Carnival Association gears up for grand season
The Belize Carnival Association gears up for this year’s season. While finances are a problem, the association promises that the carnival will be as grand and vibrant as ever. News Five’s Kendra Griffith reports.
Kendra Griffith, Reporting
Every September, thousands of Belizeans line the streets from Ceasar Ridge Road to Princess Margaret Drive to watch the revelry of the Carnival Road March.
It’s a tradition that goes back for decades … but for years the Belize Carnival Association and the mas bands have been struggling financially.
Patrick Thompson, President, Belize Carnival Association
“Carnival, dah no lee bit ah money yo deal wid fi run carnival season.”
…and if it wasn’t for a bailout from the National Institute of Culture and History, this year’s festivities probably would not have taken place.
Diane Haylock, President, NICH
“It is our hope that certainly within the next year, whatever institutional support we need to provide to the Belize Carnival Association that it will be alive and kicking come carnival 2009.”
So far six junior and six senior bands have signed up this carnival season … but because of finances many of them are getting off to a slow start with their preparations.
Marina Welcome, Jump Street Posse
“This year is very rough because for the very first time Jump Street Posse hasn’t started to do anything yet.”
Carla Flowers, Mother Nature’s Creations
“Right now things are not looking well, but by the time carnival comes around we supposed to be there.”
Kendra Griffith
“What makes things not looking well?”
Carla Flowers
“Finance right now and sponsorship.”
Kendra Griffith
“How do you all usually secure funding.”
Carla Flowers
“By sponsorship but right now the little time it takes to make people respond back to you.”
David Matus, Erotic Mas Band
“Right now fundraising and sponsorship are very low and right now all the bands are experiencing the same thing. Every year you hear people you would contact, they drop off the list, so you have to try to find new people to pick up this role and it’s getting worst.”
The bands do get some assistance from the Belize Carnival Association in the form of a start-up fund.
Patrick Thompson
“That is to show them that the association is not only here to have carnival, it’s here so that you all can bring out your best so we give each group a start up fund, based on the numbers in their group. The junior bands, we have them a start up fund based on their numbers, their group. The junior bands, we give them a start up fund of a thousand five hundred across the board and for the seniors we give them two thousand five hundred.”
Kendra Griffith
“And how much would you estimate that a band would spend on their costumes and everything?”
Patrick Thompson
“That’s a very large figure. I would say something like twenty to thirty thousand dollars.”
That is why Jump Street Posse’s Marina Welcome has had to get creative with her fundraising. One of her ventures is Ms. Big and Beautiful, a pageant she began hosting two years ago.
Marina Welcome
“That helps us, so we are planning a trip to Chetumal the nineteenth of this month, so that we can go and buy our stuff and meanwhile we will be doing the framework for our king and queen. We have two queens and one king. We know time is short and we haven’t gotten started yet, but trust me, we’ll be there. Day and night work, we’ll be there.”
Finances have also forced the Carnival Association to reduce the number of activities on this year’s calendar, but that won’t be the only change. According to Association President Patrick Thompson, with the Marion Jones Sporting Complex still out of commission, there is no decision as yet on where the march will end.
Patrick Thompson
“Right now we are looking at finishing in front and we are also looking at finishing at the B.T.L. Park. We are still working out that, but the starting will change. We will begin at one o’clock at Faber’s Road and Central American Boulevard where we take out that whole Caesar Ridge area and add it on to the end if we should go to the B.T.L. Park. In the morning of the carnival at ten, we have the king and queen prejudging competition which will be held at the Esso Open Lot and we have the prejudging of the revellers at eleven.”
But what is it that keeps the mas bands coming back year after year in spite of the increasing difficulties?
Marina Welcome
“So many violence is happening nowadays and the kids don’t have really nothing to do in the summer time. So when they come to you it’s hard for you to turn them down and not to say well, we won’t have a carnival. It’s very hard because then that keeps them out of trouble and it’s something they look forward to. I mean after twenty-six years it’s time for me to retire.”
David Matus
“It’s not a money making event, it’s something you love and you don’t mind doing it and year after year you get batter at it and year after year you have people who support you and look forward to seeing your participation in the year.”
Kendra Griffith
“With everybody bawling about how hard it is to get sponsorship, how much work it is, what made you decide to bring out a band this year?”
Garreth Gill, Pickstock Carnival Band
“Well with the help of all the children’s parents and every minute they ask me, Garreth, when are you going to bring out a band, when are you going to bring out a band you always help different carnival bands and so I decided this year that I want to bring out a band because I have been in carnival for the past fifteen years. I’m always helping, going, helping, going and helping different bands. I work along with Mister Elrington and I told him that I wanted to bring out this band and told me just go ahead and he will assist the band.”
Patrick Thompson
“It’s for the love of carnival and that is the reason why you see these lee groups still coming year after year. Carnival will not die in Belize.”
Kendra Griffith reporting for News Five.
The Carnival Lotto pick will be held on August nineteenth with the road march slated for September sixth.
