A Day to Commemorate Indigenous Traditions and Culture
Figure 1: www. lonelyplanet.com
Abstract
The Day of the Monkey is celebrated annually in Caicara, Venezuela on December 28. The celebration originated in the mid-eighteenth century, when Caicara was established by missionaries to convert the indigenous Indian inhabitants. These Indians stood up to the missionaries, and while they were unsuccessful in their rebellion, the holiday is celebrated to honor these Indian ancestors and celebrate the ancient culture of Caicara. The festivities include ceremonial dances, feasts, and tribal music performances, which last all day. Although declining in popularity, the celebration remains important to the community by forging bonds among citizens and honoring their ancient ancestors.
Figure 2: Monkey
Masks worn during Dance of the Monkey. http://www.tropix.co.uk/Themes/music/strings/stringspage.htm
The
Dance of the Monkey, fromwww.monagasdigital.com/.../ cedeno/cedeno.html
Introduction
For centuries, in Venezuela and the rest of South America, ethnicity has been a sensitive issue. Many South American countries are homes to descendants of several different indigenous tribes, often causing ethnic pride to overpower nationalism (Guss 2000:62). These divisions among ethic groups can shatter nationalism by creating the perception of the “otherness” different tribes (Multiculturalism). The Day of the Monkey, celebrated annually on December 28, in Caicara, Venezuela, is significant to the nation because it celebrates the indigenous Venezuelan culture, allowing people to acknowledge the traditions of their ancient ancestors despite how the culture has evolved. With dancing, costumes, and feasts, this daylong festival commemorates and glorifies the indigenous Indian peoples of Caicara, while bringing citizens of its current culture together (Guss 2000:63).
Context of Venezuela
Venezuela is located in the northern part of South America, between Columbia and Guyana, and north of Brazil. The country borders the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. With a tropical climate, the weather is usually quite hot and humid. Geographically, Venezuela is divided into four sections by mountain ranges. There are the Maracaibo lowlands; the Orinco Basin, which is characterized by both grassy plains and wooded areas; the Guiana Highlands; and a mountainous region (Infoplease).
Venezuela has been an independent nation since July 5, 1829. Prior to this date, it had three “brief Republican configurations” (Benavides 2405). First, Francisco de Miranda ruled from 1810 until 1812, when he surrendered to the Spanish army. Then, Simon Bolivar took over and was able to overthrow the Spanish colonial empire nine years later (Benavides 2405). Finally, in 1829, Venezuela became an independent nation. The country was then ruled by war heroes and military officials until 1959, when democratic elections first took place. Currently, the majority of the nation is employed in services. However, in Caicara, the small village in which The Day of the Monkey celebration takes place, most people are and always have been farmers.Origins of The Day of the Monkey
The celebration of the Day of the Monkey dates back to an incident that occurred in August of 1731 in Caicara, Venezuela (Guss 2000:64). The town was first established by missionaries sometime between 1728 and February of 1731, who intended to convert Indian inhabitants to Christianity (Guss 2000:64). One night, the Indians planned a rebellious attack on the town, but were scared away by a giant image of Santo Domingo and his dog looming over their heads. They returned the next morning, August 4, to find a large statue of the saint and his dog outside of the local church. The incident was deemed a miracle and since that day, August 4 has been named Patron Saint’s Day of Caicara (64). However, the Day of the Monkey is celebrated later in the year, on December 28, to commemorate the same incident from the Indians’ point of view (65). The Day of the Monkey is celebrated each year to represent the indigenous Indian culture of Venezuela, despite their failed strike attempt in August of 1731. The origin of the celebration’s name, however, stems from a completely different part of the country’s history. It is argued that the ceremonial Dance of the Monkey is a tribute to an ancient god worshipped by the indigenous peoples of Venezuela (69). While the exact god is debated (some participants argue that the celebration honors the monkey who was their god of the harvest, others argue it was the god of rain) these beliefs show how the Indian roots of Venezuela truly have an effect on its culture today.
Performance
Upon visiting Caicara, Venezuela on the morning of December 28, one would find the streets lined with brightly painted dancers and hear the sounds of music and festivities around them. Groups of people called parrandas march out in lines wearing costumes and monkey masks to perform the Dance of the Monkey (66). Each group is led by a woman or transvestite dressed in women’s clothing and wearing a wig (66). Each group dances to a band playing native instruments such as the conch, the pan-flute, the maracas, and the ciriaco, as shown in Figure 4 (68). The townspeople partake in a feast and drink plentiful quantities of wine, and continue these festivities until sunset.Artifact
A tribal band playing the ciriaco. From (Guss 2000:69).
Interpretation
Prognosis for The Day of the Monkey
The celebration of Day of the Monkey is decreasing in popularity over time. First of all, the celebration honors indigenous peoples of the village and is generally more recognized among the elderly citizens of Caicara. Second, many of the unique indigenous customs and traditions of Caicara and Venezuelans in general have already lost popularity or been altered by acculturation and simply the passing of time (Orinoco). Also, the exact origins and significance behind the holiday is debatable and unclear, and as more research is done, the meaning it holds for Caicarans diminishes. For example, the main purpose for the celebration is to commemorate and honor the village’s indigenous Indian roots. However, many explanations of the celebration’s origins are contradictory, and new evidence indicates that the celebration may in fact “share its origins with an African or European past” (Guss 2000:70). The dancing parrandas more closely resemble an African-derived tradition that any tradition held in ancient Venezuela, and the style of the Monkey Dance much more similar to ancient African tribal dances (Guss 2000:70). Traditionally, the African roots of Venezuela have been ignored or de-emphasized (Garcia 2004). As discoveries and comparisons such as these are made, the Day of the Monkey slowly loses part of its significance, and may eventually disappear from Venezuelan culture like many other indigenous traditions (Blanchet-Cohen 2003:35).
Conclusion
The people of the town of Caicara, Venezuela consider the Day of the Monkey to be important to preserving the indigenous culture of their Indian ancestors. While the culture has evolved significantly over the years, this day takes time out to honor the ancient Indian peoples of Caicara despite the transformation the town has gone through. Participants debate the exact origin and significance of the celebration. However, the colorful decorations and costumes, daylong feasts, and tribal dance performances foster a feeling of communitas and mutual respect among the people of Caicara. It is this feeling, and the bringing together of the village’s citizens to celebrate its past, that exemplifies the true meaning of the Day of the Monkey.
Internet References Cited
Garcia, Jesus.
2004 Demystifying Africa's Absence in Venezuelan History and Culture.
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com.
This is a website that contains several different articles on many different
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Orinoco Online
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This site was created in support of preserving traditions in the
Orinoco region.
Venezuela. Infoplease. 2000–2004 Pearson Education, publishing as Infoplease.
20 Sep. 2004 <http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108140.html
This site contains general information about the country.
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