- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 07/Jul 13:10

Hosay tradition kept alive, fighting political injustices

HOSAY is not just a religious event or a tradition to be carried out thoughtlessly, but it’s about fighting socio-economic, cultural and political injustices. The celebration which began on July 3 ended on July 6 with Big Hosay, in St James, one of the popular areas where the event is commemorated annually. Dr Satnarine Balkaransingh, the writer of Hosay Caribbean: Tadjahs on Wheels (Mobile Mausoleums of Muharram), explains Hosay commemorates the battle which took place in 680AD during the month of Muharram on the Islamic calender. After the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) died, there was infighting for the leadership of Islam. This resulted in two major sects – the Sunnis and the Shia or Shiite. The Sunnis leadership ambushed his grandson, Hussein or Husayn, who was travelling with 71 people in the desert on the bank of the Euphrates River in the town of Karbala, Mesopotamia, which is now Iraq. The battle took place on the first ten days of Muharram. On the tenth day (Ashura), Hussein was martyred and the battle was commemorated, initially by Shiite Muslims. He explained as more people were converted, the observance moved from Iraq into Iran, into the Middle East to North Africa, India, and to the Caribbean with indentured labourers. Over the decades, it was observed in Guyana, Suriname, Jamaica, and Belize – all by different names which were variations of the name Hussein or the word tadjah, a float representing a mausoleum for Hussein. While it started as an Islamic tradition, when it passed through India, Hindus became involved through the cross-reference of Ramleela – the story of Lord Ram, a king who was exiled and banished to the forest for 14 years. “So the Hindus looked at Hosay as injustice to the grandson of the Prophet, just as there was injustice to Ram. And therefore, it wasn't only a Muslim thing, it became an Indian thing. And in the Caribbean now, it's an identity thing.” Also called Muharram, Hossay was first observed in the Caribbean in Guyana in 1838, even though very few Muslims came as indentured labourers. Hosay in TT started in San Fernando in 1847, two years after Indian indentured labour began in the country. But the San Fernando event was discontinued after the British authorities killed 18 and wounded over 100 people in what is called the Muhammad Massacre, as they tried to disperse a Hosay observance in 1884. “The indentured workers used the Hosay as a sign of group identity. Also, it represented injustice – just as injustice was done to Hussein, so the British were doing injustice to the Indian workers on the estates. They were underpaying them, giving them less than the indentured contract had stipulated. They were not allowed to observe their rituals and festivals in public. They were fighting socioeconomic and cultural injustice.” Balkaransingh said Hosay is also a naturally African thing as Islam originated in Saudi Arabia, which lies close to Africa. As a result, Islam also came to the Caribbean through a few enslaved Africans as well as the Merikins in 1815. And so African decendants were often involved in the event, drumming and carrying the tadjahs on their shoulders. Dancing of the moons “In Trinidad, on the first day of the month of Muharram, work begins on a small tadjah, or bier, on which they put flags. And the village or townspeople bring short flags. These are called promise flags.” Each Hosay yard in St James has a chowk or low platform, and every night for ten days, Muslims pray on the chowk. On the seventh night, the bier is put on the chowk and people bring their flags and plant it on the bier, giving thanks or asking for favours and making promises in return. This is paraded on the streets accompanied by drumming. “Initially, it used to be not only drumming, but the followers in procession used to sing elegies. These are sad songs called marsie, marsiye, or marsiyah, and they would return to the yards.” On the eight night, the small tadjahs are paraded in memory of one of Hussein’s children who was killed during the battle. The ninth night is Big Hosay when the moons and the dance of the moons, which are unique to TT, are displayed. Balkaransingh explained in Iran, nakl – a palm leaf – was put on the body of the martyred Hussain. When the commemoration moved from Iran to India, the nakl became a sipar or breastplate. When Hosay came to Trinidad, the breastplate became a moon. At the centre of the moon there is usually a tawah or skillet, representing armour. At the tips of the moons are cutlasses, representing swords. The red moon represents the blood of Hussein, while the green moon represents poison for Hassan, the brother of Hussein, who was killed by poisoning a few years earlier. The moons dance, representing the heat of the battle. Balkaransingh added that Hassan’s martydom was not observed in India and, instead of moons, sipars were held up high and walked through the streets. There is no dancing in India or in the observance in Cedros in South Trinidad. Only in St James. The procession and dances are accompanied by drumming. Five drum hands or drum rhythmic patterns represent different aspects of the battle. There is the Kabulkana or drum of peace, also called dead hand; Chalta Kabulkana or walking Kabulkana, also called fine hand; Mahatam, war/warrior hand or war drum; Nabi Sarbat or burial hand; Teen Chopa, also called Taa Chopa or sad hand; and drum of sorrow, which some also refer to as the drum of peace. Unique hosay in St James Jameel Bisnath, general secretary of the St James/ Cocorite Community Hosay/Moon Association told Newsday Hosay was a community event in St James. “St James is a town that has unique qualities. All the participants in the Hosay, be it the dancing of the moon or beating tassa, is one. It’s a unity. All walks of life participate in the Hosay. You do not have to be a Muslim. It’s a community event.” Each yard in St James is run by a family who builds the tadjahs and moons. When people visit the yards, they observe the rules of each yard and participate in the rituals, including abstaining from alcohol, meat and meat products, including eggs, for the ten days, as well as prayers. He stressed while all types of people come to view the event, those who participate in the procession are mostly Shiite Muslims, so while it may have cultural aspects, Hosay was mainly a religious observation. He said St James residents continue to come out in their numbers, not just for the procession, but to the yards to hear the tassa. But, he admitted, outside of St James, even though people still came from across both islands to witness the event, viewership was decreasing. While the crowd turnout might be decreasing, he said the tradition was still going strong. “When we build the tadjahs, we’re not doing it for the likes or the crowd. Our ancestors continued what they inherited from their ancestors and we are doing the same. We just invite the general public to be part of a commemoration, a national event.” The post Hosay tradition kept alive, fighting political injustices appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.