The Pinkster Celebration came to Kingston last week with the theme “Joy is an Act of Resistance!” at various venues. Transart and Cultural Services hosted the four-day celebration with a Sunday sermon at the Old Dutch Church, drumming, dancing, food and a marketplace at the Senate House Historic Site, “Restoring the Spirit: An Afternoon of Rest” at the Sojourner Truth State Park, a concert celebrating Malcolm X and a youth West African drumming workshop.
In the early 17th century New York, during the observance of Pinksteren (Pentecost), Dutch settlers spent the week in church, denying all other activities and freed their enslaved Africans. The enslaved took the opportunity to visit family and friends, and it was the sole time that they had agency over their own affairs. The Africans celebrated their time together with drumming, dancing, food and the ritual of shared parables. The joyful spirit Pinkster attracted everyone in the community to join the festivities. Pinkster festivals continued into British rule and flourished into the 19th century.
This year Transart was inspired by the theme “The Strength of our Spirit.” They honor their ancestors’ ability to find joy in times of hardship and highlight the importance of celebration by restoration as they continue to drive progress forward.
Join the family! 
