ONE would expect that there’s much for the common man to see and enjoy at the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) and in the case of CARIFESTA XIV, which was recently held in Trinidad and Tobago, that expectation definitely held true. There was much for the purveyors, enthusiasts, and audience members to enjoy, but for the artist, for those of us who create, the wonders were truly something quite spectacular. There were several events, personas, displays, and cultural accomplishments that were quite impressive. Outlined below, are a few such items from the very first day of CARIFESTA XIV.

The first highlight, without a doubt, would have to be the Opening Ceremony, which was held at the Queen’s Park Savannah. It was a spectacular theatre production that fused both contemporary and ancient ideas of theatre. The central concept dealt with the birth of the Caribbean and it highlighted all of the various groups of people who make up the Caribbean. The use of lights and sound were staggeringly good, imbuing the whole thing with the necessary elements that were required to bring the show to each audience member who was in attendance. The lights, in particular, were extremely good, fluctuating, and managing to enhance everything from the cosmos of creation to the sweeping grandeur of the islands. The second part of the show paid homage to each country that takes part in CARIFESTA by tailoring specific choreography to a song that has emerged from the country being represented – and this segment was particularly fun because everyone could appreciate elements (music, dance, costume, natural wonders, icons, and other cultural elements) from the various countries while waiting with bated breath for their own nation to be represented on stage. The third part of the opening ceremony was a concert that highlighted many talented performers from Trinidad and Tobago, including the amazing, Nailah Blackman. Finally, each contingent paraded across the stage in front of the sea of spectators. Each country’s representatives danced and twirled and did their very best in showcasing their enthusiasm and patriotism, although everyone had engaged in the Parade of Nations earlier in the day.

The parade was a spectacle in its own right. Countries highlighted national costumes and other cultural and folk forms. For example, the ‘Massacuraman’ from Guyanese folklore was highlighted and classical Indian dance, indigenous dance, and ring games were performed on the road as the Guyanese contingent marched around Trinidad’s Queen’s Park Savannah. It was one of the rare moments that truly captured the elusive idea of unity that many people constantly claim to pursue in this country. Of course, most of the Guyanese costumes paled in comparison to those from other countries, such as Trinidad and Tobago, for example. This was a sore point because Guyana has had better costuming in past CARIFESTAs, and to have most of the Guyanese contingent march down the streets in a white top with the colours of the flag emblazoned on it came across as not only cheap but uninspired. It meant that while other costumes were ballooning in folk-costumes, rippling with the opulence of their ancestral outfits, and truly dazzling with the amount of attention to detail and hard work that went into the costumes, most of the Guyanese were left looking rather plain. To be quite honest, this disheartened many people in the Guyanese contingent. It is not an easy thing to remain in good spirits after turning up to an event where you are among the most poorly dressed. Luckily, the members of the National Drama Company, the musicians, the National Dance Company, and the classical Indian dancers realised that despite the lacklustre costuming, there was still a show to put on and we still had to go out there and do our best. The performers mobilised and motivated everyone to dance, to celebrate, and to have a good time – basically, to show the performative talent of the Guyanese people, which, if one looks at the pictures of the Parade of Nations, definitely comes across not only through the dance moves or smiles of those in the contingents, but of the audience members, the people who came out to see the parade as we all marched on the road.

Generally speaking, I think both the Opening Ceremony and the Parade of Nations are important and essential events that should continue to mark the beginning of future CARIFESTAs. They represent some of the only opportunities that people from the Caribbean get to interact and experience the cultures of their neighbours. Without the Parade of Nations, for example, I would not have gotten the chance to meet Vladimir Lucien, a St. Lucian writer I admire, nor would I have become cognizant of the similarity in purpose between the ‘Massacuraman’ and Papa Bois, which was pointed out to me by a lady from one of the islands. I would never have gotten the chance to see how talented the light and sound technicians in Trinidadian theatre are, had I not gone to the Opening Ceremony. I would not have seen the intricate beadwork on the costumes of the people from Suriname. I would not have been able to enjoy the various types of drumming that emerged from all corners of the Caribbean on that day. It was truly an enjoyable experience and one that I hope I get to experience again in the future.