IF EVER there’s an occasion that gels or brings together practically an entire neighbourhood in peace, love and celebratory style, engendering an attitude of caring and sharing, regardless of grudges held earlier in the year, it’s Christmas. And the epitome of that kind of flavour would be the hinterland neighbourhood – God-fearing, less populated and where people tend to know and look out for each other.

Even as Christmas is behind us, the Pepperpot Magazine looked at two such communities – Mabaruma in the North West Region and Pomeroon; a riverine community in the Essequibo. Carol Gonsalves, born and bred in the Pomeroon, but now residing in Georgetown with her family, nostalgically recalls the thrill of what Christmas was like back home through the ages, and how households would invest and enthusiastically look forward to the occasion.

“Christmas in a community such as the Pomeroon where I grew up, is first and foremost recognised and acknowledged as the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ Child. But that apart, it is more of a family reunion; a period of atonement and healing when folks tend to throw away their cares and mend differences,” she said. “It’s a time when folks seek to get the home in tip-top shape – doing a bit of fresh painting; changing curtains and generally seeking to get the home to take on an urban look.

Essentially there is a lot of shopping, for months ahead some people engage in ‘throwing box’ in order to amass the amount of money required to buy – be it items of furniture, or some other household item.”
She stated that another highly anticipated event is the exchange of gifts, with family members being scarcely able to conceal their excitement as they tear the gift packages open.

And of course, as anywhere else in Guyana, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas in those communities without lavish spending and big cooking and serving of the traditional dishes such as hot and spicy pepper, garlic pork, baked chicken, ginger beer, black cake and other types of cake, alongside beverages including sophisticated wines – from alcoholic to non-alcoholic flavours.

And you cannot forget the Pepperpot, she said, which, having become practically a symbol of the Guyanese Christmas cuisine, in addition to being made using beef and pork, incredibly, is now being made using chicken.

OLD TRADITIONS
And many of the practices are traditions held near and dear because it is simply tradition. It is said that whatever you do, don’t forget to have Grannie’s bowl of soup with fresh ground provision, beef, chicken and ‘loud cow heel on the dinner table. That observance is a rule of thumb, failing which you may well incur the wrath of grannie.

And the story is told about a young couple in Mabaruma spending their first Christmas renting a 92-year-old land lady’s house, and offering to prepare lunch for her on that day. When eventually lunch was served, it was a meal of delicious and well-prepared chowmein. But on seeing it, Grannie was indignant and almost hit the roof, daring them to serve her chowmein on Christmas Day – a day specially set aside for soup, the old woman said. She made do with the salad along with black cake and ginger beer and whatever else was available, but never quite forgave the couple for neglecting to give her soup on Christmas Day.

THE CHRISTMAS CHURCH SERVICE
Hinterland people place a high premium on attending the Christmas Day church service and/or Christmas Eve night church service, depending on religious affiliation.
Those events are highly looked forward to, even by some who never made the time to attend Church throughout the year. After attending either or both, and joining in the lusty singing of favourite traditional Christmas hymns and carols such as ‘Silent Night’, ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’ and ‘Joy to the World’, they invariably come out with a sense of feeling renewed and having accomplished something great.

Another engagement to which country folk look forward in the Pomeroon and Mabaruma , but which has virtually faded out in the city, is Carol Singing, with folks trekking from neighbour to neighbour in the late afternoon singing carols and offering Christmas cheer, thereby bringing joy to the hearts of ‘shut-ins’ and others.

And earlier in the day, people would engage in what is known as “Honey Goobie” where the younger children would also visit homes within the neighbourhood, thrilling hearts with choice choruses. In acknowledgement, they were given sweets, fudge, ice-apples, nuts and even cash, compliments for the season. The parents would, in turn, prepare goodies for the children.

DO NOT GO VISITING PEOPLE’S HOMES ON CHRISTMAS DAY
It is the culture that Christmas is a day for the family and a visit from someone outside the household might be regarded as an intrusion. It is better to visit on Boxing Day, but better still, call before visiting to determine whether it is convenient for the family.

FATHERS SHOULD NOT DRINK ALCOHOL IN THE PRESENCE OF THEIR CHILDREN IN THE HOME.
You may wish to have the children engage in some meaningful activity such as playing with their toys, games or cell phones, while the father, in another part of the house, takes a ‘tups’ with a close friend or relatives in celebration of the joyous occasion.

THE INTESTINAL FLUSH OUT
It is part of the culture in these hinterland communities that parents de-worm or give their children laxatives or specific ‘bush medicine’ within the week leading up to Christmas, in anticipation of the eating spree in which they will be engaged for the holiday.

But what is different about shopping for greens, meat, cassareep and items much in demand at Christmas time, is that unlike the city, such prices in the hinterland remain constant and affordable.