Semana Santa, or Easter week, began in Costa Rica this past weekend on Palm Sunday with masses and processions marking Jesus’s entrance into Bethlehem before his execution and resurrection. For many Costa Ricans, this is the most important religious event of the year, and people are expected to spend their time in prayer and avoiding work and physical labor. To promote this, Thursday and Friday of Holy Week are official holidays on the Costa Rican calendar, while many government employees are enjoying the entire week off of work.

As with most holidays in modern times, the traditions that come with Semana Santa are both cultural and religious. It is expected that 1.5 million residents will take advantage of their time off not to head to church, but rather to the beach. One unfortunate norm that comes with this is traffic, and lots of it! Bus companies come prepared by significantly increasing their daily departures, in part because on Friday bus routes shut down completely to allow employees time to celebrate with their families.

Preparation

Easter preparations usually begin a week in advance within the family, with traditions depending on the region you are in. In Guanacaste March and April mark mango season, and the youngest generations of the families can be found gathering mangos from around the neighborhood so that the matriarch of the family can make a mango marmalade that will show up in almost every desert during Semana Santa. Traditionally, food should be prepared in advance for the week to allow everyone plenty of time to relax.

The television stations do their part to set the tone by playing classic religious films like the 10 Commandments, Spartacus, Mel Gibson’s The Passion of Christ and even the DreamWorks animated classic, The Prince of Egypt for the kids.

While Catholics are given all of Lent to go to Confession in preparation for Easter, the numbers increase the last week before Easter as the sacrament is not available on Thursday through Easter Sunday so that the Church can focus on the important masses and processions to come. Preparation for the processions includes decorating and cleaning the religious effigies that are stored away the rest of the year, many of which will take part in up to 10 processions, with different colored clothing for each.

Religious Traditions

Like in most Catholic nations and communities, Easter week is celebrated with the family and in church. The week is a time for rest, and family gatherings often center around the television or over coffee and sweets. While there are no large meals associated with the season, Catholics will stick to fish as meat should not be consumed during the week. This is noted in the endless promotions on seafood and canned tuna for the weeks leading up to Semana Santa.

Many families will also be sure to take part in at least one of the many religious processions that take place during the week, starting with this past Sunday’s procession to the Basilica de Los Angeles in Cartago. Participants took part in the blessing of the palms, trailing behind effigies of Jesus and other saints mounted on horseback or held up on the shoulders of other participants.

As the week rolls on, the processions will depict different moments in the last week of Jesus’s life up to when he is crucified and resurrected. One of the most dramatic depictions takes place in Tres Rios, Cartago where live actors take the place of the effigies. The procession in San Joaquin de Flores de Heredia is usually covered by local television stations and includes an actor for every person that was present at the scene of Christ’s death. Most small towns will hold smaller processions where anyone is welcome to participate.

Controversial Traditions

In one particular town, Ortega de Santa Cruz in Guanacaste, men continue to participate in an age old tradition on Good Friday that involves capturing a giant crocodile with their bare hands and tying it up to put on display in the center of town. While the animal is released the following day, the tradition has been under scrutiny of animal and environmental conservationists for years. It has also grown in popularity as many visitors head to the small town to witness the act.

Another tradition that is present in several other Latin American countries is the burning of a straw and cloth effigy of Judas, the apostle that betrayed Jesus, on Holy Saturday before Easter. While most towns have some kind of representation of this, some are much more pronounced than others, especially in the Heredia province including San Rafael, San Joaquin, Mercedes Sur and Heredia centro.

The effigy is usually set up in the middle of the town soccer field in front of the church or on the beach in coastal towns. As recently as 5 years ago, the Judas night festivities have turned into riots and arrests as police try to control what becomes a giant bonfire as more and more debris is thrown in and vandalism becomes a problem. In Guanacaste, it is a tradition for men to set up a game of soccer, using the burning head of Judas as the soccer ball.

In Venezuela, where this is also a popular tradition, Judas is often made to look like a current political figure and stuffed with fireworks in an impressive display where pyrotechnics meets religion meets politics.

Superstitions

As older generations work to maintain religious traditions in their families, several superstitions have developed to reinforce the need to rest and pray during Semana Santa. Many Costa Ricans will remember their grandmother telling them that a Semana Santa spent at the beach will result in them turning into a fish. An older superstition states that driving a car during Holy Week is a sin, and some small communities apparently still throw nails out into the street to deter anyone who would consider it.

