Hosay

Hosay (originally from Husayn) is a West Indian and popularly observed in Trinidad and Tobago, a twin island country, in which multi-colored model mausoleums or Mosque shaped model tombs known as Tadjah to display the symbolic part of this commemoration are built and paraded, then ritually taken to the sea on last day of observance and finally discarded into the water. Tadjah derived from Arabic word Ta'zieh and signifies different cultural meanings depending on the region, time, occasion, religion, etc. In British Guiana, now Guyana, and Suriname, the festival was called Taziya or creolized into Tadjah in reference to these floats, the most visible and decorative element of this festival.

Generally Hosay lasts for 10 days and is observed in accordance with Islamic lunar calendar and in line with ten days Ashura commemorated by Shia Muslims throughout the world. Last four days are the most popular as the first six are days of fasting, prayer and building of the “Tadjahs” and “Moons”. Although Hosay is commemorated for the grand son of Prophet Muhammad but its celebration has adopted all types of shades and characters from other religions including Roman Catholic, Hindu, Baptist, making it a mixture of different culture and religion. Event is attended by both Muslims and non-Muslims depicting an environment of mutual respect and tolerance. Hosay in Cedros, situated in South-Western end of the Trindad, where tadjahs are built in an exclusive style that similar tadjahs are not found anywhere else in the world in terms of the art and style of construction. In nineteenth-century Trinidad newspapers as well as government reports called Hosay the "Coolie Carnival."

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