By Iana Seales
The Bahamian festival of Junkanoo which explodes with colour and feverish rhythms is Carifesta bound and will erupt at the Grand Market at the Sophia Exhibition site in three days as part of the island chain’s cultural presentation.
With Carifesta XI on its horizon, having passed up hosting this year’s festival, The Bahamas will be here to deliver and observe while mingling in the region’s creative showpiece. A contingent of 140, 110 of whom are performers, is expected and among them is The Bahamas’ Minister of State within its Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture, Charles Maynard.
Director of Culture within the ministry and head of the contingent, Dr. Nicolette Bethel who is already in Guyana with an advance team ahead of the group’s arrival tomorrow night told Stabroek News in an interview yesterday that Junkanoo is an important and distinctive part of their culture but it is a fraction of what they have planned for this year’s celebration. She noted too, that only a tiny bit of the festival of Junkanoo would be on show.
She said the team arrived a few days ahead to handle logistics. Dr. Bethel is currently working along with the Carifesta Secretariat. She is here with two deputies and the group’s Artistic Director, Philip Burrows.
Junkanoo is evocative of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras and Rio’s Carnival but with a distinct Bahamian flavour. It first began as a fleeting celebration of freedom for slaves who were given three days off at Christmas time and is now celebrated on Boxing Day in The Bahamas.
Dr. Bethel said that what is different about the Bahamian festival is the energy it packs and the live music which includes drums, whistles and cowbells. The Bahamas will occupy two booths at Sophia during the Grand Market according to Dr. Bethel displaying local jewellery; craft items and other artifacts from its national museum.
The Bahamas’ jazz choir which performs under the name, ‘Carifesta Chorale’ will be here along with musicians; artists; filmmakers; writers; dancers, and actors from the country. Dr.Bethel said interest in Carifesta in Guyana was extremely high in The Bahamas but finances did not permit them to bring a larger group. On August 24 the Bahamas will put on its play, ‘Children’s Teeth’, at Queen’s College as part of its contribution to the performing arts segment of the festival.
The play is a study of a Haitian immigrant family in The Bahamas and explores illegal immigration in the Bahamas; integration issues Haitians face in the society and also takes a critical look at the relationship Bahamians share with Haitians – a relationship that is at times, strained but one which is growing.
Dr. Bethel noted that that particular relationship is reflected in most of the culture that The Bahamas will share with Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean over the days to come. The play which Dr. Bethel wrote premiered in her country in January.
With some questions still lingering over why The Bahamas declined to host Carifesta this year Dr. Bethel said they wanted to be fully prepared noting that the country had a change of government last May and that they were not in that comfort zone to take on the festival.
“But we are hosting the next Carifesta so this is an opportunity for our people to get exposure and for us to assess what we have to do. We hope to learn from Guyana and share with you as well,” she added.
She said there is no question that The Bahamas is committed to the festival, adding that they are excited to be here for the celebration. She noted that there are persons in the contingent that are traveling to South America for the first time with many among them looking forward to visiting the rural areas.