No matter how residents and visitors decide to spend this week, it’s importance to the country is clear and it is not just another holiday that may go overlooked. Holy Week manifests itself in all aspects of daily life from TV to transportation to work schedules, and even alcohol sales. It is a great time to visit Costa Rica to take part in some of these traditions, but the visitor must make his or herself fully aware of what is to be expected before arriving to avoid any unexpected inconveniences!

Photo courtesy of La Nacion.

The sleepy beach town of Mal Pais, on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, will play host to an exclusive group of A-list guests and family members of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and supermodel Gisele Bundchen for their second wedding of the year. The couple was first married in a casual, secret wedding in Santa Monica, Calif. on Feb. 26., apparently for the sake of Brady’s 1-year-old son who will not be allowed to travel to Costa Rica for the larger wedding due to the wishes of his mother, Bridget Moynahan.

The second wedding will take place at Gisele’s Costa Rica home, and will be attended by less than 50 close friends and family members, including Brady’s teammates and Gisele’s supermodel pals. They will hold a dinner reception on Friday, April 3, and the wedding on Saturday April 4, says the latest celebrity gossip.

The couple already went on their honeymoon to Gisele’s home country of Brazil, and must not want to let go of newly wed bliss. The remote beaches of this Central Pacific sector of Costa Rica mixed with a wedding party of fashion and athletic icons, should make for one picturesque day in the tropics!

Every year the Municipality of San Jose takes on its calling to turn the city into the cultural capital of the country by organizing a series of festivals related to the arts, culture and music. This weekend is the biggest festival so far this year that will be hosted by the Municipality: the Festival de Verano Transitarte. The schedule for the 3-day event is truly packed and is a great opportunity for anyone in the city to get out, enjoy some fresh air and some great entertainment, all for free!

The event will be spread out over four large plazas all within a block of eachother in the center of San Jose. The Parque Morazan, home to the Templo de Musica and in front of the Holiday Inn where all the concerts will be hosted is just two blocks north of the Plaza de la Cultura where the National Theater can be found. The Jardin de Paz is the adjacent plaza located directly in front of the Metallic School, and just across the street to the East is the shady Parque España. To find the National Park, continue east one block. This is the largest of all the venues and will be hosting artisans who will set up shop, as well as theater and dance performances.

Now that you know where to find it, there is no excuse to miss it! The weekend schedule is non-stop as follows:

Friday, March 13, 2009

10 a.m. – 3 p.m.: Municipal libraries will hold present story telling including the stories La gallina Avelina and El lobo feroz (all in Spanish) in the Parque España.

10 a.m. – 3 p.m.: In the National Park, visitors can enjoy Mascaradas by Los Chapetones, marimba music by Sonando and Calypso Urbano.

4 p.m.: Folkloric group Viajando por Nuestro Pais will close the festivities in the National Park

6:30 p.m.: The dance group Metamorfosis will present a show called 70% agua in the Parque Morazan

8 p.m.: A concert by Son de Tikizia will officially inaugurate the weekend event.

Saturday, March 24, 2009

All Day: Urban Canopy Zipline tours and Climbing walls in the Jardin de Paz, and story telling until 5 p.m. in Parque España.

10 a.m.: Day long theater presentations in the National Park including “Caminito del Mar’ by the group Contraluz and “Sexo? Si gracias por preguntar” by Abya-Yala.

11 a.m.: Taekwondo presentation in the Jardin de Paz

11 a.m.: Music presentation by Mexican rapper MC Tshh in the Parque Morazan

11 a.m.: 9 p.m.: Concerts will be presented all day long including Sincopa, Introvisión, Escafandra, Mechas, Parque en el Espacio, Pato Barraza and Evolución.

1 p.m.: Central American Boxing Championship with the participation of Panama and Nicaragua in the Jardin de Paz

9 p.m.: Presentation of dance and percussion by Orquestap in the Parque Nacional

9 p.m.: Music performance by Panamanian group Cienfue in Parque Morazan

Sunday, March 15:

10 a.m. – 6 p.m.: Story telling in Parque España.

