Pinkster Celebration!

Last Sunday afternoon we went down to the glenn by us to an unusual celebration. It was the Pinkster celebration! I had never heard of this before so it was neat to learn some history that was new to me!

We sat on the lawn and listened to the telling of the story of Pinkster and listened to music and singing and African drums! Here is what Pinkster is all about. (I got this from the Historic Society's article.)


"Pinkster is a spring festival originated by the Dutch as a religious holiday. "Pinksteren", meaning Pentecost, was celebrated since the early 17th century by Dutch settlers. It was a time of rest and to gather and celebrate religious services like baptisms and confirmations. For their African Slaves, Pinkster was a time free from work and a chance to gather and catch up with family and friends located throughout New England. By the mid 19th century, however, Pinkster evolved into a primarily African-American Holiday celebrated by slaves and free blacks, and liberally seasoned with African culture and traditions.
Pinkster is celebrated over several days. Both the Dutch and Africans enjoyed drinking, games dance and music. Sellers decorated their stalls and carts with greenery and flowers, especially azaleas, which were associated with Pentecost. The dances practiced were a combination of African and European steps and elements, creating new dances which were the precursors to modern tap and break dancing.
The slaves used the opportunity of Pinkster to take jabs at whites, mimicking and ridiculing, some of the white culture and habits through dramas, speeches, storytelling, and song.
Milford and Pike County have an interesting history when it comes to the celebration of Pinkster. "The red letter day of the year was Pinkster." This is written in Charles F. Rockwell's "Recollections of Men, Customs and Events in Milford Pennsylvania and Vicinity" (1889) in the chapters recalling the adventures of a negro named "Old Adam" who resided above Sawkill Creek near the Glen. To celebrate at Adam's place one particular year, Rockwell writes: "the stove was taken out and all the furniture removed except a wooden bottom chair in each of two corners of the room on which stood the two old negroes Harry and Frank, one to call off and the other to play the violin."
This celebration included square dancing similar to the Virginia Reel and ended in what was called a "Patting Juber" where folks clapped their hands and kept time with their feet while young boys threw off some of their best steps to a roar of applause, both inside and out of the house. Mr. Rockwell describes this as "as happy as a scene as I have ever looked upon."

 The audience participated in some of the dancing too.

This little girl was having a good time!

Here are some more pictures of the celebration.

It was a fun time! 

Dancing to that music is a sure way to get your aerobic exercise in!!