THE Omo Oduduwa Institute held its annual Egungun Festival, also known as the Heritage Masquerade Festival, in San Juan on July 27 to pay homage to the ancestors of the First Peoples and African people.
[caption id="attachment_1098932" align="alignnone" width="1024"] An Egungun dances during the Heritage Masquerade Festival at Petit Curacaye, Santa Cruz Old Road. - Photo by Ayanna Kinsale[/caption]
“It commemorates our African ancestral lineage and the Black Indians, who are a mixture of African and indigenous people. Every year, we keep this festival to honour our ancestors and heritage. We have been having this festival for over 15 years,” masquerader Ifa Moloko told Newsday in a telephone interview.
As customary, they held a street procession and visited the historic and sacred La Venezuela statue at the Santa Cruz Old Road.
[caption id="attachment_1098931" align="alignnone" width="1024"] An Egungun dances during the Heritage Masquerade Festival at the La Venezuela Gardens, Santa Cruz Old Road, on July 27. - Photo by Ayanna Kinsale[/caption]
The statue of an Amerindian man atop a cylindrical concrete tower had a bow and arrow in his hands, and over the years, the arrow has been removed.
There were several Yoruba masqueraders dressed in colourful costumes, and they made several stops along the community.
[caption id="attachment_1098934" align="alignnone" width="1024"] A Black Indian performs the ibation ritual offering at the La Venezuela Gardens during the Heritage Masquerade Festival, Santa Cruz Old Road. - Photo by Ayanna Kinsale[/caption]
Masqueraders sang, prayed and asked their ancestors to protect them against crime and any form of evil that may come their way.
[caption id="attachment_1098935" align="alignnone" width="1024"] An Egungun during the Heritage Masquerade Festival at Petit Curacaye, Santa Cruz Old Road. - Photo by Ayanna Kinsale[/caption]
The festival started around 7.30 am at Petit Curacaye Road and ended around 11 am at Santa Cruz Old Road.
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