Ethnography Rough Draft

The Holy Ghost Society

It was a hot June afternoon as we watched the Holy Ghost procession. People were dressed in their Sunday best. As the procession ended we the bystanders followed for a traditional lunch of sopa de hortelã com carne e pão “mint soup with beef and bread”.
Tony his wife Ana and their son Evan frequent these traditional lunches on most Sundays throughout the summer. Though this Portuguese tradition is supposed to be held on the church calendar, homage to the Holy Ghost is paid on Pentecost, the seventh Sunday after Easter. Another tradition of this feast is the auction and the chosen seven names for next years Holy Ghost procession. My good friend Tony always wanted to part of this society. He decided to put his name in along with the many others. Seven people were picked and he was one of the winners. As I watched each winner they all had something in common, they were honored to be selected. I was told that out of the names that were not selected they must be prepared to contribute to the next year auction.
The seven selected sponsors of the society have a year to prepare for this annual tradition. They will need fabrics, flowers and religious relics to decorate a space in there home for the Holy Ghost crown. Each sponsor will keep the crown in their home for a week where people will gather to pray and sing. My friend Tony had to decide who to ask to walk with him and his family in the procession. He asked some friends and me and my six year old daughter. I accepted and was excited to be part of an experience I grew up watching and attending with my late grandfather.
After much preparation the time finally comes for the journey of the Holy Ghost crown to go from home to home for seven weeks. The sponsor is obliged to hold open house in the designated week. My friend Tony and his family have the crown on the quinta semana “fifth week”. Tony has the crown for seven days. I was invited to pray and sing with him and his family and friends. My friend decorated the room with the crown beautifully. He used white satin fabric, with white lights, beautiful red roses and of course the crown. It was very similar to what I had seen in other homes. Once everyone arrived we sang and prayed in our native Portuguese language. All was welcome to my friend’s home to rejoice this ritual. After we finished we sat down to a feast made by Tony’s wife Ana. For seven days this occurred in their home.
On the seventh Sunday it was the day of the procession and the feast of the Holy Ghost. All of the seven winners from the year prior are all gathered together with family and friends. As I sit and observe all are dressed formally men, women and children. The little girls all looked like princesses dressed in there white long gowns. From there we all hopped on a bus to attend service. When service ended each week held a banner representing there week with family and friends and walked the procession. The end of the procession was at the feast grounds for the traditional lunch. The procession was the first to be served the delicious lunch. There were long lines after us because all were welcome and there was no charge to eat.
After I finished eating my lunch I started talking to a young girl who sat across from me. This young girl tells me the story as she knows it of the Holy Ghost. Legend has it Queen Isabel of Portugal was giving away the wealth of the court to the poor. During a great famine she prayed to the Holy Ghost for food and promised her crown to the church in return. Her prayers were answered. Legend or truth I was intrigued by this young girl’s story. I finally got the meaning of the “Holy Ghost Crown”