QCOSTARICA — On Thursday, August 31, the main streets of Limón were filled with floats, traditional costumes, color, music and dances, with the return of the Grand Parade de Gala, after two years of not being performed, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This parade is part of the activities of the Festival de la Cultura Negra Limón 2023 “Back to Our Roots”, within the framework of the Día de la Persona Negra y la Cultura Afrocostarricense (Black Person and Afro-Rican Culture) and as a closure of the historical month of Afro-descendence in Costa Rica.
The event was organized by the Association Civic Ethnic Cultural Committee of Limón, which the Ministry of Culture and Youth is part.
Why does Costa Rica Afro-Costa Rican History Month?
According to the latest national census, 8% of Costa Ricans are of African descent, half of whom live in the province of Limón, on the Caribbean coast.
In the 1980s, Costa Rica decreed August 31 as the Día del Negro (Black Peoples Day), which was later expanded by degree to the celebration of the Día del Negro y la Cultura Afrocostarricense (Black Peoples and Afro-Costa Rican Culture Day).
On April 26, 2018, Law no. 9526 was published in the National Gazette, declaring August the Month of the History of African-Descended Peoples in Costa Rica.
In order to gain insight into the multicultural origins of the country, it is necessary to look back to its past. Christopher Columbus’ arrival to the Caribbean coast in 1502 brought about the settlement of Jamaicans of various backgrounds, including Asian, Indian, Chinese and Italian cultures. Likewise, it is necessary to acknowledge the Bribri and Cabécar indigenous groups who have been living in the Talamanca mountains since then and still do today.
