It’s carnival time – or almost as the calendar of events for September shows that the annual road march has been set for September 19th. Initially the Belize Carnival Association had scheduled carnival 2009 for September twelfth but on that same day the two day expo event will be held. So the carnival organizers have made the decision to push back the event to the nineteenth. But no matter which Saturday on September it’s on – it promises to be lively, colorful and competitive. I found out more at the launch today.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
The launch of carnival 2009 definitely lacked the spirit and excitement that has dominated the event for more than two decades and hopefully it is not a preview of what to expect on September nineteenth. With just one more month to go, the carnival senior and junior bands are still struggling for funds to help them garner the number of revellers and the design of costumes that have made the carnival one of the most popular events this time of the year.
Marina Welcome, Band Leader - Jump Street Posse
“Right now it is very very hard. We still need some help although I know Jump Street Posse needs help so people if you are listening out there please give me a call at 627-1346. We need some help and due to the grenade last year we are having problems with getting kids involved so I still have space for some kids. But this year things have been the worst throughout all my years in carnival.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“Which is 27 years.”
Marina Welcome,
“Yes it is 27 hard working years but as usual no matter what Jump Street Posse will be coming out kicking and licking back shot right.”
Marilyn Young, Band Leader - Sunshine Masqueradors
“This is the worst year I’ve seen sponsorship for carnival. Before then people used to give a little here, give a little there but now wherever you go to the business place they business is slow and they don’t have money and so we just have to do with what we have.”
Alma Gabourel, Band Leader - Jam Jam Mas Band
“The sponsors are really slow in coming, hard in getting, the thing is all the business houses know carnival is every year so you know you will get a letter from a every carnival band or one particular carnival band. We’re just asking for a little help, we’re not asking for a large of money, some of us are only asking for some t-shirts, water bottles, but everyone is turning us down and without carnival there is no September celebration.”
Dorothy Williams, Band Leader - Eternity Mas Band
“Because when you go out you have to send out letters and ask for sponsors and you don’t get no response back.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“So this is a big sacrifice on the band leaders?”
Dorothy Williams,
“Yes big sacrifice because then last year it was kind of better.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“Dorla you’ve been in carnival for 21 years, is this the worst you’ve seen yet in terms of getting funds needed to put your team together?”
Dorla Vaughn, Band Leader - Black Pearl Carnival Band
“Yes, I believe it is the economy but come carnival day people want to see beautiful costumes. Close unu eyes and give us a little help. This thing is for all of us. We all have to come out and help each other, if we don’t help each other the thing won’t look good.”
Carla Flowers, Band Leader - Mother Nature Creations
“Well right now things don’t look bad for me right now but still yet I need a little bit more sponsorship and a little bit more help in different things like maybe some people would come in and say well here is a bag of beads and we would appreciate anything they could send to us or give to us.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“And it takes a lot of money to put together a band.”
Dorothy Myvett, Member - Soca Massive Band
“Yes, lot. Right now we are just asking some people to sponsor us because we are a new band just coming out for this year and we will come out with hype for this carnival day.”
It is not only the band leaders who lack the money needed to make a great presentation on carnival day but the Belize Carnival Association has yet to announce just how much will be awarded to eh winning carnival bands.
Patrick Thompson, Chairman - Carnival Assoc.
“Well the prizes, we are still working on the prizes right now because we want to up the prizes so we are still trying to get some more funds and raise the prizes because these bands put in a lot of work and to keep carnival going, we need to try and raise the prize so that the bands could like we are working towards carnival, carnival is getting bigger. So by raising the prize, try to raise the prize, I believe that every year we will see more groups so that is one thing we are trying to do but we don’t have a set prize as yet.”
Because of what transpired at the end of carnival 2008, the organizers of carnival 2009 are taking the necessary measures to make sure that it will be a safe outdoor event for all to enjoy.
Patrick Thompson,
“Well again we are working closely with the police where we are asking them to have extra extra security out there where you will not be seeing police in uniform but they are going to have police in civilian who these guys who want to do the crazy stuff that they usually do, they don’t know who will be a police officer so I can assure the public that you can come out, enjoy yourself in a safe way.”
Marina Welcome,
“Due to the grenade last year, we are having problems with getting kids involved so I still have space for some kids but we want the public to know that we are planning to have a safe carnival so try and get involved, help the bands that need help, help us take the kids off the street, stop the killing, stop the violence.”
And while carnival 2009 has gotten off on a slow start the Chairman of the Belize Carnival Association Patrick Thompson is optimistic that the hard work will result in one of the best showings in the traditional street event.
Patrick Thompson,
“We have been going around to the different bands and by seeing the band revellers working out, putting in the work, I know I can say it will be like the past years or even better, more spirit because the younger ones and the older guys too are very very into it. I even see some of the older guys working out so that they can go the long mile.”
Despite the lack of finances and sponsors the band leaders are just as enthusiastic about carnival 2009.
Jacqueline Godwin,
“How many junior and senior bands we have for the carnival?”
Patrick Thompson,
“We have five junior bands and six senior bands. We have a senior band coming out of Ladyville this year. We have a new senior band as well which is Soca Massive.”
One group that will be absent in the annual road march is the defending senior champion band Southside Masqueraders.
Patrick Thompson,
“I spoke to the band leader some time back and if you all know just recently her son had passed and she is still feeling the grief of I and we understand that and feeling the grief of the loss of a loved one, you won’t have the time and can’t put in the energy you would like to put into your band.”
It is the strong commitment, determination of the band leaders that really make it possible for you to enjoy a carnival each year.
Marilyn Young,
“We have the spirit and we do it for the love of carnival. You really have to love it to do what we are all doing; going into our pockets, do what we need to do so we can be ready for that day. It is a lot of work but at the end it is a lot of fun.”
Alma Gabourel,
“And we are working very hard to do these costumes, stay up late every night and during the day you are out there begging for sponsors or some of who have to work can’t go out and so we send someone out and at the end of the day there is no answer.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“And it is hard to go into your own pockets considering the state of the economy today.”
Alma Gabourel,
“And most of us are going to school and so we are just appealing to all the business houses, we are not asking for much, just a little bit of something to help us.”
Dorla Vaughn,
“You all please come out. When we go to you to ask for anything please assist us because the money is to help the kids and we are like summer school teachers. When the summer comes in, the kids look forward to come to this practice and we host the kids for two hours everyday so we are begging for the support. Anybody who wants to give anything, they can call me at 607-2488. I will appreciate anything.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“How big will your band be this year?”
Carla Flowers,
“150 members like last year.”
While the carnival route remains the same, because the Marion Jones Sporting Complex will be under construction, the Belize Carnival Association has been working out the logistics with the police to see how the road march can finish at the BTL Park on the Newtown Barracks without causing too much of an inconvenience.
