say that I only knew because I saw people posting about the traffic being caused because of it. Hosay, although a Shia Muslim religious event, is enjoyed by all religions and ethnicities. Large mausoleums are built and paraded through the streets, usually lead by a group of tassa drummers. At the end of the parade, the tadjahs are offered up to the sea. This is a tradition brought to the caribbean with the indentured labourers, and started as far back as 1854. 

I was not really prepared to take photos, but luckily, I had my point and shoot camera in the car (exactly for situations like this), so as soon as I left the office, I headed to St. James, which is where it is generally celebrated in Trinidad. Some roads were blocked off so I parked a good distance away, but as I got out the car, the sound of tassa was heard, and in the distance you could see the tops of some of the tadjahs. I walked towards the action, and mingled in the crowd for a while. The spectators were walking along on the sidewalks, while the groups were in the streets parading. It was almost like a mini carnival, really amazing that these traditions were bought all the way to the caribbean, and still celebrated for almost two centuries now.