Culture

Junior Kadooment is back! 26 bands on parade

For three summers, Barbados’ young masqueraders had to trade in their bejewelled headpieces for the KN95 masks as COVID-19 halted Junior Kadooment’s national parade.

However, the National Cultural Foundation spent this time ensuring that the parade’s cultural significance lived on through workshops, community parades and other initiatives.

The much-anticipated return of the junior spectacle promises to bring back the vibrant colours, energetic rhythms, and a renewed sense of cultural pride next Saturday, July 15^th at the National Botanical Gardens.

Two key features of the event which can be enjoyed by masqueraders and patrons are: The Party Zone which will give the juniors and patrons to the event multiple attractions including face painting, instant photos, and fair attractions such as jumping tents, wall climbing, merry go rounds, and slides and the Cool Down Zone is where the coolest treats of the Crop Over Festival will be: ice-cream, snow cones, food and beverages, and of course, Sunshine Snacks. There will also be live entertainment.

Participating schools in this year’s Universal Cereal SigniaGlobe Financial Junior Masquerade Project will be a major component of the national parade.

The Junior Masquerade programme is aimed at providing children with the chance to learn traditional art forms such as Landship dancing. The project also allowed schools and communities to host their own parades last year. Not only will this initiative continue this year, but last year’s participants now make up many of the 26 registered bands of the national parade.

At the media launch, Chief Executive Officer of the NCF Carol Roberts emphasised that these types of initiatives ensure the viability of Crop Over which, beyond economic advantages, provide special moments of respite and other intangible benefits.

Sunshine Snacks Junior Kadooment willshowcase the very best of Barbados and for that, Roberts expressed a special thank you to Sunshine Snacks for their continued support of the event in times where many others are seeking investments. Gratitude was also extended to dedicated participants including designers, schools and community groups.

The colourful and lively kid’s mini masquerade parade led by Festival Designer Kevin Small and joined by Pinelands Creative Workshop (PCW) Tuk Band was a testament of the devotion Roberts highlighted. Passion for the culture was also felt during PWC Juniors’ captivating Landship presentation and reigning Scotiabank Junior Monarch Tae’s energetic performance of her infectious songs. This, plus seeing the children having fun in the tradition, the Sunshine Snacks mascot dancing along on the side-lines, and the parents cheering on put even the media personnel in the Crop Over spirit.

Kathryn Inniss, Assistant General Manager of Sunshine Snacks, said they were excited to be the title sponsor of the eventwhich celebrates creativity and vibrancy of Barbadian youth. Inniss said that they were proud to also be sponsoring several Crop Over events.

Festival and Event Planner, Stacia Bryan explained that the interpretation of many cultures in the region are brought to the forefront at Sunshine Snacks Junior Kadooment, and designers take this opportunity to tell stories in ways that children can interpret them through costume.

“Beyond the creation of costumes for the parade, the interaction between the children and the skilled artisans highlighted the intricate crafts of wire-bending and mask-making. The intention is to showcase traditional designing as a potential career path and foster a deeper connection with the artistic process and cultural heritage,” Bryan said.

Sunshine Snacks Junior Kadooment, Bryan expressed that the future of Grand Kadooment lies with the children’s interest in the junior segment. She stated that it was more than an event, but rather an investment into cultural development.

The NCF expects this year’s event to be safe and enjoyable.

The Sunshine Snacks Kadooment is the place to be next Saturday, July 15. See you at the National Botanical Gardens. (PR)

Culture

Heritage Month 2025 Launched | Several Receive Heritage Awards

The historic Morgan Lewis Windmill came alive on Sunday, June 1, as the Division of Culture in the Prime Minister’s Office, in collaboration with its Barbados World Heritage Committee, officially launched Heritage Month 2025 under the theme: “Preserving and Protecting Our Heritage”.

The ceremony marked the beginning of a month-long celebration that forms part of the broader Season of Emancipation, which runs until August 27. In her remarks, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office with responsibility for Culture, Senator Dr. Shantal Munro-Knight, emphasised that preserving heritage is not just about honouring the past, but about shaping the future.

“We must recognise heritage as a living resource. It is a tool for empowerment, especially for our youth and a pathway toward building resilient, culturally grounded communities,” she said.

The Minister connected the Heritage Month observance to broader national goals, particularly the empowerment of youth and the development of new economies rooted in cultural heritage.

Dr. Sheron Johnson, Senior Cultural Policy and Research Officer and Focal Point for Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison, reflected on the growth of Heritage Month since its inception in 2012.

“What began as a single initiative to mark our UNESCO inscription has evolved into a national observance. It now encompasses all aspects of Barbadian heritage – from built heritage to the stories and traditions that continue to shape our identity,” she noted. “We are excited to see increasing engagement from young people and communities islandwide.”

One of the highlights of the launch was the presentation of the Recognition of Contribution to Heritage Awards, acknowledging outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to the preservation of Barbadian heritage. This year’s honourees were:

Peggy McGeary – for her work in education, folk culture and museum programming
Virgil Broodhagen – for artistic excellence and historic preservation
Neville Legall – for visual arts and cultural mentorship
Bruce Jardine and Robert O’Neal – for architectural restoration and heritage leadership
Professor Pedro Welch (posthumous) – for pioneering research in history and heritage. His daughter Gem Bonnett attended the event and accepted the award on his behalf.

