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Friday 2 February 2024 locAl
A10

Episode XCIX – 99 Easter Edition

Nowadays, Easter is a busi-
ness event and a religious
holiday, marked by high
sales of greeting cards and
crafts, candy, chocolate
eggs, and chocolate Easter
bunnies among other gifts.

Rabbits are, in many cul-
tures, known as keen breed-
ers, so the arrival of baby
bunnies in spring meadows
was associated with birth
and renewal. The exact ori-
gin of the Easter Bunny tra-
dition is unknown, although
some historians believe it
arrived in America with
German immigrants in the
1700’s.

It’s believed that eggs rep-
resented fertility and birth
in certain pagan traditions
that predates Christianity.
Egg decorating may have
become part of the Eas-
ter celebration in a nod to
the religious significance of
Easter, i.e., Jesus’ resurrec-
tion or rebirth. that Easter is derived from that became eostarum in today. St. Bede author of of lamb also has historical
albis, a Latin phrase that is old German, a precursor “Ecclesiastical History of roots, since a lamb was
While some historians hold pure for ‘alba’ or ‘dawn’ to the English language of the English People” main- often used as a sacrificial
tains that the English word animal in Jewish traditions,
‘Easter’ comes from Eos- and lamb is frequently
trae who was the Anglo- served during Passover.
Saxon goddess of spring The phrase “lamb of God”
and fertility. is sometimes used to refer
to Jesus and the sacrificial
Despite its significance as nature of his death.
a Christian holy day, many
of the traditions and sym- Notably, Easter is also as-
bols that play a key role in sociated with the Jewish
Easter observances actu- holiday of Passover, as well
ally have roots in pagan as the exodus of the Jews
celebrations—particularly from Egypt, as described in
the pagan goddess Eostre. the Old Testament. These
While in the Jewish religion links are clearly seen in
the holiday of Passover or the Last Supper, which oc-
Pesach is celebrating ex- curred the night before
actly this that G have save Jesus’ arrest and the suffer-
the Hebrews from Farao ings Jesus endured follow-
giving them all the gift of ing his arrest.
freedom and a land of milk
and honey. Several Prot- To get know more of Aru-
estant Christian denomina- ba’s ancestors, history,
tions, including Lutherans culture, art and our island
and Quakers, have opted life, we highly recommend
to formally abandon many you to book your visit at
Easter traditions, deeming Etnia Nativa. Known for its
them too pagan. cultural encounters and
educational purposes Et-
Easter foods are steeped in nia Nativa had caught the
symbolism. An Easter dinner attention of curious par-
ticipants for decades now.
Mail us at etnianativa03@
Article by: Etnia Nativa gmail.com, or send a mes-
sage on our facebook
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Etnia Nativa is close to the high rise hotels 592 2702.q