BASSETERRE ST.KITTS, WHEN THE HISTORY OF OUR FOLKLORE PRACTITIONERS IS WRITTEN, THE NAME JOSEPH VALENTINE “VALON” FRANCIS WILL BE ETCHED INDELIBLY AS ONE OF OUR MOST OUTSTANDING EXPONENT OF THE MASQUERADE ART. AS A MATTER OF FACT WHENEVER YOU MENTION THE NAME “VALON” YOU WOULD AUTOMATICALLY THINK ABOUT THIS ASPECT OF THE FOLKLORE.  IT IS FOR THIS REASON WHY HE HAS BEEN CHOSEN AS THIS YEAR’S NATIONAL CARNIVAL 2010/2011 GRAND MARSHALL.

AT THE AGE OF TWELVE (12) HE  STARTED DANCING MASQUERADE WITH MR RUPERT SAMUEL OF SAMUEL MASQUERADE FAME.  AFTER TEN YEARS HE DECIDED THAT HE HAD GAINED ENOUGH EXPERIENCE TO FORM HIS GROUP AND 36 YEARS LATER HIS GROUP IS STILL VERY MUCH ALIVE.

VALON IS PROUD TO HAVE REPRESENTED THE FEDERATION AT MANY CARIFESTAS AND FESTIVALS IN PLACES SUCH AS CUBA, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, BARBADOS, ST EUSTATIUS, MARTINIQUE AND ST THOMAS.

HE HAS TRAINED MANY OF OUR MASQUERADE DANCERS WHO IN SOME CASES HAVE GONE ON TO FORM GROUPS OF THEIR OWN HERE AND ABROAD.  VALON HAS ENSURED THAT THIS ARTFORM CONTINUES THROUGH HIS CHILDREN WH0 ARE ALL MEMBERS OF HIS TROUPE

THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE, THE CARNIVAL COMMITTEE AND THE MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR CULTURE, MS MARCELLA LIBURD SALUTE MR VALON, JOSEPH VALENTINE FRANCIS AS THIS YEAR’S GRAND MARSHALL.