Santa to parade through South East Clarendon
For four years, Patricia DuncanSutherland, People’s National Party (PNP) caretaker for South East Clarendon, has been staging a Christmas parade in the constituency. The parade runs over the course of two to three days. She said it is geared at giving the constituency an amazing Christmas experience.
“Rather than having a static treat in one place, I carry Christmas to them. It’s not a partisan function. It’s a function that involves everybody in the constituency, so everybody can feel free to get together in partnership and love,” Duncan-Sutherland told THE STAR.
This year’s parade will take place over three days – from Friday, December 20 to Sunday, December 22, covering communities including Mineral Heights, Hunts Pen, Rocky Point and Lionel Town.
Sutherland told THE STAR that her childhood Christmas experiences have motivated her to ensure that others get to enjoy the Yuletide season.
“Christmas is my favourite time of year, because it’s the time of giving. My favourite thing is going out and getting the gifts for everybody. Everybody tells you nice things, everybody is pleasant. It makes us kinder to each other and we need more kindness in our country.”
Her plan was to amalgamate both Christmas and Jamaican culture and have a celebration.
VERY SPECIAL TIME
“For me, Christmas is a very special time of year and I know that it is generally so for Jamaicans. I thought it was important to find a way to bring Christmas cheer in a culturally aware kind of way to our children in south east Clarendon. Very big in the Jamaican tradition is the Jonkonnu, and so, my team and I thought it would be good to do a Christmas parade right through the constituency with a Jonkonnu band,” she shared.
The parade is also a high point for the children in the constituency as there is a Santa handing out gifts and tokens included for their merriment.
“The children love the Santa … they love to take pictures with Santa Ana some of them are brave enough and play with the Jonkonnus. It’s always great excitement. We stop at certain places with the children and have Santa give them a little token, have some ice-cream, play some Christmas carols and brings some good Christmas cheer,” Sutherland said.