In 1821, in the City of Guatemala, the Act of Independence of the Central American peoples was proclaimed. From that moment on, Costa Rica was no longer under Spanish rule and became part of the Federation of Central American States.
It is in honor of this historic event that we now commemorate Independence Day every September 15th. Starting from this date, various traditions were initiated with the purpose of showcasing the white, blue, and red colors of the national flag and not forgetting this important day that reminds and stirs the patriotic feeling of freedom among Costa Ricans. Among the most representative customs that have been highlighted since the beginning of the celebrations are:
1. Torch Relay: Official activities start on September 13th in the province of Guanacaste, where the Torch of Independence is handed over between Nicaragua and Costa Rica. The government of the neighboring country delivers the torch to the Ministry of Public Education of Costa Rica. This relay is carried out by students from different regions of the country, who are chosen in advance by their educational institutions, often for their outstanding academic performance.
2. Civic Events: Simultaneously, civic events are held in the main city parks of the provinces to welcome the Torch of Independence. Students take fire from the original flame and distribute it throughout the country.
3. September 14th: On this day, the National Anthem of Costa Rica is sung at 6:00 p.m., and each educational institution organizes lantern parades.
4. Lantern Parade: Although Independence is celebrated on September 15th, the festivities take place throughout the month. One of them, and perhaps the most anticipated by children, is the well-known lantern parade held every September 14th in the evenings. This parade usually takes place in different neighborhoods of the communities. Children, accompanied by their parents and teachers, walk through the streets with their lit lanterns, and the National Anthem is sung at 6 p.m.
5. Student Parade: Another highly anticipated tradition is the student parade through the main streets and avenues across the country. Since Costa Rica does not have a military, the participants in these parades are children and teenagers who, with drums, lyres, flutes, and a lot of patriotic fervor, march to the rhythm of traditional Costa Rican songs in different parts of the country. Sometimes these parades are accompanied by masquerades and marimba music, as well as young people dressed in national costumes who perform typical Costa Rican dances.
6. Decoration of Homes and Institutions: Another cultural expression during the celebration of the national holidays is decorating homes and institutions with patriotic symbols, flags, and colors that represent the National Flag of Costa Rica.
So this is a little bit about the celebrations of the Independence Day in Costa Rica, if you are around in our country on these days, don’t miss out on the parades, it would be a nice way for you to experience some of the Culture of Costa Rica.
Source: Authorship: Sicultura Production 2020 [https://si.cultura.cr/]
