Happy Easter! Jamaican traditions to try this Easter weekend
Key Points(5)
- <span style="font-weight: 400;">The Caribbean has many Easter traditions across the region.
- It's a fantastic time to go swimming, because the children are out of school and most adults are off work for the long weekend.
- It's a time to relax and celebrate with family and friends.</span><b></b> <h3><b>Eating Easter Bun</b></h3> <span style="font-weight: 400;">During Easter, Jamaicans are known to eat lots of bun.
- Easter Bun is sweet, filled with raisins and fruits, and flavored with spices such as cinnamon, ground allspice, cardamom, and clove.
- Traditionally eaten with cheese, Easter Bun has evolved into a delicacy for pastries or a quick snack.
The Caribbean has many Easter traditions across the region. In Jamaica, Easter is widely celebrated, and just like the Christmas season, it's a time when family and friends gather to eat food, spend quality time, and attend special church services.
While this isn't an exhaustive list of the plethora of ways Jamaicans celebrate Easter, here are four widely practiced traditions you can try for your Easter weekend, no matter where you are in the world.
Going to Church
Jamaicans are very big on going to church during the Easter holidays, and will go to church on Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday. During Easter, there are several special services held and some people have a tradition of wearing black on Good Friday, then wearing white on Easter Monday to signify Christ’s resurrection.
Going for a Swim
Although the island has beautiful beaches and rivers, among other tourist attractions all year round, Jamaicans enjoy going to the beach or other places for relaxation during Easter. It's a fantastic time to go swimming, because the children are out of school and most adults are off work for the long weekend. It's a time to relax and celebrate with family and friends.
Eating Easter Bun
During Easter, Jamaicans are known to eat lots of bun. Easter Bun is sweet, filled with raisins and fruits, and flavored with spices such as cinnamon, ground allspice, cardamom, and clove. Traditionally eaten with cheese, Easter Bun has evolved into a delicacy for pastries or a quick snack. Families have contributed their special ingredients. While Bun is available all year in Jamaica, they are especially popular at Easter.
Eating Fish
While Bun and cheese are popular around Easter, they are not the only must-have dish for the season. Many Jamaicans swap beef for fish in their Easter dinners. This diet generally begins during Lent and lasts until Easter. During this season, many Jamaicans like eating Escoveitch fish. The fish is typically seasoned with salt, black pepper, ground pimento, and other spices before being served with a vinegar-based sauce that includes carrots, onions, and hot peppers, which give it its particular spicy flavor.
Of course, there are plenty other Easter traditions Jamaicans at home and across the diaspora practice each and every year. Whether you're from another Caribbean island or even a Jamaican living abroad, consider incorporating one of these celebrated customs into your Easter weekend this year.
