So I had a very exciting weekend celebrating the Hindu holiday of Phagwah. I had never heard of it before I came to Guyana but here it is pretty much equal to Christmas in terms of how much people freak out about it. It was offcially on Sunday but people started celebrating on Saturday and contunied into Monday, which the government declared a national holiday as well. Even though its a Hindu festival, most people in Guyana celebrate it whether they are Hindu or not. And I've decided that the reason for this is that the holiday of Phagwah is pretty badass.
It started on Saturday, when I was taken to some Auntie's house with my host family (any older female relative or close female friend of any age in Guyana is called Auntie so I'm not sure who exactly this person was) and was basically force fed obsence amounts of food. It starts with seven curry, which is the offical dish of Phagwah. Seven curry is served in a giant bamboo leaf and is eaten with your hands. You start with a huge scoop of white rice on the leaf and then add in the seven different types of curry. They are all vegetable curries (no meat is eaten during Phagwah) and they are all extremly delicious. My favorites are the pumpkin, boulange (eggplant), baji (spinach), and bora ( potato). I ate enough seven curry for 3 or 4 people but it was totally worth it :) After the seven curry was done we had sweet rice (tastes exactly like rice pudding) and sweet cake (tastes exactly like a macaroon). It was so delicious, I don't think I've ever been that full. And of course there is always plenty of rum around for the men to drink. And apparently, being a white woman is the same as being a man, because I was constantly being served rum as well.
On Sunday, the actual day of Phagwah, families and friends gather at each others houses to celebrate "Holi Day" and to "play Phagwah" How does one play Phagwah, you may be asking? Simple. You dress all in white, run around, and throw neon colored powder on each other. Literally. That is the whole holiday. You get baby powder mixed with various colors, neon blue, pink, purple, orange, etc. and run around smearing it on each others faces and clothes (most people mix the powder with water to make sure it sticks). I went with some friends into town to the National staduim where they had a huge Phagwah party with music and free powder. It was insanity. I was completely covered in color, mostly blue for some reason, by the end of the day. I looked like someone had dumped a bucket of paint on me. It was so much fun, running around yelling 'Happy Phagwah' and just dumping colored powder on complete strangers. And of course, everyone wanted to Phagwah the white person and yell "Welcome to Guyana!" so I'm pretty sure my group got over-Phagwah-ed. There was Bollywood and Chutney (Indian) music blasting, powder and water going everywhere and people just running around having fun. It was a pretty good time, I may have to start celebrating Phagwah in the states when I get home.
The highlight of my Phagwah experience is that I got to meet, take a picture with and Phagwah the President of Guyana. He showed up at this event at the Indian Cultural Center we went to and he went right into the crowd and took pictures with everyone. So we all grabbed a little bit of powder, walked up individually to the President, said "Happy Phagwah Mr. President" and then smeared neon orange powder on his cheek. (Yes, it was as awkward as it sounds :) My friend has the picture of me with the President on her camera, as soon as I get it I will post it online. We are both covered in colored powder and look pretty ridculous but it was pretty awesome to get to meet and play Phagwah with the President of Guyana.
Definitely the highlight of my crazy Phagwah weekend. Pictures will be posted soon so you all can seen me looking like I'm in the Blue Man Group with blue powder and paint all over me :)
Love,
Lindsay
Pictures of Phagwah and my new apartment!!!!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2078255&id=1277258438&l=572ff39abd
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