Right, so Easter in Guyana. Wasn’t something I meticulously planned, more like I sort of ended up there one year. I was casting about for somewhere different to spend the Easter break, tired of the usual routine. Heard a few things about Guyana, sounded a bit off the beaten track. So I figured, what the heck, and got myself a ticket.
Got into Georgetown a couple of days before the main Easter weekend. The city had a vibe, busy, you know? But you could definitely sense something building. The main topic everywhere seemed to be kites. No joke. Shops were full of them, saw people making them on their verandahs. Seemed like a big deal.
The Whole Kite Thing
I watched folks putting these kites together. Some were just the simple diamond shapes you might expect. But others? Huge, complicated things. Birds, boxes, all sorts. Looked like real craftsmanship went into them. And it wasn’t just kids doing it, plenty of adults were seriously into building the perfect kite.
Come Good Friday, I decided to see what the fuss was about. Went down to the seawall area. Wow. Never seen so many people in one place just… looking up. Thousands, easily. And the sky was just thick with kites. Every size, every colour you could think of. Some were tiny specks, others were these massive contraptions that looked like they could pull someone off their feet.
The noise was something else. Not just the crowds, but the actual kites. When you get that many lines pulled tight in the wind, they make this weird humming, buzzing sound. A whole sky full of them humming? It’s a sound that sticks with you.
I basically just parked myself on the wall and watched for ages. It was a real family affair. People had blankets spread out, coolers full of food and drinks, music playing from portable speakers. It was like a giant, open-air festival, but pretty relaxed, all centered around flying these kites.
- Saw a few ‘kite wars’ going on too, people trying to tangle lines and cut each other’s kites down. Got quite competitive.
- Plenty of food stalls selling snacks and drinks. Standard stuff, mostly.
- But the main thing was just the shared activity. Everyone, absolutely everyone, seemed to be participating or watching.
Other Easter Bits
Did the church thing on Sunday morning. Place was absolutely jammed. Felt quite traditional, lots of singing. Pretty much what you’d expect for an Easter service, just maybe more people.
Tried the famous pepperpot. It’s this dark, meaty stew. Had a unique flavour, quite spicy. It was alright. And yeah, they had hot cross buns too. Seems you find those everywhere at Easter.
Flew out maybe Easter Monday or the day after. Honestly, the thing that really stayed with me was the kites. It wasn’t just a fun activity for the kids. It felt like a really deep-rooted tradition, something the whole community got behind. Totally different way to spend Easter than I was used to. Just flying kites, but it really brought everyone out together. Glad I saw it.