Two Outstanding Heritage Stewards, Sherry Headley and Randy Batson, were also recognised for their volunteer service and youth mentorship in heritage initiatives.

Heritage Month 2025 features a diverse slate of public events, including:

Jazz in the Churchyard – June 14 at St. Mary’s Anglican Church
Historic Mosques of Bridgetown Book Launch – June 16
Heritage Pop-Up at We Gatherin’ St. George – June 21
Barbados National Trust Bus Tour – June 21
Antiques Market and Writer’s Ink Literary Tour – June 22
Youth Roundtable on Heritage and Science – June 25
Rock Hall Freedom Village Tour – June 28
BTMI Genealogy Lecture – June 29

The evening concluded with a rum tasting by Dr. Geoff Ward and guided tours of the windmill. (PR/GIS)

Caption: Minister with responsibility for Culture, Senator Dr. Shantal Munro-Knight (centre), poses with Heritage Award honourees (left to right) – Gem Bonnett; Virgil Broodhagen; Peggy McGeary; Robert O’Neal; Bruce Jardine; and Neville Legall, at the launch of Heritage Month 2025 at the Morgan Lewis Windmill last Sunday.

Culture

Barbados Goes To Southern California

“We Gatherin’ 2025 is about us as a people. It is a celebration designed to inspire national pride in all Barbadians and create the environment for us to create the best version of Barbados for us, by us. Barbados is calling you home!”

Barbados’ Ambassador to the United States of America, Vic Fernandes, made this declaration last Saturday, while delivering the keynote address at the Embassy of Barbados’ We Gatherin’ launch in Marina Del Rey, Los Angeles, California.

Ambassador Fernandes stated that the year-long event was “not just a festival” but “a celebration of us—we Bajans”.

He continued: “It is an opportunity to honour our achievements, share our stories, and look boldly toward the future. Imagine a year where every parish comes alive, culminating in December when we all come together, showcasing the vibrancy of our culture in every village and community. Picture the laughter and conversations of reunited families and old friends, filling the air with joy and nostalgia.”

Over 200 Barbadians, including from the Barbados Association of Southern California, and Bajan and Friends for Health and Education Inc., participated in the launch. They benefitted from exchanges with the team from the Embassy of Barbados, which comprised Ambassador Fernandes; First Secretary William Clarke; and Information and Logistics Officer, Tricia Greaves-Staggs.

Prizes and giveaways were facilitated by the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. and Export Barbados. First Secretary Clarke also took the opportunity to introduce some of Barbados’ priorities, including education reform; creating a diaspora database; trade; digital transformation and the Bridgetown Initiative.

He indicated that We Gatherin’ 2025 is more than an event – it’s a chance to deepen our bonds and revel in the pride of being Bajan and to connect with Barbadians near and far, wherever in the world they may be. (PR/GIS)

Culture

Barbados Participates In International Conference On Cultural Heritage

A three-member Barbadian delegation is in Nairobi, Kenya, attending the International Conference on Cultural Heritage in Africa: A Dialogue on the Concept of Authenticity, which aims to foster an exchange of research, experience, knowledge, and observations.

The members of the delegation are Steve Devonish, Chair of the Barbados World Heritage Committee and Site Manager for Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison; Alissandra Cummins, Deputy Chair of the Barbados World Heritage Committee; and Dr. Sheron Johnson, Focal Point for Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison.

The four-day conference is a significant event dedicated to repositioning and redefining the concepts of authenticity and integrity in the context of African heritage. It is organised by UNESCO, in collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Kenya and the African World Heritage Fund, and has brought together heritage experts, government officials, local communities, non-governmental organisations, and academics from across Africa and the world.

Barbados, as the only Caribbean country to present at the conference, has been welcomed wholeheartedly by the Director of the World Heritage Centre, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, organisers of the conference, and other African countries.

The delegation, at the request of the Director, spoke to the outcomes of the conference having implications for small island developing states such as Barbados, as much of our heritage has linkage with Africa.

The meeting also seeks to address the gap between global heritage frameworks and African realities, particularly how authenticity and integrity are defined and applied. Its importance lies in the current application of authenticity, which has a European slate and negates African ecological realities, communities and landscapes.

Africa is home to an extraordinary wealth of cultural and natural heritage, yet it remains underrepresented on the World Heritage List. Currently, African sites make up only 12.26 per cent of the 1,223 World Heritage properties globally, despite the continent’s significance as the cradle of humanity. Additionally, it has the highest number of endangered heritage sites worldwide.

While in Kenya, the delegation, led by Mr. Devonish, paid a visit to the High Commission for Barbados in Kenya and engaged in fruitful discussions with the High Commissioner William McDonald on ways to further deepen the relation between Barbados and African States on matters of heritage, support for Barbados’ future plans at the World Heritage Centre, and ways the Division of Culture can support the Mission’s outreach to the Kenyan population. (PR/GIS)