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Carnival Special Report: 12 days of music, boat racing, beach picnics, fireworks, street dancing, shows, contests, parading, children's games, and crafts. Now everyone needs a good rest. . . . | |
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| August 15, 1997 - Site Map. | |
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Carnival Special Report: 12 days of music, boat racing, beach picnics, fireworks, street dancing, shows, contests, parading, children's games, and crafts. Now everyone needs a good rest. . . . | |
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| August 15, 1997 - Site Map. | |
There are three types of event during Carnival week:
Click on any picture below to see it larger. Forgive the
slow download for this news issue - the photo opportunities
were irresistable.
J'Ouvert Morning
Monday Morning at sunrise is J'ouvert (zhu-vay), one of the most fun events of Carnival, one that is free and open to everyone. Three local bands on huge semi-truck trailers set out from Carnival Village, and gather following crowds of dancing fans. As you can see, each truck is a wall of amplifiers and the sound is incredible. Helpers ride on top with sticks to push up the telephone wires as the bands pass underneath. Suggested dress for serious dancers is runners and aerobics suit, with a hand towel to wipe away the sweat. Consider cotton balls for your ears (it can be loud).
J'ouvert started at 5:45am. By 7am The Valley
is packed by dancers and onlookers. I even saw my
summer student employee splayed out riding on the
back of a band truck, ears right in the huge amplifiers.
The bands do several loops through The Valley's main roads. Last Lap, the following Monday at
sunset,
is a similar event, except that everyone
is more tired a week later and the action is wilder
in the dark.
Boat Races
There are boat races almost every day, starting on Monday, when De Chan won the A class (these are the biggest and most important boats). Here is UFO sailing victorious into its home village of Island Harbour on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Stinger was the winner and on Thursday at Meads Bay, UFO won again.
The Champion of Champions boat race is held at Sandy Ground on Sunday. The winners of all the previous Class A races gather for a final contest. A large crowd gathered on the beach to eat, drink, talk, gamble, play dominos and watch the start and finish of the race.
The first boat to touch the flag on a bouy
in the middle of the harbour is the winner:
today it was Light and Peace. The crowd
was unusually quiet at the finish -- perhaps they had bet on another boat.
Parade of Troupes
Hundreds of people in fancy costumes parade and dance to music, organzied into competing troupes. To start there are more troupe members than spectators, but as the troupes make their way around The Valley, the crowds grow. The winning troupe was organized by Sheila Harrigan Davis.
Naturally the winners of the Prince and Princess show (from the primary schools) are in the parade, plus Miss Talented Teen, the Carnival Queen, and the Calypso Monarch. This parade is great fun. It starts at the baseball field and goes up Coronation to Barclays Bank, then over Rey Hill to the Airport and back into The Valley.
There are about 6 or 7 troupes and they vary in size, style, and complexity of costume and presentation. There were even troupes of cute school children in home made costumes. Several of the troupes were accompanied by amplified bands on huge trucks. One troupe included colorful stilt walkers and another troupe was dressed all in Army fatigues!
Kids N'Karnival
Saturday afternoon is the Kids N'Karnival, a free entertainment for children in the Carnival Village. There were races, pony rides, crafts, art, a bouncing room and live entertainment.
Entertainers
Lady Salsa, a group of 12 lady musicians
from Cuba, performed on Sunday Night at
Carnival Village, and
again on Monday night at the Red Dragon Disco.
Atlantik Show Band from Trinidad performed
at the last
show on Sunday night. Be warned. These shows are not
for the weak. Sometimes the headline group
doesn't even start until 3am.
Calypso Contest
Mighty Splinter
won the Calypso Monarch crown again this year with
his "Anguilla
Must Rise Again". The big crowd loved it.
All the seats were taken and people were standing
10 to 20 deep all around the area.
Calypso is recitative singing with a moral/political/social message, sort of a talking song or Caribbean rap. There isn't any Harry Belafonte singing "Day'O" or Calypso dancing. And it is a form of poetry much loved by West Indians.
