Around the time most of us were pulling up the covers, listening to the soothing rain and drowsing back off, another world was in motion in the early hours of Christmas day, creating a bit of magic.
The Petersen family was baking breads, cooking hams, frying salmon balls, cooking turkeys; the Voices of Love, the Hapless Hopeless Carolieres, and the Party Hardy Carolieres were traveling throughout the island, sending their gentle voices to the night.
The Maruschak family from Pittsburgh, Penn., was checking its alarm to make sure of a 5 a.m. wake-up. Polly and Fred Watts didn’t need any such devices. Waking up before 5 a.m. on Christmas Day is in their blood. If it’s Christmas morning, they’re at Emancipation Garden for the 33rd annual Challenge of the Carols.
The caroling has been a well-loved tradition for many years — even the old-timers can’t say how long. The carolers go out on Christmas Eve and continue all night long, bringing song and cheer from house to house throughout the night. In 1899, Luther Robles founded the Excelsior Choir, which soon included names familiar to the local caroling world today: Alec Lloyd, Esther Marks and Elias Abraham.
The Garden was a fairyland, the night’s lights playing over the carolers as they filed in about 5:30 a.m. in bright costumes: the red sweatshirts of the Voices of Love, the Party Hardy Caroliers in crisp white with the traditional bright red plaid scarves. The sun was a way off, and the echo caroling began, seemingly willing the rain to stop. It obliged.
As the sun began to peek a bit though the lignum vitae trees — blossoming with ornaments by schoolchildren of dangling fishes, shells and turtles, another tree bursting with paintbrush Santas – folks poured in to sit on benches, on the grass, on canvas chairs, or to take their favorite spots at the center wall.
The Maruschak family – John, Lorrie and daughter, Lauren – was enthralled by the community spirit. "It’s one of the best Christmases we’ve ever had," said John Maruschak. He said they attended Christmas eve services at the Lutheran Church in Tutu. "We learned some new songs," he said, doubtless a reference to the Guavaberry song. "We’ ve never heard anything like it, the windows were open to the street and the singing was beautiful. That’s where we heard about this morning," he said, with a smile to his family. "It’s our gift to each other."
Meanwhile, wonderful aromas were drifting over from the other side of the gazebo where the Petersen, Smoky Frett and friends were sharing the bounty they had created. Dr. Bert Petersen, home for the holidays, daughter Barbara and mom Candia Petersen had a regal spread this year. "We made ‘pap,’ cornmeal cereal this year, that’s new," said Bert Petersen, along with the traditional dumbbread, cheese and ham, bush tea, and sweetbread, they offered specially prepared turkey, carrot cake coated with a rum glaze, coffeecake and, actually coffee.
"So many people ask each year,"said Candia Petersen, "that we finally made a pot." She recalled how the tradition, now about 15 years old, got started. "I worked for Smokey Frett at the Legislature for a time," Petersen said, "and I’d always come for the caroling. One morning it was so cold, and I had to walk to Gottlieb’s way down to get some hot tea, so I suggested to Smokey that we provide tea and bread. He liked the idea."
Now, of course, it’ wouldn’t be Christmas morning without the traditional repast.
This year a bit of Crucian spice was added. Arthur Petersen from St. Croix, divulged the secret of his Crucian turkey. "It’s called povo chuan," he said. "It’s seasoned the same way you season Puerto Rican roast pork." Crucian, Puerto Rican, whatever its lineage, folks wolfing it down agreed it was "great, really, really good."
Gov. John deJongh Jr. wandered about, chatting with just about everyone, before taking the stage to present the Governor’s Award to President Henry Richardson for the Frenchtown Civic Association for carrying on and honoring the French traditions for more years than anyone can remember.
The other honors this year:
- the Esther Marks Award to the Caribbean Chorale Youth Choir;
- the Allick Lloyd Award to the American Legion Choir;
- the Luther Robles Award to Milo’s Kings and;
- the Honorable Choir Conductor for 2009 went to Gylchris Sprauve.
Participating in the 2009 Honor Roll of Choirs were the Voices of Love, Bethel Baptist Church Choir, Guardian Angels, Party Hardy Carolieres, Hapless Hopeless Caroliers, Lucinda Millin Home Chorale, Merry Carolers, Richard "Mousie" Howard, Salvation Army Songsters and Torchbearers, the Memorial Moravian Gospel Choir, Sparks Youth Chorale, Harmony Rangers, Bernardo Liburd and the New School of Music.
