Placencia Folks Explain Christmas Bramming

By Jolie Pollard

Placencia loves an excuse to party, and Christmas is no exception. The traditional bramming begins right after Christmas Eve Mass at St. John’s Memorial Anglican Church in Placencia Village and accelerates throughout the night running on booze, tasty food and lively music.

Seventy-seven-year-old Villamar “Villa” Godfrey, a long-time Placencia fisherman, explained the Creole bramming tradition: “After Mass, we branch out from house to house. We don’t stay for too long, and we go all night and all morning and then we do it all over again the next day.”

And while that element of bramming continues today, a few things have changed. In the past, bramming was not complete without singing and dancing to some good ole’ Kriol (Creole) Bruk- Down music, which was usually performed live at individual homes. Godfrey said that mouth organs (harmonicas) were popular instruments and “some people will be hitting bottles and other things if they have to,” added Donna Gardiner who vocalized the resulting sound: “Shikashik! Shika-shik! Shika-shik!” Gardiner sat with Godfrey in front of her guide services shop, Nite Wind, next to the Fishermen’s Cooperative. Today, you would be lucky to catch a live Brukdown performance in someone’s living room.

Bram hosts in the Village have dwindled over the years, but the few who remain are still dishing out the Creole Christmas favorites. Revelers at these lively Creole Christmas brammings dine informally on plates of stewed chicken, baked turkey or roast duck with generous sides of rice ‘n’ beans, potato salad, stuffings and cranberry jelly. Ham is usually served as “boca” (hors d’ oeuvres) and white or black fruit cake, a clear remnant of Belize’s colonial past, is the featured dessert although Mr. Godfrey said not many people enjoy eating the sweets while drinking.

And he might be right. Bramming party hosts treat their guests to the very sweet, syrupy and highly potent local cashew and black berry homemade wines traditionally made right here on the Placencia Peninsula. Rum Popo (spiked egg nog), beer and scotch are also favorite libations. Adding desserts to that diet might just be too rich.

Bramming in Placencia is not for the weak. Those who can’t contain their liquor or lack of sleep, fall victim to hysterical pranks including the notorious facepainting. “If you pass out, your face gets painted up with make-up,” warned Godfrey’s granddaughter, 19-year-old Leonie Faux, who joined Godfrey and Gardiner at Nite Wind. They were sure to note that neither of them has met this shameful fate and laughed as they reminisced about villagers who wake up looking like clowns time and time again.

Our advice this holiday season: Try not to fall asleep at anyone’s house during a good old school Christmas party. ▪

... "We go all night and all morning and then we do it all over again the next day." - Villa Godfrey