| ALBION, CORENTYNE – The Carifesta X Super Concert for Region Six attracted more than 25,Cheap Jerseys,000 persons to the Albion Sports Complex last Friday.Chairman of the Region Six Carifesta Committee, Faizal Jaffarally,Cheap NFL Jerseys, said all Guyanese should be proud to welcome home the Caribbean Festival of Arts after 36 years.Region Six Chairman Zulfikar Mustapha expressed satisfaction at the turnout and general support, and congratulated Berbicians for assisting in making the events in the Ancient County incident-free.Health Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, in delivering brief remarks, noted that we in the Caribbean are an inspiration to the world in many ways. Carifesta is one such way of showing what we are capable of.The activity was packed with performances from both local and foreign delegations.The Elite Sky Dancers from the British Virgin Islands took the evening’s proceeding to a higher level.Leader of the group, Andrew ‘Charlie’ Turnball, holds his group in high esteem. “We are Number One in the world! We know we are the best. We are Mocko Jumbies.”The Mocko Jumbie tradition was dying in the Caribbean, especially in Tortolla, where his group is based. In 1992 he became a ‘Mocko Jumbie,’ and at that time there were only 16 jumbies in the territory. The number has now increased to 52. A ‘Mocko Jumbie’ is a way of mocking or imitating a ‘jumbie’ or evil spirit. In Africa, he said,Wholesale Authentic Jerseys, when a tribe or colony detects evil spirits around, they use the bamboo to get rid of it. The taller the spirit, the most dominant it appears to be.In the earlier days the group used face masks, but this was no good for the younger ones. “We no longer put on the masks, because the little children were scared and cried all the time. It was too scary.”Over the years, the Elite Sky Dancers performed in Germany, Switzerland,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, St. Maarten, Anguilla, the Dominican Republic, St. Thomas, St. Johns, the US Virgin Islands, and now Guyana is added to this list. Their members range in age from six to fifty-two.This was their second performance at a Carifesta event.He said that the main festival in the British Virgin Islands is celebrated on August Monday, and on this day a grand parade is held. Of course the ‘Mocko Jumbies’ are a part. “We are ambassadors for our territory. ‘Mocko Jumbies’ were around since I was a child. I would say for over 45 years or so.”To become a ‘Mocko Jumbie’,NFL Jerseys Wholesale, one must be disciplined, “We are a well respected group. We did not buy our respect, we earned it. No teenager can have any male who is not her family pick her up after practice. The minute they miss practice, we consult their parents.”He said his biggest fear was realised during the first year of his becoming a ‘Mocko Jumbie.’ He explained that he,Wholesale NFL Jerseys Online, while wearing a pair of stilts, which is five feet six inches high, slipped on slimy ground, fell and injured his hip. Ironically, this was not during a performance or practice session.Guyana has captured the hearts of the members of their delegation. He says he loves the fact that he can find fresh produce, since, in his homeland, there is very little soil for cultivation. “Our country is 60 miles east of Puerto Rico.The CARIFESTA delegation from their country numbered 19. The delegation is scheduled to depart Guyana in September. The team from Anguilla sang their souls out to the crowd. John Lloyd uses the singing name Mighty Springer. He is a part of the delegation from Anguilla, and is the 15-time calypso champion and two-time Leeward Islands Calypso King.Their group is the Energetic Super Fly Spring Band “I love Guyana. It is very different. I would love to return to Guyana. I love the people and the land. We went to Linden, Georgetown and now Berbice. I think the Carifesta committee here did a good job pulling off the activity in Guyana.”The 34-member delegation leaves today.The other foreign delegation to take the stage was the St. Lucians. Tyronne Harris, dance producer, said apart from a few glitches CARIFESTA in Guyana was good. Their 27-member group leaves today. “It’s been wonderful – no major problems.”Also from St. Lucia is Artistic Director and Dance Coordinator Barry George. Their group is the ‘Silver Shadow Performing Arts Academy’.The body has been in existence for some 15 years and performed at Dance Festivals in Grenada, Martinique, Guadeloupe, St. Kitts and Venezuela. They are known for their French heritage street fighting, and Berbicians got a taste of it. Added to that were the spit fire and masqueraders.Among local performers on the programme were the Kildonan Majorettes, Shakti Strings Orchestra and Apex Dancers. |
