Nicaragua celebrates Fiestas Patrias. Image Credit: Ministerio de Educacion, Nicaragua.
Nicaragua

Independence Festivities in Nicaragua

Soledad Quartucci

Independence Festivities in Nicaragua

Educational Community celebrates National Holidays with love and pride

Amidst a vibrant display of cultural expressions and school parades, Nicaragua’s educational community marked the morning of September 14th, commemorating the 167th Anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto and the 202nd anniversary of Central America’s Independence.

At the Mexico Experimental School of the DIV in Managua, the patriotic program commenced early in the morning, featuring an array of activities.

The event included spirited dances, dramatic renditions of the Independence Act’s reading, which is observed on September 15th, recitations of poems, and the eagerly awaited school parade.

The parade featured the participation of bands and rhythmic gymnastics, captivating the audience both within and around the school premises, as described by the Ministry of Education of Nicaragua. 

 

 

The bands and rhythmic gymnasts, brimming with enthusiasm and talent, showcased their skills during the performance, infusing the festivities with energy and earning resounding applause from parents. This exhibition of talent and patriotic fervor has been nurtured within the classrooms, describes the Ministry of Education.

 

 

Inocente Garmenidez, the deputy director of the school, shared that over 2,000 students came together to celebrate their homeland, keeping alive the memory of the heroic feat carried out by a courageous few led by General José Dolores Estrada. On September 14, 1856, they valiantly defended national sovereignty against the forces of William Walker.

 

 

Garmenidez emphasized, “Today, the educational community celebrates with a beautiful array of activities that we’ve prepared to ensure we never forget our heroic past and our national heroes like Andrés Castro and the signing of Nicaragua and Central America’s Independence Act.”

 

 

 

Bryan Guzmán, a student in the eleventh grade, expressed his pride in celebrating this occasion with Nicaragua’s community and people. He noted that it deepened his historical knowledge about the legacy of the heroes and heroines of independence and reaffirmed his commitment as a student and a young individual “to contribute honestly and through education to safeguard national sovereignty.”

Likewise, student Katherine Ortiz reflected, “September 14 reminds us of the heroic actions of brave individuals who birthed our beloved Nicaragua. With love and valor, they defended and upheld our nation high. Their example guides us today, and as students, we must rise to the occasion, becoming professionals and good citizens to continue defending our cherished freedom.”

Independence Festivities in Nicaragua

In the present day, September holds a special place in the hearts of Nicaraguans, marking the national month where blue and white flags adorn family homes all across the country.

Commemorative events orchestrated by schools and institutions commence on the first day of September. Here is a brief overview of the schedule:

 

 

September 1 – The Central American National Holidays are inaugurated. Typically, an opening ceremony led by Nicaraguan government officials, as well as ambassadors from sister Central American republics, sees the participation of hundreds of students from the capital and school rhythm bands. The event’s location and date may vary.

September 11 – A significant tradition unfolds during the national month, where a lit torch traverses Central America, journeying from Guatemala to Costa Rica. Passed hand-to-hand among each of the countries, the torch arrives at “Las Manos,” Nicaragua’s northern border, on the 11th.

 

 

Here, the education ministers of Honduras and Nicaragua exchange the torch in the morning. Subsequently, it embarks on a national tour along the Pan-American Highway, with outstanding students from local schools and prominent figures each carrying the torch for a maximum of 100 meters. This symbolic journey covers 387 kilometers and engages over 8 thousand students.

 

 

September 12 – At 9 in the morning, the torch is received, typically at the National Palace of Culture, by the President of the Republic or the Minister of Education, accompanied by other dignitaries. A Folklore exhibition often takes place during the morning.

September 13 – At the southern border of “Peñas Blancas,” the torch is ceremoniously exchanged by the Ministers of Education of Nicaragua and Costa Rica. By a presidential decree established in 2004, at 6 in the evening, the national flag is lowered in all educational institutions and major institutions. Additionally, the country’s audiovisual media play the National Anthem.

 

 

September 14 – To commemorate the Central American Independence and the Battle of San Jacinto, the national flag is hoisted at 6 in the morning. The Central Act, generally presided over by the President of the Republic, unfolds during the day.

In recent years, it has been held on the Highway to Masaya or in the historic center of Managua to allow for broader public participation. During this ceremony, the Presidential Medal is bestowed upon the country’s finest students and educators.

The event also includes a parade featuring around 100 schools from the capital, comprising approximately 15 thousand students, along with captivating performances by rhythm bands and military and police bands.

 

 

September 15 – In an act of commemoration, the Central American Independence Act is read aloud in all state schools throughout Nicaragua, marking the conclusion of the activities dedicated to Independence Day and the patriotic Battle of Hacienda San Jacinto.

Part of the national independence celebration used to involve the “National Festival of Rhythmic Bands,” traditionally held in early September but now moved to different dates outside the national month.

 

 

These rhythmic bands, composed of students from schools across Nicaragua, combine music and choreography, with each band representing their school.

The festival includes a departmental elimination round, and on September 7th, bands compete before a jury to determine the country’s best rhythmic band. The festival takes place in Managua and is open to the public.

 

Soledad Quartucci | CEO/Founder, Latina Republic

At Latina Republic our mission is to foster regional understanding through stories, articles, interviews and reports that resonate from the heart of the Americas. Our primary objective is to encourage peaceful dialogue by shedding light on local perspectives often overlooked by mainstream media. We aspire to empower all stakeholders in resolving regional challenges by disseminating this valuable knowledge. We strive to capture the triumphs and struggles of everyday life in Latin America. Our stories track the evolution of social movements, amplifying the voices of those pioneering change.

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