My First Bogotano Halloween

Perfect imperfection

A little over a year ago, I caught a flight to Bogotá to work at American School Way. Since then, I’ve learned about Colombians and their vibrant culture, full of diverse influences. Every day, I discover a new expression or, as it’s termed here, a ‘bogotanismo’, or another facet of the ‘bogotano’ culture that I find fascinating. One of the most surprising things I encountered was the fervent celebration of Halloween in the capital city. I mention the capital specifically because I’m unsure if it’s celebrated to the same degree in other Colombian cities.

Though this blog is titled “My First Bogotano Halloween”, I must clarify that it was also my very first Halloween experience. In my home country of Trinidad and Tobago, Halloween isn’t widely celebrated. And contrary to what many might think, this isn’t due to religious convictions. Our Caribbean identity leans towards promoting cultural events intrinsic to our region, primarily because we rely heavily on tourism. More often than not, we highlight celebrations native to our country, like Carnival, which mirrors our historical and cultural heritage. Growing up, I always assumed Halloween was a western event and couldn’t imagine it being embraced in South America.

How wrong I was! By September, Halloween was so integrated into Bogotá’s culture that costumes were already being promoted on the streets, reflecting its capitalistic influence. To be honest, I had an absolute blast! The streets came alive at night. Wandering through La Candelaria with my friends remains a cherished memory, as it was my first time ever participating in Halloween festivities.

At the time, I also worked at the Suba branch, and another revelation was seeing Halloween’s influence in the corporate culture — which I also loved. Every branch had a theme. Ours was «Pirates of the Caribbean.» As I conclude this blog, I’m filled with excitement, knowing I’m just a few days away from my second Halloween in Bogotá!

by: Jervan Pravin Rampersad

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