MORAVIAN FESTIVALS & PICNICS

MORAVIAN FESTIVALS & PICNICS

My memories of the Moravian Festival Days go back to 1926 when I returned to Makkovik to teach in school there. On those days we wore our white sillipaks and white bottomed skin boots. The women and girls wore white lace head coverings which were tied with ribbons under the chin. Pink ribbon for unmarried women and blue for married women.

In those days people just laid down their tools and celebrated their special days. You can't expect that in Happy Valley where everyone has their jobs to go to. Up north now they might tell you that they still observe their Festival Days, I don't know. I have been living in Happy Valley for almost 40 years.

It's a pity we don't still observe those old customs, but times change and some customs are wiped out by the changes of time.

Married People Festival Day was held on the last Monday in February. A service of Holy Communion was held the evening before. The Married People had their services and meal together as the Young People did. It was the custom in the Moravian Church then that women sat on one side of the church and the men the other, however, on Married People's Day husbands and wives sat together. The Married People ended their Day with a dance which lasted till very late at night. It was a day looked forward to and enjoyed by all.

ALICE PERRAULT
MAKKOVIK

THEM DAYS VOL. 1.3