Over 500,000 attended events

It was supposed to have been a toned-down version of the opening of Carifesta X, offering up a mix of the artistry showcased at the festival and an official handover to The Bahamas but Guyana’s closing ceremony yesterday exploded into a vibrant celebration of local and regional culture.

Carifesta X ended after ten days on a high of spirited performances, good weather and better coordinated sequences. It was the dazzling opening that was promised; only more than a week too late, and as Guyana bowed out The Bahamas ably stepped in giving a taste of what is to come in 2010 when they host the festivities.

It was party time after the fireworks display last night. (Jules Gibson photo)

The Bahamas accepted formally in the person of their Minister of Culture, Charles Maynard, but they actually took over when a slice of the Bahamian festival of Junkanoo hit the National Stadium at Providence. The rich colour and unique sounds of the festival never made it to the Sophia exhibition site as promised but Providence just seemed a more fitting stage.

Junkanoo fever gripped the stadium when the Bahamians burst onto the ground flouncing and sounding their cow bells and trumpets. They paraded around for a while whetting appetites across the region ahead of the next festival.

But Carifesta’s close was really a moment of reflection of what had unfolded on local soil over the past few days. It was about the people like those unforgettable drummers from Suriname who played with rare passion even when the rain was pounding the stadium on opening day and burying all hopes for a successful start to the festival.

It was also about the Antiguans; the Trinidadians; Barba-dians; Dominicans; Kittians etc. who  came to Guyana and faithfully contributed to Carifesta X, even putting on a smile  when schedules and venues got mixed up among other things. It was really about their deserving send off and they got it.

One of the highlights of the Bahamian Junkanoo performance.

With the weight of a deflated opening on its shoulders Guyana came out prepared yesterday and executed. From the Guyana Defence Force parachuters jumping some 3,000 feet from above the ground to kick things off to beautifully choreographed dancers from the National School of Dance heating up the stage, everything just fell into place.

There were noticeably less local performers and that appeared to have worked well as far the dance sequences went – the performances were tighter and easier to follow- they also looked more stunning. There was also a better sound system and finally everyone in the stadium could hear repeat hosts Ron Robinson and Bobby Vieira.
As if anticipating that the weather could again ruin the proceedings the organizers were punctual, in fact, a few minutes early. The GDF jumpers wasted no time in leaping from their craft and free falling, and it was not long before that the crowd was eating up everything they were dishing out.

There were a few fillers before the programme began in earnest but performances flowed one after the other. There were hardly any glitches and the visiting delegations all seemed pumped up throughout the proceedings though Dominica initially felt dejected after not seeing their name on the programme of countries to give a performance finale. It turns out that it was an inadvertent omission.

“We are going on”, the Dominicans said after being informed that they are on the programme; what a moment it was for them and those witnessing it.
The curtains came down on Carifesta X with much glitz. There were quiet yet impacting moments such as when Barbados’ poet Adrian Green recited in dub poetry style a piece reflective of the festival this year and the role Guyana played.

One of the parachute jumpers from the Guyana Defence Force about to land safely at yesterday’s closing ceremony at the National Stadium.

Fireworks went off as expected but the real display was actually happening on the ground where Guyana and the participating countries mingled in fine style. It was a kaleidoscope of colour and raw, infectious energy.

Guyana did itself proud – Jagdeo

President Bharrat Jagdeo told those gathered at the National Stadium that Guyana did itself proud in hosting the festival.
He said that “as a nation we rose to the occasion, we did ourselves proud.”  He stated that based on statistics received from the Carifesta Secretariat, more than 500,000 people had attended the various activities held across the country over the duration of the 10-day festival.  President Jagdeo added that the country had seen over 3, 500 persons participate in the performing, visual and culinary arts during the event.

He added that the festival celebrated the rich cultural diversity of the region, which he identified as being a very distinct and powerful force. In highlighting some of the positive traits of Carifesta, President Jagdeo stated that the festival presented young artists with the opportunity to interact with some of the best artists in the region. He went on to underscore the importance of the arts in nation building.

The Head of State expressed special gratitude to the foreign delegations for their participation and said that they had represented both themselves and their countries well. He also commended the local organisers of the event, saying that the festival bears testimony to the fact that by working together, great things could be achieved in the country.

Earlier in the evening, Charles Maynard, the Bahamian Minister of Culture, stated that Guyana had taken the Carifesta movement to another level.  He commended the government and the people of Guyana on hosting an outstanding festival and singled out the liaison officers for special praise. He also expressed gratitude to the government for willingly agreeing to take over the responsibility of hosting this year’s Carifesta after the Bahamian government decided that it would not have been able to host the festival. He confirmed that the Bahamas will be ready to host Carifesta XI in 2010.

The Minister was speaking after collecting the special Carifesta Scroll from Guyana’s Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony. Before handing over the scroll, Dr. Anthony read its contents. This included information on the vision behind Carifesta and some of the history of the festival.