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Junior Masquerade Project to hit the road Saturday

For Crop Over to celebrate 50 more years, the preservation of its culture through Barbadian youth must be prioritised. This was the shared sentiment at the official launch of the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust Junior Masquerade Project In Association With Abed’s held at the Erdiston Special School.

The project spearheaded by the National Cultural Foundation (NCF), now in its 22nd year, brings the culture of costume-making and masquerading to children throughout various schools and community groups across the island. There, they learn the process of bringing their creative ideas alive through costume and performance. 

Last year, the initiative reached 750 children. This year, it is on track to reaching 1000 children if each of the bands are able to reach their targets. Participants will face the judges at Junior Kadooment on Saturday as a key component of this year’s event.

“A total of $48,000 in prizes are up for grabs. It’s really shaping up to be an exciting year!” said NCF’s Chief Cultural Officer Andrea Wells.

This year, the project involves students from 10 schools and three community groups. 

These schools and community groups will be part of Saturday’s Junior Kadooment. They are:Eagle Hall Primary, Ellerton Primary, Wesley Hall Infants, Grantley Adams Memorial, Pinelands Creative Workshop, Selah Primary, Hindsbury Primary, Arthur Smith Primary, Haynesville Youth Club, Shirley Chisholm Primary, Roland Edwards Primary, Erdiston Special School and Weston United Stars Community Club.

One of the institutions participating is the Erdiston Special School- which caters to students with, but not limited to, down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, communication disorders and other disabilities. 

The school’s principal, Donna Holder, was over the moon at their involvement. 

“This year we embarked on an awareness and sensitisation campaign. This was done by highlighting our students on Down Syndrome Awareness day with Rock your socks, Autism Awareness day and events such as NAPSAC (National Primary Schools Athletic Championship) – to which we sent a team,” she said. 

“Therefore, you can imagine when we got the call from the NCF extending an invitation to participate in Junior Kadooment, our hearts were delighted…We playing mas this year!”, she said.

Wells expressed her gratitude to the programme’s sponsors – Sandy Lane Charitable Trust and Abed’s – for their contributions.

“What is to be commended also is that both of these corporate partners are on board for the culmination of the project. Not just for the training but for the celebration at Junior Kadooment,” she said. 

Title sponsor, Sandy Lane Charitable Trust (SCLT), agreed, too, and showed their faith in the initiative with a donation of $50,000. 

“We all stand here with one common goal. Improving the lives of Barbadian children,” said Nekei Grant, Project Coordinator of the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust. 

“We’re truly honoured to partner with the NCF, a well-established organisation in Barbadian community and culture. We are honoured to fix our name to programmes that are well structured, that empower and support both the personal and professional advancement of our youth, and finally were honoured to play a small role in sustaining the future of cultural development here in Barbados.”

Along with title sponsorship of the Junior Masquerade Project, the ‘small charity with a big heart’ also contributed to the NCF’s youth volunteer programme. 

It was a no-brainer for Nikita Abed-Chaplen, Brand Director of Abed’s, who spoke about the $20 000 sponsorship and the retailer’s relationship with the NCF.

“As a business, Abed’s is committed to supporting local creatives and the wider community and this Junior Masquerade Project is an incredible platform to do this. We are proud to support teaching children the techniques and skills involved in costume making; fabric selection, sewing, designing and decorating. All while fostering creativity and teamwork and collaboration as they work together to create their costumes for Junior Kadooment,” she explained

Along with the cash contributions, participants in the project will receive priceless guidance from coordinators Suzanne Phillips and Teila Williams. (PR)

Culture

BEADING WORKSHOP FINISHES TODAY


Bishop Tarambawamwe runs Master Wire and Beadcraft, a South African company specialising in providing high-quality bead and wire products to both the local and international market. From growing up in Zimbabwe playing with wire cars as a child, to taking inspiration from nature for his amazing designs, he now brings his expertise to Barbados. The workshop features an all female group who will benefit from hands on training while learning how to monetise their new skillset on the way to becoming entrepreneurs.

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Culture

International Songwriting Camp

Twenty-eight cultural practitioners have reaped significant benefits from the International Songwriting Camp produced by the National Cultural Foundation (NCF).


Following intense practical, developmental and professional exercises facilitated by local and global premiers, the NCF-registered practitioners now have an increased understanding of the craft of global song writing, knowledge of publishing and songwriting, placements, licensing, and synching among other areas.


The sessions were held between September 30 and October 5, at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre where participants and producers had access to portable studios to turn penned lyrics into musical renditions of different beats and genres.


On Wednesday, the participants went on a field trip and were required to write a song for a commercial.

And on Saturday night, a listening session was held at the Sage Bar and Stage featuring the songs written and produced during the camp.


Singer and songwriter Casheda Dottin said she was grateful for the opportunity to participate in the comprehensive camp which has left her with a wealth of knowledge and skills which will take her career to another level.

“I am grateful to the NCF for bringing about this initiative to help creators improve their craft. It was such a phenomenal experience because not only were we able to do songwriting workrooms where we were working with different people, but every day we were able to experience working with different producers,” Dottin said.

