BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – BANKER’S Mas Camp held an open day yesterday (Dec. 2) where they invited the media to get a glance of their new Carnival troupe presentation.
Keeshan ‘Banker’ Walwyn told SKNVibes that this year they would be presenting a troupe entitled ‘Liamigua: History and Culture’, which would comprise of five segments.
“I know time is limited. Carnival is here already, so I thought it was best to get the media involved and get the message across more prompt so people can know something is happening,” he said.
Walwyn said that his Mas Camp has been involved in building costumes for the past six years, collaborating with a number of regional and international productions.
He said that after his 2008-2009 Carnival parade troupe, ‘The Wonders of Exotica’, placed second in the National Carnival, he thought about the troupe that he could bring for the next event. “I sat down with my designer and graphic artist in Trinidad last carnival and they suggested a more locally-oriented band with a reflection of St. Kitts’ culture, and then the idea hit me we should bring Liamuiga.
“Liamuiga means fertile land; so it’s ‘Liamuiga, History and Culture’ breaking down certain aspects of our culture that is precious to us because we did our research about it and I think people will appreciate that and understand what troupes are all about,” he said.
The sections of the troupe that gives a reflection of Kittitian history and culture are Black Rocks, Carib Rock Drawings, Bloody Point, Brimestone Hill and Christmas Sports/Folklore, while the Queen and King of the Bands are Mother Colony of the West Indies and Mount Liamigua respectively. The troupe will also be parading with former Road March Champs Nu Vybes Band.
Walwyn has a great love for preserving Kittitian and Nevisian cultural art form and got started in 1996 after going to a workshop in Nevis, which was organised by the Ministry of Education and UNESCO. From his attendance at the folk presentation and music workshop, he began playing the fife and dancing masquerade locally and internationally.
In 2001, Walwyn, along with others, participated in costume building for a troupe from St. Vincent. He said over the years he has been involved in building troupes, specifically for the Junior Carnival Parade, and participated in a wire-bending and costume decoration workshop in Trinidad in 2003.
In 2004, he joined the SVG Players International Mas Troupe, a company that has won various band titles including Junior Band of the Year, Overall Band of the Year and Queen of the Band. Walwyn said that building costumes for the past six years has taught him a lot.
“It has also helped to develop my self-esteem, in terms of respecting myself in society and getting back respect because of what you do people look up to you as a role model. So, that’s one of the things that keep me going strong although we face difficulties each time, but we stand tall with the Almighty and He always provides for us,” he said.
In 2006, Banker’s Mas Camp produced their first troupe, ‘Insomnia: A persistent inability to sleep’, followed by their 2007 ‘Zodiac One the Elements’ and ‘True Wonders of Nature Exotica’ in 2008.
The 28-year-old Mas Camp builder hails from Tabernacle but said he spends most of his time in Central Bassterre, “We want to encourage people to participate in Carnival. We encourage everyone to play Mas, whether with us or another troupe, and contribute to National Carnival on a whole,” he said.
