Grenada Carnival
pael...@paellaman.com
http://www.grenadagrenadines.com/carnival.html
Renowned for its colour, creativity and unique cultural character,
Grenada's Carnival is one of the island's biggest annual festivals.
Although each parish features its own brand of traditional costume or
mas', and many have activities at the Parish level, for many the main
Carnival action is to be found on the streets of the capital city of
St. George's.
The festivities begin in July with the opening of various Calypso Tents
where local calypso bards sing to entertain locals and visitors alike
and to vie for a chance to compete on the big stage of the National
Calypso Monarch Competition. School Calypso competitions culminate in
the Junior Calypso Monarch and Junior Soca Monarch shows, where the
young cultural talent of Grenada is brought to the forefront.
The Carnival celebration gains momentum in early August with cultural
presentations and calypso shows almost every night of the week and the
night air is filled with the sound of steel bands rehearsing their
unique musical arrangements for the upcoming Panorama competition.
Finally the countdown to Carnival begins one week before, with the
opening of the Rainbow City Festival in Grenville, St. Andrew. Also
called La Baye, this craft and cultural fair serves up a weekend of fun
and frolic and endless parties through the streets of the Grenville,
Grenada's second largest town.
Carnival week proceeds with the National Carnival Queen Show, where
Grenada's young women compete in Carnival costume, evening gown and
cultural performance categories; the Soca Monarch Finals and the
Panorama Steel Band competition.
Carnival Sunday brings the final countdown to Carnival with the
Dimarche Gras Show, featuring the Kings and Queens of the Fancy Mas
Bands in competition for King and Queen of Carnival.
Many revellers begin their Carnival marathon at the Dimarche Gras Show
and continue straight into the J'Ourvert celebrations, where in the
early hours of Monday morning, the traditional Jab-Jab or Devil Mas
bands emerge from the darkness of the night to parade freely through
the town. Blackened with stale molasses, tar, grease, creosote or mud,
and wearing little more than their horned helmets, these masqueraders
in previous times set out to terrify onlookers with their grotesque
appearance and repulsive dances.
In modern times, the traditional Jab-Molassi have mutated into other
creatures of colour, with Blue, Yellow and Green Devils joining in the
early morning parade. These colourful devils are much more playful in
character, wanting only to dab a bit of their body paint onto
unsuspecting bystanders, as they dance through the streets to the
rhythms of the accompanying drums, steel bands and calypsos from huge
DJ trucks.
The Ole Mas bands are the only other inhabitants in the early morning,
bringing international and local events to the fore through their
double entendre (or double talk) placards and satirical costumes.
The Carnival devils disappear with the rising of the sun, making way
for the Traditional and Fancy Mas bands in the Monday parade or
Pageant. Each parish has its own brand of traditional mas usually
represented by Short Knees, Vekou and Wild Indians.
With Arab-like head coverings, jumbo collars, batwing sleeves and
three-quarter (short knee) baggy trousers, the Short knee Bands are now
the most prevalent of the traditional masqueraders. Almost identical in
appearance, they dance through the roads from their respective
villages, into the town of St. George's, passionately chanting,
boxing the air and scattering baby powder with abandon.
Next come the modern costumed bands of revellers, who cross the stage
at the National Stadium and then parade through the streets of the
capital city of St. George's in the afternoon sun, gyrating to the
beat of the year's most popular calypsos. Listen out for the song
most played throughout the day, as this is the basis for the Annual
Road March King Competition. Costumed bands are often heralded by the
arrival of the King and Queen of the band, the large costumes which
vied for King and Queen of Carnival during the Sunday night Dimarche
Gras.
Carnival Monday ends with the Monday Night Mas' street jump-up, where
party goers in brightly coloured T-shirt bands, wave fluorescent wands
and dance through the streets into the wee hours of the Tuesday
morning.
On Carnival Tuesday, the fancy bands take to the streets again,
parading through the capital city of St. George's, to the music of
traditional steel bands or the pulsating sounds of the current calypso
songs from mobile DJs. The party can continue long into the night until
the most devout of revellers finally stagger home.
For more information about Grenada's Carnival visit the official
website of the Grenada Carnival Committee at
http://www.spicemasgrenada.com
Schedule:
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JUNE 10th Launch of Carnival Port Highway, St. George's
JULY 1st Judging of House of Fire Calypso Tent
Africa House, Brooklyn New York
JULY 08th, 09th, 11th,12th, 13th,14th Calypso Quarter Finals
All Parishes
JULY 15th, 16th,17th Soca Monarch Quarter Finals
St. Marks, St. Davids & St. Patricks
JULY 16th, 17th Junior Calypso Quarter Finals
TBA
JULY 22nd Soca Monarch Semi-Finals
Tanteen Netball Court
JULY 23rd Junior Calypso Semi-Finals
TBA
JULY 24th Calypso Semi-Finals
Grenada Trade Centre
JULY 29th Kaleidoscope Party Fox Inn Big Yard, Point Salines
JULY 30th Children Carnival Frolic
Tanteen Netball Court
AUGUST 05th Soca Monarch Finals
Quarantine Point
AUGUST 06th Panorama
Tanteen Netball Court
AUGUST 07th Dimanche Gras
Tanteen Netball Court
AUGUST 08th Jouvert, Pageant, Parade of the Bands & Monday Night Mas
Lagoon Rd./ Port Highway/ Carenage
AUGUST 09th Parade of the Bands Lagoon Rd./ Port Highway / Carenage