10 a.m. on: Music, dance and theater with presentations by the Camote Circus and Par de 2, the Camerata Bach and La Cuna del Swing in the Parque Nacional.

11 a.m. on: Music presentations in Parque Morazan by Los Cumbiamberos, Humberto Vargas, Francisco Murillo, Digital 80, Santos y Zurdo, and Amarillo Cyan y Magenta.

7 p.m.: A concert by Peregrino Gris will close the weekend music festivities in the Parque Morazan.

8 p.m.: The entire event will close with a show by the French group Puce Muse, that will include music and projections in the Parque de Paz.

As is typical of the summer months in Costa Rica, the streets of San Jose will come alive this weekend with the IV Summer Festival Transitarte, which takes place from Friday the 13th through Sunday March 15. The festival is organized by the Municipality of San Jose with the goal of re-infusing the country’s capital with art and culture. The festival will take place over a series of venues and include literary readings, crafts, live concerts, visual and urban art, workshops and even a boxing championship.

Each year the festival presents a new theme. This year the event organizers went for an eco-friendly theme with the title “Por un San Jose Verde” (for a green San Jose). It is hoped that many artists will use this as an inspiration for their art by using eco-friendly materials or expressing environmentally friendly messages.

All the activities will be focused in the center of San Jose with urban themed art in the Parque Morazan in front of the Holiday Inn. The Jardin de Paz (next to Morazan in front of the Metallic School) will be dedicated to recreation and extreme sports, Parque España will present a literary theme with local libraries and story tellers. Finally, the Parque Nacional will present the Artisan Fair with art expositions, crafts for sale, as well as live music and presentations.

The event will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday the 13th, while the official inauguration will take place at 6 p.m. the same day with a concert by groups Metamorfosis and Son de Tiquizia in the Parque Morazan. Other artists that will perform in clued Mechas and Peregrino Gris.

After the Fiestas Palmares are expected to go out with a bang this weekend, party goers won’t have to wait long, or at all, to find the next party destination in Costa Rica. As annual tradition goes, the first two months of the year are filled with fiestas patronales and civicas. The former are festivals in celebration of the patron saint of a town, while the latter are more of a bragging rights type town festival in which each one hopes to gain the reputation of hosting the best fiestas in the country. No matter if it is a fiesta patronal or civica, you are likely to find the same thing: megabars, bull fights, Chinese food, horse parades, masked dancers and beer. The main difference is that a fiesta patronal usually involves a religious pilgrimage and a bit of Catholic guilt may accompany the heavy drinking.

Tomorrow is the infamous carnaval de Palmares, and some 150,000 people are expected to show up for the 2 kilometer long parade that begins at 5 p.m. The parade will run from the Palmares stadium to the festival grounds and will include 15 dance troops from all over the Central Valley, four floats, three mascarada groups from Barva and Alajuelita and three musical groups. Visitors should also expect lots of fireworks and a “surprise”, an event organizer said, which will likely include public participation.

A concert by Chilean Beto Cuevas in one of the megabars should serve to draw in even more visitors who may not be interested in the parade. On Saturday the long awaited Festival Ranchero will be hosted in the bull ring starting at 7 p.m. and Puerto Rican music group Calle 13 will warm up their vocals at a concert in one of the megabars. Finally, on Sunday, Calle 13 will present a free concert on the main stage starting at noon to close the fiestas. Afterward, bull fights will continue in the evening and during the day on Monday.

If you were not or are not able to visit Palmares, have no fear, as there are plenty more parties to come. Today marks the beginning of the fiestas patronales de Nicoya, in honor of San Blas. As is common in Guanacaste, these parties will be highlighted by the bull fights as the best bulls in Costa Rica, El Chirriche and Malacrianza make an appearance. The parties, which continue until Feb. 8, will also be marked by the crowing of a town queen.

This Saturday, Jan. 31, the streets of Jaco, Puntarenas will come alive with its own Second Festival of Art. The event, which will continue until Feb. 8, will include concerts, theater, dance, artisan crafts, a carnival and dozens of artists. The festivities will begin at 4 p.m. on Friday with a parade of dancers from the Red Cross to the new park in Jaco. The same evening will host a show by the “Fantastic Circus”, a presentation of short films, a live concert and a show of aerial dancers. Visitors will also be able to view painted life-sized cows from the Cow Parade that have been traveling the country since the close of their 3-month debut on the streets of San Jose.

