Independence Day

Last week was probably the biggest week of the year in Panama. Independence day is the 3rd of November but, at different times during the same week they celebrate different stages of independence: from Spain, from Colombia, and I'm not sure from what else. The there are the "gritos" (shouts) of independence - as each city got the news the shout went up. Obviously, in the days before internet, or even telephones, the message was carried by horseback and so different cities received the news on different days.

I suppose you could say that Panama became independent gradually, twice. Once from Spain and Colombia, and then again as the news of independence spread through the country.

Celebrations began on the 1st of November with the solemn burning of all the flags on public buildings. Like many Latin American and Central American countries, the flag is a very important symbol of the country and is treated with a great deal of respect. School children regularly swear their oath of allegiance to the flag promising to protect it and their country from any harm.

Celebrations are marked by very long parades in which civic institutions, schools and colleges all take part. This is taken very seriously and participants practice for months beforehand - honing their marching and band-playing skills. It is also a big time for families. Since everyone is off work (except a very unlucky few) it gives people the opportunity to travel back to their original home place and catch up with friends, family and relations.

The parades are real family occasions and are carried off with a great deal of panache and dignity. I'm told that there are also less ordered celebrations in neighborhoods where there is a lot of dancing and, by all accounts, lots and lots of drinking.

I didn't see much of the celebrations this year due a bug I picked up (the reason I haven't been on line very much lately) but I am told that they were a huge success.

One interesting thing to note is that while Panama has no army (since the overthrow of the military dictatorship of General Noriega) the police is, esssentially a paramilitary force. In fact, to see them around the time of the parades on the TV it is impossible to tell the difference between them and an army. Many of the people here at the seminary say that while there is no official army, there is a de facto one, within the police.