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Seventeenth century Dutch colonists brought with them the unusually named religious celebration Pinkster (it means Pentecost in Dutch) and on May 15, historic Philipsburg Manor in Sleepy Hollow, New York, recreates the jubilant version African Americans later adopted as their own. Featured in Philipsburg Manor's revival of this spring ritual are traditional West Indian and African-American food, dancing, drumming and dramatic vignettes.
Pinkster's heyday was 1790-1810 when African Americans in Albany, New York, threw themselves into the celebration with specially designed shelters and the crowning of a Pinkster King, prior to settling in for marathon dance and musical performances. According to Hudsonvalley.org, "The style of dance and the complex layering of contrasting rhythms by the drummers and clappers attest to the survival and retention of West African traditions."
Thom Thacker, Philipsburg Manor site director, suggests for these citizens, Pinkster offered escape as well as an important social occasion. "It was a chance for people, especially those forced to toil in rural, isolated areas, to get together, to see their own relatives and friends, he says.
From noon to 5 p.m. at Philipsburg Manor on May 15, music flows, courtesy of a roaming fiddler and a player of the kora, a traditional West African instrument. Maxwell Kofi Donkor, a Ghanaian native and renowned musician, leads Arfican drumming and a variety of dance demonstrations. A Pinkster King is crowned and story telling, cooking, and African folktales and other traditions add authentic dimension to this modern version of Pinkster. Admission is $6-$12. For more information, visit the event's website.
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