Panama's Mes de la Patria - Patriotic Month - Nov. 8, 2022
This week kicked off Panama's month of independence - from everyone. This month is book-ended by two independence days, the first on November 3 and the final on November 28. This first week was four holidays, nothing got done, the town was packed, and there wasn't a seat in a cab to be found - even squishing in with new best friends you hadn't yet met.
October 31 is not Halloween in Panama - Halloween is a USA holiday. Panama is predominantly Catholic, and less than 1% "other than Christian," so devilish holidays are not considered cute. We found a couple people in costumes and decorations around town, mostly in pharmacies, ice creameries, and other places where elder ex-pats hang out. The costumes we saw were of a kitty cat, a screaming ghost-man in the Munch style, and a scarecrow. No trick-or-treats, no bags of candy treats to pass out, and no kids dressed up. There weren't any school programs, and even though school lets out at 1:00, there were no after-school Halloween events.
November 1 is pack up and get ready to rumble day! Most people see November and December as get-out-of-town months. The kick-off is today.
November 2 is Día de los Difuntos (in Mexico, it is called Dia de los Muertos) - Día de los Difuntos is Day to Revere the Dead - in Panama, a day later than in Mexico and Guatemala, and apparently a day later than most of Central America. In Panama, it is a quiet and reverent day. No painted skulls, no decorated pastries or cookies, no dancing. Most people get half the day off, and families go to the cemetery when the kids get out of school at 1:00; they take a picnic, clean up and decorate the grave sites while the elders tell stories of those who have gone before. Raise a toast. Softly play a few favorite songs of Mom's on the guitar if you've got one. On your way home, stop by the church for evening mass and/or to light a candle for the dearly departed and have an early evening. No liquor is sold on Día de los Difuntos, and no loud music is allowed as that would sully the memories and the purpose of the day.
November 3 is a Celebration! Independence Day #1, or Separation from Colombia Day!
After the Isthmus won independence from Spain in 1821, Panama looked to the left and to the right, trying to decide whether to join forces with the rest of Central America or with Colombia to retain its independence against all of the more prominent players wanting to use the short, 50-mile route to cross between oceans rather than go around South America. In 1828, Panama chose to become the northern territory of New Granada, which consisted of Colombia, Venezuela, Bogata, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, and Guayana, as had been envisioned by Simon Bolivar. Therein ensued 74 years of a tumultuous relationship between Panama and New Granada (who changed their name to Gran Colombia in 1886 - by then a smaller entity as countries declared independence again, from Colombia). The USA signed the Bidlack Mallarino treaty in 1846, which granted the US right of way across the Isthmus, and the power to intervene militarily, with the idea of ensuring the neutrality of the Isthmus and guaranteeing New Granada sovereignty. The USA ended up intervening 53 times in 53 years to settle disputes or attacks from those who wanted access to the shortest pathway between oceans to transport goods or people, colonialists versus independentists, always somebody, always something. In 1894, the French undertook the recovery of their expenses in land and equipment for their failed attempt at building the Canal in the 1880s, approaching other countries to buy their equipment and the land lease. The Panamanian Independence party was attempting coups to free the territory from both the Colombian government and the French canal land lease. The Colombian government had gotten involved in the Thousand Day War with Bogata (wanting independence), which was not going well and was expensive. The USA had undertaken negotiations with Colombia and France to restart the canal effort.
So, when Teddy Roosevelt's negotiations to undertake the building of the Panama Canal were rebuffed by the Colombian government, but the Colombian province of Panama was interested, Teddy flipped his support. He worked with Phillip-Jean Bunau-Varilla (the guy in black to the left in the cartoon), who had been a general manager of the French Canal build, to fund the independence movement in Panama and to place the USA Navy at locations where the Colombian Navy would have landed additional soldiers in Panama. When the head of the Panamanian Independence party, Manuel Armador, became president of the new country on November 3 of 1903, Philippe-Jean Bunau-Varilla was appointed ambassador to the USA, and the $40 million Congress had appropriated to the canal contingent upon the land being released with the approval of Panama's first government was paid out. Sneaky deals, but a nearly bloodless coup. Colombia did not formally recognize the loss of its former province of Panama until December 21 of 1921.
Panamanian independence from Colombia succeeded without a bloody war effort. The USA funded the Canal, which opened in 1914, with an indefinate land lease renegotiated in 1931 to end in 1999 (and actually turned back to Panama in 1999).
Yay for November 3, Separation Day from Colombia!
Flag Day, November 4: The bridge between Separation Day from Colombia and Colon Day, making a block of celebration, is Flag Day. Fly your flags on your house, business, car, and clothing. November 4 is Flag Day. If you are flagging from overexertion on Separation Day, this is the day to rebuild your strength or to bolster your party-hardy with the hair of the dog and head out for Day 2.
Colón Day, November 5: On November 3, 1903, Panama formally declared independence, but the conflict continued. Colombia's government gave their Army the command to advance on Panama City. The Panamanians had to hold their stand in Colón, a crucial Caribbean Sea location and a major base for the Colombian Army. On November 5, 1903, the Colón residents convinced the Colombian troops stationed there to forgo attacking Panama City. Without this successful debate, the Colombian Army might have increased its military superiority and crushed the independence movement. There are no known recordings of the discussions, but I bet they were fascinating! I have a feeling that picnic tables and lots of food were involved in the convincing, too.
This year: November 5, Colón Day, was a Saturday this year, and the following day, Sunday, is typically the only day of rest in the Panamanian 84-hour work week (officially 84 hours, but really it is five and a half days, however long those days take). So, the drumming, dancing, music, and family carousing would have picked up again right after church, BUT...
We are on the periphery of Hurricane Lise, which made landfall in Belize on Friday and then headed for Guatemala and Mexico. The result for Panama is that the rains started on Friday, just after the parades, and haven't let us. Following Hurricane Lise, tropical storm Mauricio petered out, just dropping more rain. Now sub-tropical storm Nicole, wide and wild, is headed north, flinging rain around like an overpowered sprinkler system.
This is our fourth day of continual rain, varying from heavy mists in the clouds sitting on the lawn to downpours - it stops for only a few minutes at a time. The rain and perceived cold chased the tourists out of town (temperature has ranged from 66 at 7:00am to 74 around 2:00pm, but the breeze blowing through the rain makes it feel colder by at least two degrees). The main street traffic on Sunday was like a funeral procession - daylight, walking-paced, and headlights, gloomy faces.
Next Holiday in Mes de le Patria?
November 10 - The First Shout of Independence at Villa de Los Santos: According to local tradition, in November 1821, a woman born to slave parents named Rufina Alfaro participated in the occupation of Spanish military outposts in the town of Los Santos on the La Villa River (the town is now called La Villa). The shout for independence by Rufina Alfaro was heard around Panama, and she is today considered a heroine of the revolution and an inspiration to the women of Panama. The holiday was created by law on January 19, 1998.
So we have a few days off to get ready for shouting, and heroines, and hopefully, the rains will stop soon so I can get out into the garden and go for a walk.
I have much to show you!
MaryBea y Miguel
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