Blacks of Limón
Celebrated Their Day
Costa Rica yesterday
celebrated the "Día del
Negro y la Cultura
Afrocostarricense". The
activity was held in
Parque Vargas in Limón,
that included a parade
along the centre of the
Caribbean city with
seven marching bands and
12 floats.
A large number of
Limonenses took part in
the festivities where
they could partake in
typical foods, like the
famous "rice and beans"
and an exhibition of
traditional costumers.
The festivities were
organized by the Comité
Cívico Cultural Étnico
Negro, who has been
working for the last 10
years to revive the
areas culture and thus
organized the annual
festival.
The "Día del Negro y la
Cultura
Afrocostarricense" was
established by
government decree in
190, however, it wasn't
until 10 years ago that
it began to be
celebrated en masse,
according to Marcelle
Taylor, co-ordinator for
the Comité Cívico.
According to historians,
the first "afrocaribeñas"
(Afro-Caribbean) -
blacks - came to Limón
as slaves during the
Spanish conquest, but it
wasn't until 1872 when a
massive landing occurred
with the commencement of
the construction of the
railway between San José
and Limón.
History records that in
1872 the first ship of
workers arrived from
Kingston, Jamaica, and
within the next two
years more than 1.000 "afrocaribeñas"
lived in Limón. By 1927,
the "afrocaribeñas"
population had grown to
20.000 and today it is
estimated to make up
half of the residents of
Limón.
Although the majority of
the afrocaribeñas
inhabit Limón, a large
number of the population
settled in others areas
of the country and
participate in politics,
economics, sports and
culture.
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