Easter Rituals - Tradition and Culture
© Elizabeth McAlister
Rara is prominent in honoring and celebrating part of the slave revolt that led to independence. When it started, slaves were prohibited from traveling or communicating between plantations. They could leave the plantation only to go to church for Easter.
It was the one time each year they could mix, even in chains. Several tribes used both speech and music to talk with each other. Beating drums were vital in ways of communication. It became a universal language. Stripped of that tool, the African slaves used the sound of their feet marching to church to make rhythm and communicate between chains.