Grenada celebrates its heritage with its annual Carnival
Come join the party from August 11th to 15th when Grenada hosts Carnival 2006. The annual event features Calypso and Soca Monarch competitions, Panorama Championship, and a masquerader competition.
Grenada’s annual Carnival is a one-week celebration encompassing the island’s French and African traditions. Visitors parade with costumed revelers by day and join in street jump-ups at night. The parade of the bands means visitors can take part in a ‘Las Lap’ jump-up with hundreds of masqueraders parading through the streets of St. George’s.
The tradition of Carnival began hundreds of years ago in Italy when Catholics held wild costume parties before the first day of Lent. Traditionally during Lent, Catholics were forbidden to eat meat, so the festival was called “carnevale” meaning put away meat. This tradition quickly spread to other European countries that brought it to the Caribbean. During the days of slavery, Carnival became a way by which slaves could openly mock their colonial masters.
The costumes worn during Carnival have a much deeper meaning than one might first think. Parading through the streets in costumes and masks is an African tradition believed to bring good fortune, heal problems and help settle the spirits of friends and family members that have passed away. Feathers represent human’s ability to rise above problems, pain, heartbreak and illnesses, while natural objects like bones, grass, beads and shells represent a spiritual force.
Steel drum music is an integral part of Grenada’s Carnival celebration. This music dates back to 1941, and uses the surface of a steel drum made concave and beaten to make musical notes. You will notice the steel drum is used frequently in Calypso music.
Calypso music can be traced back to the arrival of African slaves brought to work in the sugar plantations of Trinidad (Grenada). Forbidden to speak to one another, the African slaves began to sing songs, now called calypsoes as a means of communication.
Soca is a similar form of music that remains intensely popular in the Caribbean. Soca is Caribbean dance music originating in the West Indies. The word ‘Soca’ comes from the words “soul” and “calypso” showing the music's roots as a blend of American soul music and Caribbean calypso.
Many notable bands are scheduled to perform throughout Grenada’s Spicemas Carnival 2006 (do we know of any). Apart from the Panorama, and Soca Monarch Competition, which are held days prior to the actual Carnival holidays, the event schedule for 2006 is as follows:
Sunday, August 13th, 2006
Dimanche Gras – A Calypso Competition, featuring the best lyricists and social commentators in the calypso arena in Grenada.
Monday, August 14th, 2006
J’Ouvert – street theatre with traditional or Ole mas presentations. Witness the original Jab Jab, Vekou, Wild Indian, Perrotte, Apache and various forms of Grenada mas, music and chants.
Pageant – features the fancy bands and costumes, with masqueraders parading through the streets of St. George's to the chosen venue for judging.
Monday Nite Mas – in St. George's begins around 8:00 p.m. The night bands parade through the streets of the capital city together with steel bands and supporters.
Tuesday, August 15th, 2006
Carnival – features the Parade of the Bands through the streets of St. George's. The official parade begins from 1:00 p.m. In the evening jump-up through the streets of St. George’s to the sounds of steelband and local DJs as everyone enjoys a Las Lap.
How to get to Carnival from Canada
Titan Tours and GG Tours will be running chartered flights from Canada to Grenada all summer long. Please visit www.titantours.com or www.ggtours.ca for more information.
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