Hosay

Hosay parades take place in two Shiite communities in Trinidad: St. James, in the western section of Port-of-Spain, and Cedros, in the South. The colorful procession in St. James is the largest (five tadjahs) and draws thousands of spectators of all religions every year. The Shiites of St. James spend a considerable amount of time and money in the building of miniature temples (tadjahs, taziyas, hosays, mausoleums) with bamboo, wood, paper, and tinsel to depict the tomb of Hussain. These tadjahs range in height from 10 to 30 feet and are hauled through the streets on parade days accompanied by the beating of drums (tassas) and two standards in the shape of half-moons, each carried separately on the shoulder of one man at a time. The half-moons (one red and one green) symbolize the deaths of both Hussain and his brother Hassan; red for the blood of Hussain that was shed at Karbala and green for the poisoning of Hassan, 11 years earlier. The drums and flags are symbolic of those used in wars in the 7th century.

In St. James, the main parade of tadjahs takes place along the Western Main Road on the 10th day of Muharram; this day is called Aashura. Aashura is the "Day of Atonement" for all Muslims and was observed long before the martyrdom of Hussain which, coincidentally, occurred on the same day. The three days preceding Aashura are also filled with parades, as laid out in the Table (Hosay Events) below (Nalis, 2015):

HOSAY EVENTS
DAY	EVENT	DESCRIPTION
1st Day of Muharram	Prayers	As the construction of the tadjahs continues, prayer meetings are held at each Hosay site (yard).
7th Day of Muharram	Flag Night	This is the first night of processions on the streets and representatives from each Hosay yard parade with flags and drums.
8th Day of Muharram	Little Hosay Night	This is the second night of processions when small replicas of the two tombs (hosays) of Hussain and Hassan are paraded on the streets with the beating of drums.
9th Day of Muharram	Big Hosay Night	The tadjahs are brought into public view for the first time, together with standards in the shape of half-moons, and are paraded on the streets with the beating of drums.
10th Day of Muharram (Aashura)	Kerbala Day	This is the final parade day.
13th Day of Muharram	Teejah Day	The tadjahs are taken to the sea in Cocorite and broken up.

"Hosein" or "Hosay" as it usually pronounced in Trinidad, has its origins in a religious ceremony formerly practised only by the Muslim sect known as " Shiites ". However because of certain non Muslim practices which have crept into it, it is no longer considered a religious event but a cultural festival.

Source: TrinScene (2015)

This festival is in honour of two brothers Hosein and Hassan who were treacherously murdered in a Persian holy war. It is celebrated in the Muhurram month of the Muslim calendar, ten days after the appearance of the new moon. There is therefore no set month of the Roman calendar when it is held. As the time approaches " tadjahs " are made mosque like in shape, ten to fifteen feet high, marvelous in design and colour, and cleverly constructed of bamboo, multi-coloured paper, tinsel and bits of glass.