To provide a bit of context – I grew up celebrating both Passover and Easter, both with much merriment, and remember the traditions – both prescribed, and what my family invented – fondly. Although honey-baked ham and matzah are not readily available in most parts of Panamá, I wanted to have some kind of celebration anyway – and invite other volunteers who might be missing out on their own traditions back home, as well as include my community in this sharing of culture.
So I invited all the Peace Corps Volunteers and a few of my community members to join me for a Passover Seder Potluck at my house. It was intended to be a mix of traditions, so everyone was allowed to bring absolutely whatever food they wanted – no Passover or Holy Week or any other rules.
To be as inclusive – and entertaining – as possible, we also did a Scavenger Hunt during the afternoon – which was more or less an Easter Egg Hunt, since you searched all over the place for items and the winners got the best and/or most candy at the end. We split into two teams, and each team had guides from the community to help them find the items, which were worth different amounts of points based on how difficult or far away they would be to find. It was a wonderful opportunity to show off my community – which gave my fellow Volunteers a neat glimpse at the coolest things in Quebrada Pastor and gave the members of Quebrada Pastor an opportunity to show around visitors. Everyone – guides, Volunteers, and others in the community who participated as subjects of the Scavenger Hunt – had tons of fun.
The Passover Seder was abridged to about half an hour, following a Haggadah that I invented especially for the occasion – the text is below – with some explanations in Spanish to include my community friends. It was intended to be completely irreverent – substituting Peace Corps experiences for the actual details of the Exodus – yet still recognize the traditions and teach a little bit about the Passover holiday. Again, both Volunteers – some who had attended Seders in the past, others who hadn't – and community members alike, found it entertaining and interesting.
And of course the food was well-enjoyed!
Pictures:
From the Scavenger
Hunt, some of the items on the list:
These are from
Willy's group, photos taken by James:
Nagua (Expert level, 50 points) – Very few people wear naguas in Quebrada Pastor)
Cacao pod (Easy
level, 5 points) – We live in a Chocolate Forest! Cacao pods are
everywhere!
A firm handshake
(Hard level, 20 points) – Firm handshakes are not the custom in
most Ngobe communities
3-person pyramid (Bonus, 2 points)
Composting latrine
(Easy level, 5 points) – This one happens to be Jose's, the
composting latrine champion of Quebrada Pastor
Hugging a tree (Bonus, 2 points)
Baby in a mochila (Hard, 20 points) – Mochilas are often used as cradles, just like hammocks
These are from
following around Nayelis and Lidianeth's group:
Taking a picture of
the view of Bocas town (Hard level, 20 points)
The whole team with their guides
The long hike up the hill
View from the top
A nagua, which Dylan modeled for us
Smiling children
(Easy level, 5 points)
Whoa, a 6-person pyramid! Overachievers!
And after the Scavenger Hunt, we got read for the Passover portion of the day... a potluck Seder! (More emphasis on the potluck than the Seder...)
Getting ready for
Seder and dinner
All the food for the
potluck! My contributions were Charoset (my favorite item on the
Seder plate) and Glorified Rice (a classic holiday dish on Mom's side
of the family – looks like dessert but is always served with
dinner)
Willy and Mechi enjoying Abby's caramel popcorn
The morning after –
we all survived! – with the coconut palm frond decorations that
Willy taught me to make
No time to rest! Back to work!
Determining the
order of Ferrocement Tank construction during the second training
session
There it is! All
photos from building my tank.
Gatita del Diablo! Devil Kitten!
Willy made a
drawing...
This is the only time you'll ever find me in traditional Panamanian holiday costume...
And this is what we used to perform our Seder -- it more or less follows the order and the intent of the Seder, while paying respect to the Peace Corps Panama experience...
The Haggadah:
Abridged, Irreverent, and in Limerick form
Alex Litofsky, 2015
This holiday sure is
a winner
Even if you are a
beginner.
You'll agree, I
think:
We're requir'd to
drink
Four glasses of wine
before dinner.
This story has been
told many times,
In Hebrew, other
tongues, now in rhymes.
Strangers in a
strange land –
Here, we all
understand –
Slaves to our work
that we are sometimes.
We've all had
cultural confusion,
And to offer
complete inclusion,
This Seder's most
right
With details not
quite,
But makes a Passover
allusion.
Candles
Since “No hay
luz,” beginning the night,
Our first blessing
is, “Thank you for light.”
Candles there are
not,
They could not be
bought.
“Prestame foco,”
just sounds more right.
Shehecheyanu –
Wine
We have indeed all
made it alive,
Now glass of wine to
drink as we thrive.
Thankful for this
food,
I'll toast that:
“Salud!”
Hope the parasites
did not survive.
Throughout this
dinner symbols abound,
Most of them on this
plate can be found.
To be not much
delayed,
So that hanger is
stayed,
Briefly explain
before food is downed.
Parsley
So the parsley is
tropical green,
The salt water the
sea that's we've seen,
Or it's babies'
tears
That the jungle
hears?
Either way, think
the water is clean.
4 questions
Now, four questions,
like, “What do you do?”
“How much did that
cost, that thing that's new?”
“Ma ta medente?”
Dice la gente.
“Have free
minutes?” when it gets to you.
And of course all
the answers include:
“I guess
everything and nothing, dude,”
“Fue un regalo,”
Lip point, “No
sabo,”
“I'll just come
visit, and let's cook food.”
4 children
The four children,
just like volunteers:
The Wise one works
real hard for two years,
Wicked's not in
site,
Simple hides with
fright,
And the Silent seems
to disappear.
10 plagues
Spill a wine drop
for each plague, all ten:
Amoebas, Dengue, and
Infucktion,
Cockroaches and Ants
And Crying Infants,
Rats, Fungus, Mud,
and Lesh, our old friend.
Wine – Dayenu
Passover should not
be a chore,
And so that Seder is
not a bore,
Have another toast:
“It's not wine but
it's Clos!”
Grab a box and pass
around some more!
Matzah
Symbol of no time to
be wasting,
Could not find it
here for the tasting:
No unleavened bread,
Arroz simple
instead!
Which is equally
constipating.
Bitter herb
Apples, walnuts, red
wine, and honey,
Plus horseradish, a
sandwich to be.
It's bitter and
sweet,
Failure plus
concrete:
Classic Peace Corps
project recipe.
Egg
The hard-boiled
egg's a special one,
Tenacity,
determination:
The longer you boil,
Like the harder we
toil,
The tougher we turn
out when we're done.
Shank bone
One more item should
be on this tray,
But it's presence
would lead us astray.
Lamb Shank omitting
Really is fitting
Because, “No hay
presa,” as they say.
Orange
To us, an important
addition,
To defy orthodox
tradition:
Said, “An orange
b'longs here
Like a woman
leader.”
I think we can meet
that condition.
Wine – Elijah
Each with our wine
glass, but there's one more,
And I'm confused who
it is for:
Does Elijah visit
us?
Or Motorcycle Jesus?
Perhaps see when we
open the door
Wine – Conclusion
And finally the end
does grow near,
I do hope that this
all has been clear.
But important most,
The final toast:
So glad such friends
as you all are here!
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