Jump Street Posse and the Erotic Mas Band are this year's Kings and Queens of Carnival. Jump Street nabbed both king and queen for the juniors and Erotic, which is a resurgence of C-Jam, also claimed both king and queen in the senior categories. An encouraging five senior and four junior groups participated in the contest which was held on Saturday night at the Marion Jones Stadium. As usual along with the revelry there was controversy at the King and Queen. Our 7NEWS Team was there for both and Keith Swift has the story.
Keith Swift Reporting, [keithkswift@gmail.com]
The night began in revelry.
[People in bleachers jumping]
You could say this was the year of big: the senior kings and queens were back; there were big costumes; and then there were the big ideas, from finding Jack to saving the world.
Ashanti Westby, Jump Street Posse's Queen
"I am the Gem Ruby, the most powerful gem in a universe. The color in my costume signifies love and blood that flows through your vein. I will allow you to be the best you can be."
Khadija Tun, Jump Street Posse's Queen
"My costume is a symbol of innocence, I am diamond, a girl's best friend with strong, positive energy."
Marina Wellcome, Jump Street Posse CEO
"The special gems are the children that Jack killed: Jackie Malic, Eric Wills, Sherilee Nicholas, Naomi Hernandez, Jay Blades, and we included Samantha Gordon because she was once a member of the Jump Street Posse."
Justin Gill, Jump Street Posse's King
"I am the Gem Imperial Topaz. I bring you confidence and will give you prosperity and wealth. I am the gem that will protect you from all disease and sudden death. So watch out Jack, I am coming for you."
Pauline Bradley, Southside Masqueraders' Queen
"I am Queen Metamorpha representing the butterflies that are dying because of the Xate leaves that they are stealing."
Michael Tucker, Southside Masqueraders' King
"We're going wild this year with the Xate leaf as it's a leaf that's grown between Guatemalan and Belize rainforests."
Marsha Smith, Southside Masqueraders CEO
"The reason why we choose the Xate leaf is because I think its not right what's happening to our Xate and also by them doing that to our Xate, they are killing all our butterflies."
Kim Burgess, Erotic Mas Band's Queen
"I am Aphrodite the Sun Goddess of Love. As you can see my rays, I am representing love so when I'm coming it's the dawn of the morning, a new beginning, it's a new day, the people are happy to see me because I bring love and warmth."
Brent Hamilton, Erotic Mas Band's King
"I am the Rain Lord, the name of my costume is Chac Mul. What happened is that whenever I get mad and whenever I get vex and angry I bring rain, I bring clouds, I bring lightning, and I bring this whole heap of rain and so forth to show my disenfranchisement with the people."
Carolene Williams, Fantezhia's Queen
"All natives of Fantezhia were doing well, they were enjoying their lives, the flora and fauna were blooming, and then one day the King Jan Crow came and destroyed everything, just wiped out everything, like totally destroyed the economy. And then me, Queen Avani, heard the cries of the native peoples and I came and destroyed the Jan Crow."
And while big was in, the San Pedro Islanders made their debut with a mermaid as queen and an eagle ray as king, proving that on the island size doesn't matter, fun does.
[San Pedro Islanders King and Queen Dancing]
But before it was all over, good times turned into hard time. And the carnival spirit was put to the test with this hard line from Carnival Association principal Marva Gardiner.
Marva Gardiner, Carnival Association
"We told them we were not going to announce it, but then we decided that we were going to announce it but with that fight up there, I don't think we should announce it."
Marina Wellcome, Jump Street Posse CEO
"All the band leaders are getting together right now and we are going to demand for them to give us the results."
Herbert Wiltshire, Black Pearl's Deputy CEO
"When people pay their money to come and see their show, they should get their moneys worth or else refund the people's money if so be it because if you went to Queen of the Bay you at least want to know who won."
Marva Gardiner,
"We always have controversy when you announce the winners so I prefer that we don't announce it now and they get vex than for the association to look bad."
Even though the trophies never got presented, that seemed fine by these contenders who were more concerned about their time, money, and sweat put into becoming kings and queens of carnival.
Ashanti Westby, Jump Street Posse's Queen
"Its carnival, I am still kid and I am just enjoying my life and stuff like that."
Ashton Wiltshire,
"This year is my first costume with no holes on it, so I have to take all my licks this year. Right now as you can see I don't have any sponge, I am going to go rough this year, all the pain. As long as I have fun."
Brent Hamilton, Erotic Mas Band's King
"The reason why I'm involved in it is because it's a clean fun, I am not here for first, second or third. This is a hobby for me and this is a getaway from work and so forth."
Of course the Rain God can say that since he did win.
Second place for Junior Queen went to Black Pearl while for the Senior Queen it went to Fantezhia. Black Pearl also took second in the Senior Queen and a new group, Mother Nature's Creation, took second place in the Senior King.
First place for the seniors received $2,000 while second got $1,200. For the juniors, first place got $1,500 and second got $800.
