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WILD FESTIVAL.Annual Celebration of East Indians.C08UE KOOSAVJESCRIBED. Hundreds Gather in Vere; No Serious Collision.Vast Indian immigrants in Jamaica on Thursday calibrated the barbaric rite known as “Hooaay.” Hundreds o( coolies took part in ths function at Vere. There was no untoward incident. The festival of “rajah’’ la of sacred origin, commemorating the rivalry of twobrothers, Hosien and Hasan, who ived in thelived in the dim, distant past, and whose continual warfare ended only with ths death of both. The Bast Indian is loth to tell the story and to give the meaning ef the anniversary, but it is of s re-Itgio-political character in which ths women perform the religious rites and the men the sturdy part of the function.FUNCTION DESCRIBED(From Our Correspondent.)Vere. July 9.—The East Indian festival known as “Hoossy” passed off this evening without any untoward incident taking place, though at one time it was feared there might have been a clash between the cooiks of Moneycausk and Amity Hall, the twoestates that keep uu the festival, aboutThere were about 1,200 adult Etat Indians, besides children, who took part in the celebration Morelands, with about 1120, and Amity Hall, with about 260, joined in one procession,whiistMoneymu-k with shout310 joined Hillsidewith Hillside 150, and had another procession. Besides these there were about 200 from Bog and Pusey HallDuring the past week preparations being m *made for* the event at the barracks such as making the ‘Hosen and practising the performers.The “ Hoaen, ” a pagoda-like struc-itfrarotore mad# of a light framework of wood and covered with variegated tissue psper ornamented with gold and silver leaves, contained an earthen image made, it isTAJKBB THOM A GRAVE This was brought out on Wednesday night, and around it the people gathered, the men dancing and indulging In games and acrobatic performance*. while the women kept up a monotonous, dirge-like chant to the sound of a drum, whilst another of these “ flowers of the East ” fed the flames around the structure with in-It was a weini spectacle, to see bythe glimmering light of the torches the aerobet*stripped, with only s wrapper around their loins, moving agilely from side to side, as with club and!shield they defended themse Ives or! mg iry*htried to break the adversary ft guard ; or to watch their shining, sinuousbodies as they twisted themselves under their companio. V legs, up their backs, and down under the tags of another without the bodies touching the ground.Tt^dgy was ■ general holidayon ums estates, and the native population enjoyed it in sightseeing, Ail turned out to the show, some with the hope of seeing s fight, others to see tne weird mysteries of the children of theThe police, 22 strong. Were prepared for eventualities. At about 3 p.m. over 300 persons had gathered at tbe square to see tbe procession. The scene was an animated and interesting one. The East Indian women in their gsy attire of scarlet, blue, yellow, green.With .bright vsri coloured Madraskerchiefs for their besd dress, and profusely decorated with silver jew-ellry- necklaces, ear-rings, ankle rings, and nose ornaments -completed ttoe picturesque and gorgeous show. The few largt TsjaSs ,paud sense smaller ones, the women around with their 6XAYT AMB nrOBMBK.long clubs whichthey dexterously brandished around, keeping the crowd from pressing too closely on the performers, the repeated shouts ef “ Hasten, Hasan, ” the drumming, the looting of tbe lifer on his flute, ths beating ef cymbals, and (ink-limr triangles amply compensated forThe rival factions wefe drawn up fusing each other, each wanting the place of precedence which is the right Ihw of tha road, but the police aad book-keepers quieted down theeffected.The festivities wars carried on all day until evening with acrobatic performances, exhibitions of Indian dexterity in sword play, cluo-swinging, wrestling and dancing, dusk put an end feu the proceedings. The gods were taken to ths river and floated down to the sea and the “Hooeay” was st an
Newspaper Details
Kingston Daily Gleaner
Kingston, Kingston, JM
Mon, Jul 13, 1908
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Djamil N.
USA 23 Aug 2023
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