She added: “And it was also interesting to see how I was able to gel with other writers and singers to create music. It was far from easy and sometimes it was very intense but we were all still able to work together to produce some wonderful music.”


Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Marley Kirton said it was an amazing experience obtaining advice and gaining knowledge from experienced professionals in the field.

“But at the same time it was so powerful to get to collaborate with local artistes who are established, growing, or trying to discover their careers. This camp is a reminder of the potential and talent among the younger generation here on the island.  My biggest lesson is learning not to hide my talents and that you should share them with those around you,” Kirton said.


The NCF came in for high praise for hosting the first songwriters camp of its kind which supports the realistic execution to reach the global standard which lends to reciprocation to earning sustainable income and reaching international standards.


Grammy Award-winning producer and composer Che Pope commended the NCF for investing in its creators.

“I don’t know if you realise that this is luxury. Many countries don’t have a ministry of culture and an NCF. There are only so many countries that invest in and care about the talent and the arts in their country.

“The US [United States] does not have a ministry of culture, the US does not give grants like Canada and places like Barbados. I hope you guys understand the opportunity that’s at hand,” Pope advised.


Composer, songwriter and producer Henk Pool was also impressed that the Government is investing in its talented young people.

Pool said while he would have passed on knowledge to the participants, he also benefited from interacting with them.

“I think the openness, warmth and talent of people was amazing. I travel around the world facilitating song writers’ camps everywhere and I would love to see Barbados song writers travelling around the world because the talent is absolutely there. They just need the chance to network and that’s why I love the Barbados government for doing this,” Pool said.


United Kingdom songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Josh Wunderlich, signed to DWB Music, said this was his first time visiting Barbados and noted that working with the cultural practitioners during the camp helped him to gain a wealth of knowledge about the island’s culture.

“We have been sharing ideas and creating songs that are completely unique. No one has ever heard anything like the music created during the camp because this hasn’t been done before,” Wunderlich said.


Meanwhile, Business Development Officer, Music and Music for Film, at the NCF, Lisa Howell, said the successfully executed camp was well-received by the cultural practitioners who began reaping results from the first day.

Howell said the practitioners are now in a better position to write and produce internationally marketable songs.

“So I would say yes we met our goal for this round and hopefully we have the support to continue to facilitate programmes like this. Barbados rose to the occasion. I am really thankful that we had some of our local premier producers and songwriters facilitating. We had Dr Stedson ‘RPB’ Wiltshire who was so invested in showing up every day,” Howell said.

The business development officer added: “We had local producers like Dwain Antrobus, Peter Coppin, Darien Bailey and Simon Pipe who were also facilitators. So we not only brought in global experts in their field, but we also showed our own local premier practitioners in their respective fields and that made us feel good as the National Cultural Foundation.”  (PR)

Caption: from left to right – Singer/Songwriter Munirah Nailah, Gospel Artiste/Songwriter/Producer James Cumberbatch, Singer/Songwriter Dania, DWB Songwriter/Producer Pete Barringer, Songwriter/Producer/ Gospel Art

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Culture

BPS Crop Over Do-Flicky Costume Competition Winners Announced

Five winning teams have emerged from the recently held prize-giving ceremony of the inaugural ‘Barbados Postal Service (BPS) 2024 Crop Over Do-Flicky Costume Competition’.

The winners hail from the Post Offices of St. Joseph; St. George; Welches Road; St. Philip and the General Post Office in Cheapside.

The overall winner of the competition is the eight-member team of the General Post Office’s Accounts Section, who each received an Island Safari Tour. Second place went to the Welches Road Post Office, third was the St. Philip Post Office, fourth was the St. George Post Office and fifth place went to the St. Joseph Post Office.

Winning Teams (flanked by BPS management), of the inaugural ‘BPS Crop Over Do-Flicky Costume Competition’, from the GPO; Welches Road PO; St. Philip PO; St. George PO and the St. Joseph PO.

Postmaster General, Joann Busby, in her address to the winners, stated, “We look forward to many more events like this in the future, celebrating both our history and commitment to excellence.”

Concept Creator of the competition, BPS Marketing Officer Neiai Hall said, “This competition aims to showcase the creativity and cultural expression of our staff, through costume design and performance. The theme of the competition is rooted in our rich heritage and the vibrant spirit of Crop Over.

On left – ‘BPS Crop Over Do-Flicky Costume Competition’ 2nd Place Winning Costume, On right – ‘BPS Crop Over Do-FFlicky Costume Competition’ 3rd Place Winning Costume.

“We have encouraged participants to design costumes that not only display their creativity but also incorporate elements that represent the services offered by the BPS”.

The judging criteria consisted of Sustainability; Creativity; Depiction of a BPS Service; Originality; Portrayal; Video Creativity and Originality; Practicality and Inclusivity and Descriptive Write-Up. 

Plaques were presented to each of the winning teams and the St. Joseph Post Office also received the Postmaster General’s special award for Outstanding Advertising Video in the competition. (PR/GIS)

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