During the calyspo contest, Sandy Ground was empty
of locals. Johnnos just had a crowd of pale tourists
waiting for the band to arrive. All the action
was in The Valley that night. Sandy Ground is not
going to liven up until the show in Carnival
Village is over, which is seldom before 1am.
Contest Winners
Former Governor on Honours List. Alan Houle who was Governor in Anguilla until recently, was honoured by the Queen with a CMG in June, according to The Times of London.
The Pumphouse now serves food from 8pm to 2am. They have a very intersting and reasonably-priced menu. The most expensive item is a steak for US$15 and chicken nuggets were $5. Haven't tried it but saw people eating at the bar -- it looked okay.
Tower Air is expected to begin scheduled flights to St Maarten from New York as of November 28th. They will be flying a 747, twice per week to start, increasing during the height of the season. This could be a new inexpensive way to get to Anguilla.
Who's Open? Who's Not? Some hotels in Anguilla shutdown in September and October for maintenance and to take their own vacations. Sonesta is closing September 3 to October 9. Malliouhana closes for September and October and reopens on November 1st. However, there are still plenty of available hotel rooms in Anguilla during that period. Cap Juluca is open the entire time, and they are offering guests double weather insurance during the month of September (this is the likeliest time for a hurricane in Anguilla, although the chances are still low).
Anguilla's first International Art Festival
ended just as Carnival revved up.
The festival
attracted 50 artists from many countries, including
internationally famous
George Sumner from Sausalito California (visit his
his web site).
George Sumner was recognized by President Clinton for
his special painting for the 50 year anniversary of the
United Nations. He is famous for his painting "The Peacemakers"
of two dolphins kissing over the earth, which he
presented to Gorbachev in 1988.
His works hang in many prestiguous collections.
Mr Sumner
prepared a special work to support the festival:
"Moonlighting in Anguilla".
He describes this painting as "a whimsical
view of dolphins at play (on vacation maybe) under a full
moon." This art work is for sale,
with proceeds helping to finance
the next festival in two years.
Posters of "Moonlighting" are available at the Devonish Art
Gallery in George Hill Landing (809-497-2949) for
$25, or $50 signed by the artist.
The festival was created and organized by Courtney Devonish, pictured here talking to George Sumner. He put in an incredible amount of work to make this come off. The festival kept the many artists busy with a packed schedule of events, including a children's art workshop with a children's competition. Organizers felt it was a success. The artists on Anguilla were ecstatic to have so many talented artists to talk and exchange ideas with, and create intellectual ferment.
The artists have until winter to finish their submission
of a painting, watercolour, or drawing based on an
Anguillian theme,
and send it to Anguilla. The judging for the $10,000 first prize will be
in January 1998.
The sidewalk art show and sale at the post office
drew a good crowd. "Moonlighting" was on
display and George Sumner was kept busy
the entire time signing prints. Here is a picture of a
portrait being painted
and a serious
conversation.
"If you know of any one looking for a
furnished apartment to rent "temporary" and reasonably priced, I
will have my apartment on the market for rent as from
the end of October.
Short term or long term lease for about one year."
You can see pictures of Calvin's apartment on his
web page.
The building is located next to Beach Stuff and
the Chinese Restaurant in South Hill, overlooking Sandy Ground.
Savannah Gallery Web Site Has Lots of Art. This new gallery on Crocus Hill has a nicely designed Savannah.ai web site, including samples of local artists they represent: Louise Brooks, Charlie Connor, Marjorie Morani, Jo-Anne Hill Saunders, Tanya Clark, Aileen Smith, Melsadis Fleming, and Suzy Doyle Webster. And the gallery has mailed out its first newsletter, including an Anguilla crossword puzzle.
Coccoloba Picture Report. Coccoloba has reopened, mainly for Italian package tours. Here are some pictures taken last week.
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