Easter Monday in Guyana
Easter Monday is a public holiday in Guyana under the Public Holidays Act. Its nationwide character is visible in a familiar Easter custom: people of different backgrounds gather to fly kites, picnic and spend time with family.[1][2]
Legal status and day off
Guyana’s Public Holidays Act lists Easter Monday as a public holiday. The Act defines public holidays as days kept by banks, educational establishments, public offices and government departments, while allowing the Minister to exclude a public office or department in whole or in part by regulation.[1]
The Act lists substitute-day rules for several named holidays when they fall on a Sunday, but gives no such rule for Easter Monday. The Minister can also appoint an additional or substitute public holiday by Gazette notification. The Act preserves the Shops Act, so it does not by itself establish that every shop or private business closes.[1]
Christian meaning and Guyanese observance
Easter commemorates Christians’ belief in the resurrection of Jesus. In Guyana, the Department of Public Information describes Easter Monday kite flying as a tradition and reports that some people understand the rising kites as a symbol of Christ’s resurrection.[2]
The custom reaches beyond Christian communities. In 2016, then-President David Granger described kite flying on Easter Monday as a national pastime that people of different ethnicities and religions took part in. He named Georgetown’s National Park, the seawalls, Hope Beach, No. 63 Beach and Joe Vieira Park among the places where flyers gathered.[3]
Kites, outings and Easter weekend events
Kite flying is a central public activity, with kites of varied shapes and designs flown in coastal communities and at parks. Guyana’s Department of Public Information has also reported family picnics and outdoor activities such as football and cricket. At gatherings it covered in 2023, families brought food including fried rice and cook-up; the department also mentions hot cross buns and sweet bread as Easter foods.[2][4]
Easter Monday is part of a wider holiday weekend in which events take place in different regions. The Department of Public Information identifies the Bartica Regatta and Rupununi Rodeo as Easter weekend events, and describes the rodeo as bringing together vaqueros from Region Nine and showcasing community food and crafts. These are regional celebrations, distinct from the kite flying and family outings reported at parks and along the coast.[2]
Practical plans
Banks, schools, public offices and government departments are expected by the Act’s definition to keep a public holiday, subject to any permitted exclusions for public offices or departments. Check opening hours with the shop or business, and transport schedules with the service, before travelling.[1]
Popular gathering places include public parks, beaches and seawalls, according to Guyanese government accounts of Easter observances. For visitors, that makes these locations useful places to see kite flying and family gatherings; check whether a particular place has an event before you go.[2][3]
Frequently asked questions
Is Easter Monday a public holiday in Guyana?
Yes. The Public Holidays Act names Easter Monday as a public holiday and defines such a day as one kept by banks, educational establishments, public offices and government departments, subject to specified exceptions for some public offices or departments.[1]
When does Easter Monday fall?
It follows Easter Sunday, so its calendar date changes from year to year. The Public Holidays Act names Easter Monday as a public holiday but does not set it to a fixed date.[1]
What do people do on Easter Monday in Guyana?
Are shops and public transport open?
The Act’s definition covers banks, educational establishments, public offices and government departments, but it preserves the Shops Act. Check opening hours with the shop and transport schedules with the provider before travelling.[1]
Sources and references
Sources used for Easter Monday in Guyana:
- LAWS OF GUYANA — PUBLIC HOLIDAYS ACT — CHAPTER 19:07- Ministry of Legal Affairs, Guyana
- Easter, a time for reflection- Department of Public Information, Guyana
- Easter Monday kite-flying has become a national pastime – President Granger- Office of the President, Guyana
- Easter brings joy, togetherness as Guyanese families engage in outdoor festivities- Department of Public Information, Guyana