November is a very busy month in Panamá. They have five national holidays spread out during the month, two of them are for their independence. They are collectively known as the “Fiestas Patrias”, or “Patriotic Parties” (holidays). If you have business to accomplish, don’t expect much to happen during this time. Banks, public offices, etc. will all be closed. It’s probably safe to say that not much will be accomplished until after the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Panameños love to celebrate and parades and festivities are common occurrences. Workers have been busy for weeks planting flowers and hanging flags all over Boquete town and along the main thoroughfare.
Although not one of the “Fiestas Patrias”, the Day of the Dead, or el Dia de los Muertos, is celebrated on November 2nd. It is a day of remembrance for the loved ones we’ve lost. It is not the huge festive holiday it is in Mexico and some other Latin American countries. This is also a “dry day.” No liquor is sold, so stocking up ahead of time is a good idea!
Here is a list of the Panameño National holidays this month:
• November 3: Separation Day from Colombia
• November 4: Flag Day
• November 5: Colon Day
• November 10: First Call for Independence from Spain
• November 28: Independence from Spain
We live in a quiet neighborhood. The loudest things you will hear are roosters crowing and birds singing. But in many places, it is not uncommon to have loud music playing at all hours. The country is literally in “party mode”.
I found some interesting trivia about the symbolism of the Panamá flag that I want to share. Initially a flag design was proposed that utilized the colors of the Colombian flag. It consisted of equal horizontal stripes of red and yellow with a blue canton bearing two linked yellow suns, symbolizing the linking of the two halves of the planet by the future Panama Canal. A different flag design was finally chosen. It was divided quarterly with two stars. The attributed symbolism was the alternation of the two major political parties in government (originally, red was for the liberals, blue for the conservatives, and white for peace between them). The colors and stars clearly hinted at the influence of the flag of the United States. The Panamanian flag was designed by Manuel E. Amador, son of the first president of the new republic.