Once you are all rested from traveling between three provinces to visit these spectacular festivals, it is recommended that you head right back up to Guanacaste for the Fiestas Populares de Liberia, which will take place from Feb. 12 to Feb. 22. This festival, slightly more popular than the Expo Liberia fiestas in honor of the annexation of Guanacaste in July, will host international artists, bull fights, megabars and more. The events will be similar to those of the fiestas de Palmares, but being set in Guanacaste, a region rich in agricultural traditions, promises that the Costa Rica culture and pride will be more vibrant.

If you are visiting Costa Rica in January or February, there is no excuse to miss the opportunity to see Costa Rican pride and culture at its finest. There are activities for all ages, as entire communities unite to celebrate their home town and their heritage. If for nothing else, the Costa Rican bull fights, in which a bull chases after a ring of humans, are a must-see as you cannot experience such a thing anywhere else.

The Costa Rica government declared a week of mourning for the deaths caused by Thursday’s magnitude 6.2 earthquake. At last count, the Costa Rican Red Cross tallied 18 victims, while the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ) has officially declared 15 deaths. The official total is expected to be even higher, as 23 people remain missing. In their honor, the Palmareña Civic Association (ACP) has made the executive decision to postpone the long-awaited fiestas de Palmares, which will now begin on Wednesday, Jan. 21.

The decision came about after the Minister to the Presidency, Rodrigo Arias, made a public plea to the ACP that they suspend the parties, after a state of National Emergency was declared.

The president of the ACP, William Vasquez, said the association has every intention to support the government’s initiative, despite the costs likely involved in postponing the festival and international performers that were scheduled to begin this Wednesday, Jan. 14.

Vasquez told daily newspaper La Nacion that he is confident that the international performers, such as Kumbia Kings and Calle 13, will understand that the earthquake was a fortuitous event and that they will take necessary action to meet the new concert dates. According to the new schedule, the inaugural horse parade will take place on Thursday, Jan. 22.

The Santa Cruz fiestas patronales that were also schedule to start this Wednesday, Jan. 14 will probably also be delayed. This festival that honors the Black (Saint) Christ of Esquipulas takes place the second week in January every year. The president of the Santa Cruz Festival Commission said he is analyzing the possibility of changing the festival dates, after the request from the Ministry of the Presidency to respect the National Week of Mourning.

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For those of you wishing to made a donation to help in the relief effort and support for victims of the earthquake, the National Bank of Costa Rica is accepting direct deposits to the following Bank Account:

Bank: Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
SWIFT: BNCRCRSJ
Bank Address: Avenidas 1 y 3, Calle 4, San José, Costa Rica
Bank account: 15100010010009113
Beneficiary name: Comision Nacional de Emergecias
Beneficiary address: Hangar 3, Aeropuerto Tobias Bolaños

Photo Courtesy of Al Dia.

Situated 300 miles away from Costa Rican mainland, Isla de Coco is a somewhat untouched part of Costa Rica that manages to escape the influx of tourists. It is the world’s largest uninhabited island all be it for a few park rangers who insure that the paradise is preserved and it is this preservation that has seen this haven for natural wildlife of both the sea and land to be nominated as one of the New 7 wonders of nature.

The nomination was officially decided this month following an intense qualification round whereby more than almost 430 places were nominated from 224 different countries. Isla de Coco made it through the initial voting to the final 77 and now is competing for a space as one of the top 7 most natural wonders in the world. It faces stiff competition from various other stunning places in the world from the Amazon rain forest in South America to Ayers Rock (Uluru) in Australia.

Mainland Costa Rica is famous for boasting a massively diverse population of creatures, however Isla de Coco arguably accommodates an even larger number thanks to the strict laws enforced preventing anyone to stay on the Island. Whilst the land houses numerous amounts of wildlife, it is the surrounding sea water that is most compelling with an abundance of sea life, sharks amongst other underwater life that makes it a great place for keen scuba divers.

The island may not have seen many visitors since its discovery but can boast claims to fame through a variety of appearances in films most notably Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park and Lost World. In addition it was the inspiration of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island novel after many tales pirates searching for hidden treasure were cast.

