Sacred Threads: Tabaquite women turn talent into testament

Bavina Sookdeo

THE usually quiet community of Los Atajos sees a sacred tradition every Easter with the Good Friday walk – a community re-enactment of the Passion of Christ that draws people from near and far. The creative force behind the elaborate costuming of the annual event includes three women with skilful hands and devout hearts – Reena Donna De Leon, Marsha Luke and Jeanelle Blackburn. Their work is more than costume design; it is a ministry.

De Leon, 41, recalled a childhood marked by simplicity and creativity.

“I grew up very poor and used coal to draw on the roads when we couldn’t afford crayons. I even made figurines out of mud,” she shared.

Her mother gifted her a sewing kit when she was eight and De Leon began making clothes for her dolls. What began as a necessity soon became a passion and a calling.

She and Blackburn, also 41, are from Tabaquite, while Luke, 47, is originally from Maracas, St Joseph, but has lived in Tabaquite for over two decades. In 2012, the Tabaquite Roman Catholic Church formed a women’s group called Women of the Word, of which the trio are a part alongside five other women. That year also marked the beginning of their journey in designing, sewing and coordinating the costumes that bring the Passion of Christ to life on the streets of Los Atajos.

However, their collaboration began even earlier. In 2009, De Leon had a Carnival band – Reena and Associates – of which Blackburn and Luke were members so designing costumes was something they had done before. In 2012, De Leon was also the secretary at the Tabaquite Roman Catholic Church, where Fr Robert Christo was the new parish priest.

She recalled, “He decided he wanted to bring some reality to the parish and give parishioners some feeling of that journey that Jesus made to Calvary and the crucifixion. He decided to formulate a play together with our current director Dave Marcus. For the first year, we borrowed costumes and for the second year, Fr Christo wanted us to have our own and when we looked online it was costing a lot of money. At the same time, Women of the Word was formed, and we thought we have all this talent and I know how to make costumes, so we decided to save the parish some money and make the costumes…that is how we started with the costuming for all the main characters.”

The current parish priest is Fr Simon Peter who blesses the walk each year before it begins.

De Leon was fond of art since childhood. A teacher and hairdresser, De Leon gained her artistic ability from her dad who is also creative.

“Doing work for the Lord comes with a lot of challenges, especially around this time” she expressed.

“There are times where we feel like giving up, but we push through each day and night, enduring the many burnt fingertips,” she said with a laugh.

Luke too has been involved in art since childhood. She related that her inspiration to get involved in the re-enactment really came from the work she saw her younger brother, Ashton, doing at the St Michael’s RC Parish in Maracas Valley.

“He also encouraged me to go for it,” said Luke, who is also a teacher. She learnt to sew from her mother and studied Art at secondary school, also learning through Youtube videos.

For Blackburn, her devotion to the church and the re-enactment is deeply rooted in her family.

“Growing up and seeing how my grandmother had a love and a passion for her church made me get involved,” she said.

“I saw how when she did things for the church it made her happy.”

Blackburn’s grandmother, who was fondly known as Miss Bunny/Miss Badal, was a pillar in Tabaquite and demonstrated a strong sense of faith, community and devotion.

Questioned on what the first year being involved in the re-enactment was like, De Leon said, “It was one of the most memorable experiences. For me, other than creating the costumes, my passion and my love for Jesus Christ was awakened. The atmosphere that was created showed the journey that Jesus made carrying the cross. I was overwhelmed with joy to bring forward this monumental moment.”

The costume-making process begins immediately after Easter.

“We do a post-mortem every year to assess what changes and improvements can be made to improve from the previous year,” explained De Leon. The preparations span months of sewing, crafting, organising fittings, and coordinating makeup and set pieces – like the Garden of Gethsemane, Calvary Hill, and the tomb.

The costumes are a mix of new and reused garments, often refined each year with symbolic elements.

“We bring Jesus to life with the wounds, the blood, the sounds of the whips – it’s not just visual; it’s emotional,” she noted.

“When I hear the lashes and see the actors in full costume, I cry. That’s when I feel the depth of what we’re doing.”

With their inspiration coming from the movie Passion of Christ, characters include Jesus, who, according to De Leon, is “the most challenging of all,” Roman soldiers, the women of Jerusalem, Pontius Pilate and his wife, three high priests, Mary, Veronica, the peasants, Simon, Judas, thieves, and whippers (headed by Ronald Alfred, manager of the Original Jab Jab Band).

“Each costume is handcrafted to reflect historical and biblical accuracy while invoking reverence,” said De Leon.

As for how they bring the emotions and symbolism of Good Friday into the costumes themselves, she explained, “We try to make it with enough graphics and create as close a scenario as it was back then.”

For these women, the work is deeply spiritual. “God is the driving force behind our inspiration and talent, therefore, in everything that we do, we need his guidance, so we pray before, during and after in order to be focused and successful,” explained De Leon. “We put all our reverence into this. It’s not just about making clothes – it’s a form of worship,” she further pointed out.

“When you have faith and believe in God, things in your life will work out and that is what makes me come back every time,” Blackburn added. For her, Easter is about healing.

“Easter is forgiveness and forgiving the ones that hurt you,” she said.

Her humility and dedication have made a lasting impact on her community. While Blackburn prefers to stay out of the spotlight, those around her, like De Leon, speak highly of her.

“Jeanelle is a pillar in the church and in the community,” De Leon said. Her peers describe her as the kindest, most awesome person – someone who quietly but powerfully shapes lives through her actions and presence.

Blackburn’s message to the public is simply to, “Be kind and show love to everyone…do it for the love of God and know that everything will work out,” she said.

All three women are deeply invested in passing this tradition on to the younger generation.

“It is my intention as a teacher to encourage my students to embrace their passion and talent and to use it for the glory of God,” explained De Leon.

“Art, in its own way, creates a story with emotions and a lot of elements that I wish most will embrace and continue within our church.”

Luke too, wants to share what she has learnt. The mastermind behind the wounds that are placed on the boy portraying Jesus said, “I have been given a talent by God and I see doing this as an opportunity to share my gift from God to minister to others, sharing his word. I look forward to sharing my knowledge and experience to the younger generation,” she said.

Asked what message they would like to share this Easter, De Leon responded on behalf of the trio with conviction: “Jesus is real. To the younger generation, it is my hope that you will know through Christ all things are possible. To the adults, it is up to us, to teach them this valuable lesson and to show them that doing the work of God is one of the most rewarding factors of life. It is my belief that when you do good, good will follow you. In God’s company, there is no fear. We can only carry the love of Christ to the world by our actions and deeds.”

While their costumes may be made of fabric, beads and paint, the heart of this work is woven with faith, devotion and a powerful sense of purpose. As the procession made its way through Los Atajos on Good Friday, many attendees said it was clear that something sacred walked among them – something born of tradition, sacrifice, and the hands of women who believe.