At 91, Doris Harper-Wills is still basking in the afterglow of Carifesta 72, the first ever such festival to be held in the Caribbean. Fifty years later, by her recollection and that of others who played a part in that inaugural kaleidoscope of artistry, there has never been another such festival.
Accomplished musician Marilyn Dewar, who was part of a mass choir, remembers the excitement of visiting the houses in Festival City, which were built primarily as lodgings for the visiting delegations from the 25 countries which participated in the August 1972 extravaganza. She can still have a hearty laugh at the Cubans who thought it best to strip the beds of their linen and the windows of their curtains and use that to adorn themselves for a trip to the city. The linens and curtains were made of some pretty tie-dye material, so it was understandable.
