The annual carnival road march was held on Saturday. We'll tell and show you who the winners are in a few but our coverage begins early Saturday morning while you were sleeping. That is when the carnival J'Ouvert was held. It was the appetizer before the main course and only the 7NEWS team was there. Keith Swift has the story.
Keith SwiftReporting
At 5 am on Saturday morning rowdy carnival revelers woke up the city. The occasion is the Carnival J'Ouvert. In this road march, no costume is required - in fact most had on next to nothing, there are no dance steps, and you don't even need to be in a carnival band. All you needed was mud and the will to get wild at the crack of dawn in the streets. These revelers had both.
Participant #1,
"We love Belize. We love our country. We migrated because we have to but we love this country."
Herbert Wiltshire, Participant
"Well I am out here to have fun. I haven't slept yet and after this it is straight into carnival...a little soap and water after this and you are good to go."
Participant #3,
"It is our September celebrations, it is our morning for our J'Ouvert to bring in our carnival."
Asman Wiltshire, Participant
"I am out here to prepare for our road march...I am ready for the road march...as I've said before, Mahogany Masqueraders is back and we are coming for you all."
Children, grown men, women, and even those with the most hardened look, got muddy and wild. They were having so much fun that not even an early morning shower stopped this party as mudded revelers danced through the rain. It is a party I realized I would be a part of, whether I liked it or not.
[Revelers painting me with mud]
Edith Tesecum from the Carnival Committee says the J'Ouvert is a dress rehearsal for the road march. She showed and told me why.
Edith Tesecum, P.R. - Carnival Committee
"I am having a lot of fun, getting ready for carnival."
Keith Swift,
What is the reason for the J'Ouvert?
Edith Tesecum,
"It is to get people primed up, getting people ready for later on today. We're going to have a lot of fun at one o'clock."
The J'Ouvert began and ended at the San Cas Plaza which was the fun part because that's when everyone flocked to the river. Some jumped from the Belcan Bridge....others simply walked in. That was J'Ouvert 2006. I had fun. Reporting for 7NEWS, I am Keith Swift.
