Junior mas camps colourfully prepare fro carnival day
The Carnival road march is one of the most anticipated events that occur during the September celebrations. Thousands line up the streets to view the bacchanal and the revelry of the event which is set for September eleventh. But there are many side events before that day. On Wednesday night, three of the junior groups held mass camps in different parts of Belize City. News Five’s Marion Ali caught up with some of the familiar faces and some new ones in the line-up. Here’s her report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
On Wednesday night, three junior carnival bands took to the streets to show their latest carnival moves and share some of their energy with their fans. Our first stop was on Regent Street near Saint John’s Cathedral where the Sunshine Junior Masqueraders had set up. Sunshine’s Band Leader, Marilyn Young says even though the economic crunch has delayed the progress of the group, surprisingly that wasn’t the cause for downsizing.
Marilyn Young, Band Leader, Sunshine Masqueraders Junior Band
marilyn young
“We are moving so that we could meet the deadline as to the dates that are expected for us to perform and other things right and the making of the costumes, we are pretty close to finishing the individuals.’
Marion Ali
“How has it been this year in terms of getting the finance to buy those costumes and have you had to downsize?”
Marilyn Young
“Well as usual we always have to go in our pockets because we always have to wait until parents have the extra to pay for the costumes because you know school first and then after that pleasure. The only reason why I had to downsize the group is because I shifted location. I was on Magazine Road last year and now I’m over this side.”
We were not the only ones visiting with the carnival groups as we spotted carnival judges keenly eyeing the groups. And when we stopped in with the groups, they were prepared, as Black Pearl Junior Band’s leader, Kendra Buller revealed.
Kendra Buller, Leader, Black Pearl Junior Band
“We practice in the evenings at four but being that tonight is the mass camp we had to practice out here. So as you can see my kids are having a lot of fun out here.”
Marion Ali
“Yoh seh yoh group ready, how ready are they?”
Kendra Buller
“We ready fi September eleventh noh, we di look forward to all the carnival events leading up to Carnival Day and dis dah usually wah very exciting time fi we. The theme is children of the Nile, gateway of Egypt. We’ll be representing Queen Cleopatra and King Anubis.”
At twenty-eight years old, Black Pearl has been around longer than all its members have had life. But the next band leader we spoke to surely conveyed that—just as many people believe, age is just a number—because at age twenty, he feels he has what it takes to lead the Western Paradise Carnival Band, an entirely new group.
Justin Gill, Western Paradise Masqueraders Carnival Band
“What our group will be portraying this year is reality stuff, things that people face and go through everyday in life. And it’s not only here in Belize but all over the world. We are portraying life, sickness and death. People these days look very good, strong and healthy and they are the same people that are very sickly with these diseases.”
Marion Ali
“Okay, you yourself have been the carnival king as well, runner-up for some years. Why did you decide to relinquish that and now lead a junior group?”
Justin Gill
“After all the years dancing as carnival king this year I decided to bring out my own group to prove to many people out there that I can do it; to bring out my band and to be a leader as them.”
While the first judging on the groups’ performance started on Wednesday night, the final tallies will be revealed on Carnival Day, September eleventh. Marion Ali for News Five.
Tonight, mas camps will be held for two more junior groups and next Wednesday and Thursday the seniors will strut their stuff and try to impress the judges.
