De Traditions of Holy Week

BEFORE AH PUT AH FINGER to the key board to write bout Holy Week, allow me to big-up the Royal SVG Police Force Band, foh ah one-dah-full musical presentation at Ceverne Williams graveside funeral service. De police getting ah lot ah licks foh sloppy wuk, most of which is caused by pull-it-tek-all enterfea- ants, plus de Force recruited wort-less men who should not have been in-uniform from debe- ging-in.

Ah doh know much bout Brass Music, except foh de lickle “ Too- Toot” while learning to play Trumpet in de Salvation Army Band, but Mr Commissioner, de Band of young musicians dat ah heard on Sat-dey got tremendous potential.

Ah should say dat ah was proud when ah saw Officer Shelecia Baptiste-Burke playing First Trumpet, she was de baby in de Lickle Salvaion Army Band when ah was dey. Shelecia is multi-talented, every time ah see her on parade she mastering- or mistressing ah different instrument, from Brass to Pan, to drums, yuh name it Shelecia plays it. At age 10 she was reading Drum (set) music accurately. It would be ah great day foh de SVG Police Force Band in general, and Police women in particular if or when she is appointed Band Mistress. We proud ah yuh Shel and de rest ah Dat lickle Band.

UP FROM DE GRAVE HE AROSE Holy Week remains one ah my fair-foh-it time of de year. Reflecting from Palm Sunday March, den Holy Monday when Jesus pelt some bull-wood pon den heartless vendors trading in de sinner-gag; Holy Chosedey was when Jesus was on de road, saw de non-bearing fig tree” (dead church), den past “Bad Mouth” pon it and blight it, mek it dryup!. Ah bad day was Spy Wednesday of Holy Week.

Dah was when Judas made his secret arrangement to sell de Master foh 30 pieces an silver. But 5: 00 a.m. early on Holy Thursday morning, was when we waited foh Miss Rosalie, de village bread vendor, wid her voice blasting like ah Trumpet shouting : “ Hot Cross Bun! (repeat) one ah Penny! two ah penny! Hot Cross Bun!” Good Friday was hectic. At 12: 00 noon de whole place turned dark foh de next three hours dat Jesus agonized on de Cross. Lunch was fish, preferably “makrel or smoke herring in coconut milk, sweet potato, coconut dumplin, bread-fruit!” And den de ole tradition was de prediction of one’s future by “setting up de White of an egg in a glass at 12: 00 noon again, three hours after everybody rushing to see whatever image dat was formed from de egg-white e.g. a boat or plane signifi es someone travelling, ah church steeple or long dress, someone getting married and so on. But ah frightening sign was chopping de trunk of de “Physic Nut” tree anytime between noon and 3:00 p.m. to witness de colour of de juice/stain from de tree oozing out “red like blood.” Folklore suggests dat de original Cross was made from Physic Nut wood. Satdey of Holy Week remains de Sabbath when even Jesus rested in de tomb. And de Big Day Easter Sunday… Resurrection Morning.

After we done crucify Christ, we still got de nerve to pack up de church hall to sing either” “ He Lives” or “Up from de Grave He Arose!” And Easter Monday is picnic time, who ain’t gone pon excursion by boat or bus, gone beach. As ah youth my fun was Kite Flying up Dorsetshire Hill, soon to be named Mount Chatoyer! Have ah Blessed Easter. And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

Ole Love Vine Bassy

_ Bassy Alexander is a land surveyor, folklorist and social commentator.