The thirty-six year wait is over! Guyana hosts CARIFESTA again and after many doubts and glitches the opening ceremony is nothing short of magnificent. This massive event held on August 22nd, 2008 at the Guyana National Stadium brought entertaining cultural displays to life from the member of states, associate members and non-members respectively (Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Monsterrat, St. Lucia, St. Kitts/Nevis, Suriname, Turks and Caicos and Trinidad and Tobago; Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands; Austria, Brazil, Cuba, Indonesia, Netherland Antilles and Venezuela.) Hosted under the theme “One Caribbean, One Purpose, Our Life, Our Culture” CARIFESTA’s tenth staging is slated for August 22 – 31 2008 and promises to bring opening and closing ceremonies, culinary, visual, literary and performing arts, community festivals, grand cultural market, child/youth fora, symposia and workshops, as well as signal events and super concerts.
Despite efforts by heavy rain to thwart the commencement of the opening ceremony things eventually started around 18:00hrs with a grand parade of the nations. Each country showed their colours and cultural pieces as they marched around the ground and the audience cheered and showed their support for the home nation. Guyana had the largest contingent with spectacles showcasing each race and cultural aspect. After the parade was finished MC’s Ron Robinson and Bobby Veira asked all in attendance to stand for Guyana’s National Anthem. Minister within the Ministry of Education Desrey Fox along with a Queh Queh group initiated a welcome piece labelled “Arise Mighty Spirit and Bless Us”. There were musical interludes by choirs, solo and group artistes and bands, and dance segements also. One thousand school dancers presented a well choreographed performance to various songs, followed by a combined school choir and the popular Woodside Choir doing great local folk songs and some Caribbean tunes. As the performances stretched on for hours the grand audience experienced talent from a combined Indian Dance Troupe, the Yoruba Singers, Young Bill Rogers, the Ala Kondre Drummers, Keith Waite and the Shakti Combined Chutney Group. The supporters in attendance cheered continuosly as they were well entertained.
The following segment was opened with a speech by Minister of Tourism Dr. Frank Anthony emphasising on the theme “Celegacy”. Celegacy is a combination of celebration and legacy which Dr. Anthony stated should be instilled and maintained for this year’s CARIFESTA. Edwin Carrington, Secretary General of CARICOM, gave a brief talk on CARIFESTA’s schedule dating back to 1972 and posited that he was impressed with Guyana’s ability to complete such a huge task so elegantly when such a short notice was given. The President of Suriname, Runaldo Ventiaan, agreed with Mr. Carrington and added that CARIFESTA X’s opening ceremony is as grand as Beijing’s Olympic Opening. He said further that even though everything didnt go as planned we should still be grateful that so much has come from this.
First Born and the X Factor dance group entered the next segment with a bang showcasing world renowned musical and dance talent that rose the crowd to it’s feet. And just when we thought that was as far as they could go a huge man-made jaguar emerged from the south-western end of the ground an unleashed 36 dancers from it’s mouth who danced us into excitement for a few moments and then made way for Guyana’s very own President, His Excellency Bharat Jagdeo.
President Jagdeo’s job was to declare CARIFESTA X open and ready for the world. He made tribute to the last president Forbes Burnham and commended him for hosting the very first CARIFESTA in 1972. He also stated that there was no other festival of this size and cultural richness in the world and encouraged everyone to become extremely involved. CARIFESTA X was declared open and fireworks then filled the sky while the sensual Tamika Marshal sang the theme song and the contingents paraded once more. There was much anticipation of the remaining eight days and chatter of fun as guests at the National Stadium left under the bright lights in the sky.
By Patrice Wishart