BASSETERRE St. Kitts – THE Parade Day for the 2013-2014 Sugar Mas’ 42 celebrations can be described as an atomic explosion of rich culture and the chemical reaction of youths as hundreds swarmed downtown Basseterre.
As a number of streets were blocked off and thousands of people began to occupy the parade paths to get a glimpse of the various bands, the event began with a few of the young royalties who were crowned during the Carnival season.
Living up to tradition, the Grand Marshal, Cyril ‘Puntan’ Webster Pringle, was seated on a small mechanical vehicle waving to the many in attendance as he led the parade.
He then welcomed a small canter within which were seated the Senior and Junior Calypso Monarchs along with the National Carnival Queen, Miss St. Kitts Talented Teen and Miss Haynes Smith Talented Teen.
Handing down culture and tradition
In the cultural and traditional aspect of things in the Federation, we all can confess as a nation that we tend to sometimes look away from those things that made Carnival what it is.
But let us look away from the bands and the revellers in their costumes and zoom in on the masqueraders for a bit.
Before the colours of festivity had enthralled many of those in attendance, the traditional masqueraders along with Mocka Jumbies came out in their numbers as the latter group performed a few acrobatic stunts.
But it was the toddlers in the masquerade bands that stole the show from the adults as they followed their every move while colourfully attired.
Many would question as to how toddlers would operate among well-trained masqueraders, but it was like they were doing it all the days of their young lives.
Hard to believe…but it is true.
A number of young masqueraders danced to the beat of kettle and bass drums and fifes, while some others mimicked what the adults were doing.
One woman had this to say: “Well, all my years coming out to Parade Day I have never seen small children dance and operate like that. It just goes to show that the masqueraders are keeping their traditions alive by passing it on to the younger generation.”
As the parade progressed, hundreds of youths from the participating schools in the Children’s Parade held on the previous day, took to the streets dressed in their eco-friendly costumes.
The costumes, as was previously reported, were made for the first time right on the shores of St. Kitts, rather than having them traditionally made overseas.
But it was a surprise to many that the costumes looked no different from the other years.
One parent exclaimed, “Oh really…I didn’t know they made them here! I know we usually get them from Trinidad, but for locally made costumes… I am impressed.”
When asked by SKNVibes Entertainment his thoughts on the youthful aspect of Carnival, an elderly male said, “Carnival is all about tradition, and whether it be the young people or older folks we all need to realise that this will need to continue in the years to come. So the best way is teaching the youths them now.”
