Carnival Bacchanal through streets of Old Capital
And Saturday’s road march culminated this year’s carnival season. And unlike last year when the road march was tarnished by violence, this time security was beefed up to provide safety to the revellers. That aside, there were hitches along the way. The economic downturn affected the usual number of bands and floats and a late start gave way to a downpour just as the parade kicked off from its starting point at the Yarborough Green. Judging took place at two different spots and the results were known until Sunday after the lottery draw. News Five’s Duane Moody wraps up the 2009 carnival.
Five junior bands and six senior bands competed for the title of the most creative and energetic band.
And the winners are…the Mahogany Masqueraders and Mother Nature Creations. Both bands took the top spots for the best mas camps, the king and queen competition and the road march. Chairman of the Carnival Association, Patrick Thompson, spoke of the criteria used to determine the winner.
Patrick Thompson, Chairman, Belize Carnival Association
“The judges were looking for was the appearance, the sturdiness of the costume, the originality, the illustration of the costume that goes along with the theme the group was portraying. Also we had the presentation, how they present the theme along with the costume to the judges. We have the carnival spirit, one of the key things. We have the overall impact. The mas camp has its own prizes and thing. It was just the mas camp and the carnival day. What happen is during the carnival day we normally have prejudging that we do just before the road march take off. But this year what we did, we incorporate it into the mas camp.”
Duane Moody
“Has the economic downturn had an effect on the sponsorship that came in and the bands coming out?”
Patrick Thompson
“Yes, I can say that, but you know these bands still put in the work. Some of them went into their own pockets so that we all could have had that wonderful carnival.”
Band leader for the junior champs, Nadia Avila, says that despite working for long hours and days, she is happy with the results.
Nadia Avila, Leader, Mahogany Masqueraders
“I am very happy about the winning. Yes, because there were a lot of discrepancy about the king and queen competition. I think my whole theme show off everything. I had a section that was called recycling. I was just trying to illustrate how you can make beautiful things out of what you have around there, but it was new stuff. Why I think I won is because I went into the competition being very positive. First of all discipline is my key when it comes to my band and the whole public can see that. My kids were all in order and dancing from they left Yarborough green. You know, so I am happy about my winning.”
Carla Flowers, Band Leader, Mother Nature Creations
“I feel good, I feel excited. All my hard work and sleepless nights paid off.”
Duane Moody
“How was it possible—you know what did you do that’s different from what the other groups had done?”
Carla Flowers
“I don’t think I do anything different you know, but I just look pan different aspects and what I’m going to do this year for my costumes. I look pan things. If you can see the road march in my second group, the girls they have on some little strings. Those strings are not just strings; they are curtains that you hang in your house. I take them down and stick them on one-one to make a skirt for these ladies that dance.”
But carnival is almost never without its controversy. And some band leaders are not happy with the results. They plan to ask Thompson to step down as Chairman. Thompson responded.
Patrick Thompson
“It was these same band leaders who came to us and said we need to have carnival and they are behind me because they liked what I did. But like I say, it’s a voluntary thing to start with. So if anybody wants the position, I won’t have a problem because it’ voluntary and it’s for the love of carnival.”
Duane Moody reporting for News Five.
Coming in second in the junior competition was Pickstock Carnival Band followed by the Sunshine Masqueraders; while Eternity and Jam-Jam Bands took second and third, in the senior category. Prizes will be awarded at a special ceremony scheduled for Thursday.
