THE GREEN MOON FESTIVAL

Lina Rodríguez, Sandra Romero and Francisco Sánchez
Publicado en Capital Letter No. 1




HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN TO SAN ANDRÉS AND PROVIDENCIA ISLANDS? HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT THERE IS BEHIND THOSE BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES?
WE ALWAYS THINK IN OUR FAMILIAR ENVIRONMENT AND FORGET ABOUT THE GREAT TREASURES THAT THE REST OF OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY CAN HAVE. SO WE INTENT TO HIGH¬LIGHT SOME IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THESE PARADISE ISLANDS SO THAT YOU FEEL TEMPTED TO GO.


   The Green Moon Festival emerged as an alter native to join San Andrés and Providencia with the main stream of the Caribbean culture composed by English, French, Dutch, and Spanish languages.


   This festival presents some particular characteristics that make it different from others. One of them is the possibility to join the Afro-Caribbeans and their current cultural expressions. It also integrates the dynamic and live manifestations that make this region be recognized as one of the most influential world-wide.
This simulation has its origins in the ancient war games of the Ghana warriors and in the Ashantis epic dances. It symbolizes a rhythm of pride and excitement.


   The Festival has organized two successful editions under the supervision of an important Caribbean lawyer, Kent Francis James. He has tried to show everybody the most important features of the Caribbean region.
The festival begins with an exciting dance and military parades that go through the most important urban streets. This is accompanied with the vibrant rhythm of drums and with the performance of different types of original choreographies which intent to represent the Independence Day (20 July). This public performance is characterized by the colorful and elegant costumes, ribbons and tricolor heralds. The leader of each band signals the different movements to be followed with body expressions by the public. Meanwhile, a a choreographic competence takes place in order to enrich the performance.


   Finally, at night, the festival continues with the performance of the main musical groups such as The Sound Bay Folk and The Rebels Home Boys of San Andres. The artists that participate in the festival show their culture through music.


ANOTHER IMPORTANT ASPECT ABOUT SAN ANDRES AND PROVIDENCE ISLANDS IS THE LANGUAGE THEY HAVE PARTICULARLY DEVELOPED: CRIOLLE.   WHEN SPEAKING IT, RIDDLES APPEAR AS ONE OF THEIR MOST DISTINCTIVE FEATURES.

THEY ARE NOT EASY TO UNDERSTAND BUT ONCE UNDERSTOOD, THEY ARE VERY ENJOYABLE

Adapted and translated from Boletín Bibliográfico Cultural (2001), Biblioteca Luis Angel Arango.