Bury the Rooster!

Aruba's Dera Gai Celebration Song

Bury the Rooster!

This song is a mix of pagan tradition and Christianity. Although this Aruba "Dera Gai" holiday is a celebration of St. John's June 24th birthday, the words are mostly about the rooster. This is sung while people are trying to hit a plastic rooster (or pumpkin) with a stick. The song dates from 1862, when the celebration first began. Aruba is one of the few countries that observes St. Johns Day with song, dance and drink.

Dera Gai Song

St. John comes, St. John goes,
St. John goes, St. John comes
Look, St. John is everywhere*
With the stick in his hand
And blindfolded
He is dancing to kill the rooster.

(Chorus)
Bury the rooster, bury the rooster
For John to kill it,
Bury the rooster, bury the rooster,
For John to kill it.

Friends all go to one side,
So St. John can kill the rooster,
There St. John killed the rooster
Run, come, he killed it.

All Aruba, everywhere
Celebrate the feast of St. John
Then we all go dance
Run, come, he killed it.

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