The Origins of Our Palo de Mayo

Abstract

This article is the result of a research based on bibliographical investigation. Such study has taken into account historical documents which refer to the first established churches in the Caribbean Coast; but, above all, it is based on interviews or manuscripts from experts on the subject such as Donovan Brautigam Beer, Lizzie Nelson, Hugo Sujo Wilson, among others. According to the author, it is difficult to understand the meaning of the Palo de Mayo (Maypole) and its songs, without knowing the customs and festivities of the past three centuries of the Caribbean Coast people; particularly the customs and festivities of the region of Bluefields, which is known as the home and cradle of the Caribbean Palo de Mayo, founded and populated mainly by black people identified as creole.

DOI: 10.5377/wani.v57i0.215

Wani No.57 2008 pp.5-23