5 Reasons Panama celebrates Independence month
My personal Facebook news feed is inundated with posts bursting with Panamanian pride today. Today is November 1st, the first day of the patriotic month for all Panamanians.
Many countries celebrate Independence Day, but the beautiful Republic of Panama celebrates Independence month! Five important dates (all national holidays) occur this month and the entire country comes to a halt to pay tribute. Businesses and schools close for the day, parades fill the streets, firemen, police officers, and other government officials march along with the drumlines nobly displaying the badges on their uniforms, school marching bands and color guard performers proudly wear their school uniforms and display their honors on their sashes, and Panamanian citizens all engage in conversations around the history of
the country's independence.On November 3rd, Panama celebrates its separation from Colombia. Flag day takes place a day later on November 4th. November 5th is Colón day, the separation movement in Colón. November 10th honors the first cry for independence from Spain known as Primer grito de independencia de la Villa de los Santos. Finally on November 28th, Panama celebrates it's independence from Spain. All five November dates give prideful Panamanians reasons to feast and observe in their own way.I interviewed my 22 year old Panamanian cousin (pictured throughout this post) that lives in Panama about the celebratory month. This is what she had to say:
- If you could sum up the month of November in one word, what would it be? and why? "
Free (days off)! Jajajaja because coincidentally all the historical things (events) happened in November." - What is your earliest childhood memory of celebrating Panama in November? "Going to Colón City for the 3rd and 5th of November celebrations to watch the parades."
- You dance folklore professionally and wear the traditional headdress and costume on many occasions ever since you were small, what got you started? "I once participated in an event (when I was 3 years old), and I had to dance a
traditional Panamanian dance and since that day I wanted to be involved in Folklore. - What keeps you involved in the art of dancing folklore? "What keeps me in the field is that it amazes me how artisans work really hard to make such beautiful masterpieces such as the pollera and the jewelry."
- In what ways are you celebrating Independence month this year? "This year I'll be at home watching the parades on TV."