However should you pay a visit to the island it is unlikely that you will stumble upon a lost treasure of Jack Sparrow or bump into a prehistoric Tyrannosaurus Rex. In fact the likelihood is that you will come across a natural wonderland that has escaped the destruction of man, making it only a natural choice for one of the top 7 natural wonders of the world.

Voting for the nominees continues until July 2009 when the current 77 entries will be reduced to 21 whereby they will all then be put to a popular vote. The final of the New 7 Wonders of Nature will be in 2011.

Last night marked the end of the San Jose Fiestas in Zapote, a traditional Costa Rican carnival that starts on Christmas day and runs through the New Year. The main event of the night was an epic face off between El Malacrianza and Chirriche. These two feared, battle hardened beasts are actually bulls, though they are as famous as any celebrity in the country. They are known for being untamed in the world of bull riding, until last night that is, when a rider from Liberia broke records by not getting knocked off Malacrianza, a bull famed for having killed two of his riders and injuring many more. If you think you have missed all the action, have no fear, as the fiestas in Palmares begin in just nine days!

This festival at Palmares expects to receive over 800,000 visitors this year and will host eight international performers at a main concert stage and within the mega bars, giant temporary structures that travel the country to be constructed at different festival sites. The first name to be released is that of Pee Wee, the ex-lead singer of Kumbia Kings, a popular Latin music group that was formed in the United States and includes the late artist Selena’s brother. Pee Wee, a.k.a. Irvin Salinas, will be performing with his former group, which is now known as the Kumbia All Starz, on Jan. 18 at noon.

While the other artists have not yet been announced, event organizers say that the concerts will center on popular music for guests to dance to, rather than the pop-rock theme that was featured last year. Entrance to the festival is free, though most concerts will charge their own entrance fee.

Another change that has become increasingly noticeable in years past is the attempt to combat excessive alcohol intake at the parties. Last year noted record car seizures due to drivers registering high blood-alcohol levels. This year will see similar traffic regulations as well as a new regulation restricting discounted alcohol sales as well as the presence of personal coolers to store alcohol at the concerts.

The Palmares fiestas will begin on Jan. 14 with fireworks and a parade. The official inauguration takes place on Jan. 15 with a horse parade (tope) at noon, and the next day will see the beginning of the bull fights. The first musical event, a Ranchero Festival, will take place on Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. with the lead performance presented by Mexican singer Ana Barbara. Tickets to this event will cost between $22 and $60 and can be purchased at HSBC locations.

The first international concert is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 18, while Jan. 23 will see the infamous carnival parade starting at 5:30 p.m. The parties will end on Jan. 25, with the most anticipated, although still unannounced, concert that will begin at noon.

To get to the fiestas de Palmares, many people form groups to split the price for a small bus that will pick you up from a specific location and take you back to San Jose at night. As drunk driving laws are strongly enforced at the exit routes from the parties, along with the more severe consequences now being applied thanks to the new Transit Law, it is strongly recommended that visitors take this route, pay for a taxi, or find a place to stay the night (which can be very difficult). Palmares is located about one hour from San Jose en route to San Ramon, though party traffic ensures it will take longer to arrive on peak days. So be safe and go enjoy the party!

Photo courtesy of Al Dia.

Costa Rica’s unique indigenous cultures and crafts often go overlooked, but there is a family in the Nicoya peninsula that is fighting to keep the traditional Chorotega Ceramics alive. In the little town of San Vincente de Nicoya, in Guanacaste, three generations have dedicated their lives to this art. Zoraida Grijalba is still producing pieces at the age of 76; she learned the art of pottery from her own parents and is now teaching it to her daughter and her grand children. This activity has been around Nicoya for generations, since the pre-colombian days, as well as the whole of Latin America. Everywhere on this continent this art can be admired, telling us about the life and customs of lost civilizations.

Some samples of this ceramic can now be admired at the University Las Veritas located in Zapote, San Jose, in the Roberto Sasso Auditorium. According to curator Luis Fernando Quiros, the pieces tell the stories of the Chorotega culture, and how it evolved over the years. Out of the 50 pieces on show, some are purely decorative while some are utilitarian.

