With the holidays approaching, I have been wondering how to include Zalen's culture into our American traditions so I wrote to Trésor for some insight. So pull up a chair and we will learn a bit more about the holidays/traditions of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
A moment to remember...
"Do you celebrate Halloween?" or "What do you eat for Thanksgiving?" These are questions people often ask me when they want to know about holidays in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Holidays are important milestones for a culture. A moment to remember the past and celebrate the joyful and painful moments of history. Each culture has in its own context dates that are important. Having adopted the Christian calendars, all major christian holidays are celebrated in Congo. There are slight differences on what they mean for a child. There are also holidays that are peculiar to the Congolese people.
CHRISTMAS
Growing up in Congo, we did not have a chance to always eat a decent meal, to have decent clothes or a good pair of shoes. Christmas or "Noel" as we call it, is for us that one time of the year when we expected and prayed for clothes, shoes and most of all a bottle of coke or fanta. Yes, you read right; soda is a luxury for many in DRC and its an important part of the Christmas meal. Chicken or any meat which are expensive in major cities are always something children expect to eat for Christmas. Parents do their best in December to offer a decent meal and clothes to their children. Some decorate their houses but that's not the most important for the children. Families get together and people visit each other and make the day a special moment. Christmas is celebrated December 25 except for the Kimbaguist church whichaccount for about 10% of the Congolese population, their Christmas is May 25.
NEW YEAR
New Year or "Nouvel an" is another major celebration. People either wait for midnight at home or they go for an all night prayer at the church. Bars and pubs also make special arrangement for the celebration. Everyone tries to have the loudest music and at the midnight every one screams "Bonne annee!!!" with hope that the new year will bring more hope than the previous one.EASTER
The strong Catholic influence makes Easter a very important holiday in the Congo. On Good Friday, thousands of catholics do the Via Dolorosa. Easter itself is more family oriented. Churches hold services then families share a meal at home. My family took that opportunity to visit cousins and friends we had not seen for a while or to go visit our relatives at the army camp.INDEPENDENCE DAY
Our independence day June 30 is the most important celebration of the year. In each city a military parade is organized. the parade last for hours. When the military has completed its parade, civilians have theirs. The radio plays music from 1960 when congolese musicians wrote songs to immortalize the day of independence. Those who have TVs can watch documentaries about independence. Families get together, friends visit each other. The elderly tell stories to the younger generations.PARENTS DAY
August 1st is another important date in the congo; It's parents day. There is a twofold meaning to the day. In the morning families remember their loved ones who passed away. most people go to the cemetery with their children to remember those who are no longer there. the afternoon is dedicated to parents who are still alive. Children honor their parents with gifts if they can or just their presence. Parents usually tell stories of their youth or talk about grandparents who have gone to be with the Lord.OTHER IMPORTANT DATES
Other dates are commemorated in DRC such as January 4th when we remember the martyrs of our independence. January 16 and 17, are dedicated to our national heroes Patrice Lumumba and Laurent Desire Kabila. This past decade has seen Valentine's day become very popular in major cities like Kinshasa and Lubumbashi. March 8, International women's day have become an important day in Congo. women take the opportunity to raise awareness about the situation of women in eastern congo. A parade is organized in each major city to celebrate Congolese women.HOLIDAYS NOT CELEBRATED
To answer the two questions from the beginning...Congolese do not celebrate Halloween and Thanksgiving.In Conclusion:
Family, friends and food are definitely the most important part of the celebrations. Parents do their best to make sure that regardless of the situation their children have at least a decent meal for the special day. Despite their effort, many parents are unable to feed their children on those special day. My first Christmas in America, I was a little surprised to see the importance of "stuff" during holidays while where I came from "food" was what most hoped for.
Thoughts from Tessy: I don't know about you but not only did I learn from an unique perspective about holidays in the DRC I was also touched deeply to do something for the children this Christmas. Trésor did not ask me to do this but I want to share with you a way you can bless some children in the Congo this Christmas. Seems a small thing to do, buying a child a soda. But I have seen first hand the smiles of delight a Fanta can bring and it wasn't no small thing.
Trésor will be taking a few teams to the Congo and will be delivering these gifts to the children in December. You can donate by clicking the button above and it will take you to Mwangaza International home page.
Trésor Yenyi was born in Eastern Congo in 1983 at the peak of Mobutu’s
reign. Not realizing he was witnessing history in the making, he was
helpless as he observed the country slide first into chaos, then into
its grave—the victim of looting, war, and corruption. It was only after
he immigrated to the United States that he realized the depth of the
destruction that had occurred and began nurturing a strong desire to
return to his native country to search for a cure for the disease from
which Congo suffers. In his compelling travel narrative, Yenyi details
his return trips to Congo, his subsequent charitable work, and the
heartbreaking stories of the country’s victims of war. While providing
the voiceless a chance to speak through him, Yenyi reveals the
humanitarian challenges of Congo and combines his life experiences with
journal entries—creating an introspective glimpse into a world where
child soldiers, rape victims, street children, and AIDS orphans are the
realities of life. Trésor Yenyi has a dream—that the troubled land of
his ancestors will find peace once again. It is with this great hope for
the future of his homeland that Yenyi remembers Congo’s forgotten.To purchase Journey to the Heart of Darkness click here -----------> Buy Book!
Laurent Kabila is not a national hero to the Congolese, far from it. I find it insane that a Congolese person would even suggest that he is.
ReplyDeleteOh, Tessy. Thanks for this. And thank you, Tresor, for sharing with us about holidays in Congo. This is so helpful to know, and I look forward to reading your book. God bless you and your ministry.
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