This legacy is however in danger of extinction. It gets harder to get by in remote villages today, and the younger generations often leave home to seek a better future in larger cities. The disappearance of this form of art would mark the end of an era in this country, the era of its very beginning. Making a living out of pottery cannot be easy in a modern Costa Rica. Artisans often take truck loads of their own work to beach towns to sell on the street to visiting tourists. A lack of understanding about the ancient culture often leads to a lack of appreciation of the art.

The ceramic of San Vincente shows the characteristics of the Chorotega legacy in a unique and authentic way, found nowhere else in the country. The technique and material used are also special to the area, in the way that they have not changed over the years resulting in pieces that very much resemble those of hundreds of years ago. The black sand they use for example, typical of this sort of ceramic, is found nearby in the Mount Curriol, where it has always been. Black, red and white rocks are extracted and are later grounded and mixed with water and clay in order to obtain the characteristic pigments to decorate to pots. The functional pieces usually do not carry any form of decoration.

The aim of this exposition is to try and keep this art alive for today and for future generations. One way is to show it to the public, and educate them about the Chorotega culture, as more often than not it gets forgotten. It seems that it is only when one travels to Guanacaste that one is reminded of these ceramics, as the artists sell them along the roads and their bright colors are hard to miss. Although traditional, they never look out of place anywhere, whether it is modern or a rustic home. They make the perfect souvenir for those who like to take something back from their Costa Rican vacation, or for those who live in the country and who want to remember who was here first!

For the expatriate living in Costa Rica, the holiday celebrated on the night of October 31st will likely bring back fond memories of extravagant costume parties, over indulgence in trick-or-treating, and Jack-o’-lantern carving competitions. In the Catholic nation of Costa Rica, the Noche de Brujas (“Night of the Witches”) is typically not celebrated, as the holiday is still considered to be Pagan and very “gringo”, or foreign.

This may come as a blow, in particular to our North American friends who celebrate the holiday with great gusto year in, year out. But alas! Despair is not necessary and all is not lost. Here is your guide to Halloween 2008 in Costa Rica with just over a week to go.

DECORATIONS
All Alyss stores good selection
All Hipermas supermarkets

COSTUMES
Gallito: Plaza Laureles, Escazu, San Rafael (near US ambassador’s house) adults and children
Ella-el: Escazu, San Rafael (near ScotiaBank) adults only
All Alyss stores some selection
All Hipermas supermarkets some selection

CANDY & SWEETS
All PriceSmart stores big economical bags!

TRICK or TREAT
Parque Valle del Sol, Santa Ana
Bosques de Lindora, Santa Ana
Both large North American communities with great decorations and a real holiday feel, though Bosques de Lindora is invitation only from residents

THEATRE
Event: Plan 9 From Outer Space (from Ed Wood film), by Little Theatre Group
Where: Teatro Laurence Olivier, Calle 28, Avenida 2
When: 7:30pm Fri 31st and Sat 1st, 2:30pm Sun 2nd
Why: For giving a gory spin on the usual Halloween witches
Cover: Adults ¢3,000, Students ¢1,500
Call: #8355 1623

PARTY
Event: “Halloween Dance Experience”
When: 8:00 p.m. Fri 31st
Where: Torre Geko, 5th Floor, Plaza Real Cariari
Why: DJ Max Graham and $3000+ in prizes
Cover: ¢6000 or ¢10000 VIP

Event: “Fiesta de Terror”
When: 9:00 p.m. Fri 31st
Where: El Sitio Bar & Grill, 500m east of Beyli Bridge, Cartago
Why: DJ Zooster, Juglar City Sounds and best costume prize
Cover: ¢1500
Call: #2551 0181

Event: “Fiesta de Halloween”, by the International Professionals of Costa Rica
When: 5:00 p.m. Fri 31st
Where: Antique Lounge & Restaurant, Plaza Itskazu, next to Outback Restaurant, Escazu
Why: Networking in disguise! For internationally minded professionals
Cover: TBA
Call: #2288 3048

Event: “Brutal”
When: 9:00 p.m. Sat 1st
Where: Club Oh! (Gay Friendly), Cll 2, Ave 14-16, 200m north of Pacific Station
Why: Saturday night fun, costume prizes totalling ¢225,000
Cover: ¢6,000 or VIP ¢8,000
Call: #8810 1746