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ABC Kadooment 

The Grand Kadooment route will not be reversed in 2023. The route from the National Stadium to the Mighty Grynner Highway has many positive features about it and it is loved by many people. The new route however has great potential for future development of Grand Kadooment. Those involved must face the fact and get on the highway or be left on the byway.  I liked the old route and would be willing to improve on some of its shortcomings for a few more years before moving. But I see the wisdom in the new route. 

The only thing constant in life is change. Changes in the Crop Over Festival are therefore expected. Change comes about as a natural course of a process be it progressive or regressive. Changes also come in radical or sudden ways because of a new policy. I hope this juncture will allow those involved in Grand Kadooment to make major changes to improve the event. In recent years Grand Kadooment has lost its creativity notwithstanding the fact that there has been an upsurge in party bands. These bands have established their brands, but the NCF must be careful to ensure that it also establishes a brand that is based on the policy and goals of Grand Kadooment. 

The old route had a closeness to the people in the dense communities and small roads. It was a wonderful feeling to play mas with the spectators and masqueraders in ‘contact’ with each other. However, this closeness also allowed for easy access to the bands which if not dealt with created a management problem for the bandleader. Policing this route would have been challenging. As Grand Kadooment rolled into populated communities it created opportunities for residents in the areas to make a quick dollar; vending drinks and food- sometimes right on their doorstep. 

The small roads and the numerous corners on the old route would have a burden for drivers of the massive music trucks. 

Climaxing at Mighty Grynner Highway with the cool waters of Brandon and Brighton beaches is the most appealing feature of the old route. Anyone who has played mas from the Stadium in the hot boiling sun will attest to the revitalizing properties of a dip in the sea. 

We can accept the wonderful characteristics of the old route but at the same time recognize that things must change. For all the good that there is in the old route, we must consider if it no longer fits into the development and expansion of Grand Kadooment. Simple, has Grand Kadooment outgrown, or will Grand Kadooment soon outgrow the route from the Stadium to Mighty Grynner Highway?  

The new route’s introduction may have suffered from poor public relations. The teething problems of the new route were easy to see on the Grand Kadooment Day. These facts should not take away from the potential of the new route. The heated and long discussion over the route being too hot and too long is superficial. Both routes are heated by the sun, no one has control over that. With planning the route could be shortened. 

The new route provided adequate space for all concerned: masqueraders, spectators, and vendors. Logistically it is better for the music trucks, presentations of the bands, policing, and security of the parade area. The new route is also suited to big king and queen costumes which I hope will soon be seen again.  The new route should bring an end to the unproductive ‘Robert’s / Revelers Truck. This item has been a waste of thousands of dollars over the years with little or no return on investment. The money that the NCF poured into the truck could have been better used. Take the money and the resources and invest them into the development of community and small group bands. 

 The new route is a move away from the theater of the streets to a show/spectacle. If this is correct it is now vital that designers become more creative and stay away from the run-of-the-mill feather and beads costumes. Too many bands look alike. Few bands have themes and portrayals. With the new route seemingly designed for spectatorship, it is imperative that bands create better presentations.   

The time is ripe for the NCF and shareholders in masquerade to look beyond just a new route and look at a new direction in Grand Kadooment. We are generally never ready for change, but this does not mean that it is not time for a change. I was not ready for a change this year and thought that the move to the ABC was unavoidable but not needed this year. This year’s Grand Kadooment is now in the past and we must be ready for not only a new route in 2023 but a new development plan. 

Enough is enough we are down to nakedness without proper reasons. For sure creative designs that follow a theme and presentations that depict a portrayal are now things of the past. I do not accept that the market is dictating costume designs and if it is, our creative minds have surrendered to trends.  

Grand Kadooment go must under the microscope and be examined if it is to survive. Barbados must be careful of delivering the same type of mas that is available in other places. Barbados must seek to define uniqueness about its mas. There is already a decline in the membership to bands, fewer bands are being produced and with your ears to the ground you will hear the voices of those who watch Grand Kadooment saying ‘that bands are no longer worth waiting to see’. Even beautiful half naked women wearing generic feather and bead costumes become mundane after a long period of time. Meaningful, beautiful, appealing, and sexy costumes were created before and I am sure it can happen again. The NCF will have to play a key role in turning the corner and moving to a higher ground of creativity in Grand Kadooment. The NCF should encourage and support authentic masquerade bands. The art form must be given an opportunity to regain itself and survive. 

 Bandleaders and designers should seek to produce bands that are beyond the cookie cutter type. Sure, it is easy and profitable to buy costumes from as from as China. However, is there merit and pride in setting up our own industry of costume making? 

Please note that I am not suggesting that bands will a formula that is working for them stop using it. I am suggesting that bands look at other dimensions instead of staying with the same thing repeatedly. 

With the move to the ABC Highway Grand Kadooment now has a golden opportunity to chart a course that developed a culture of creativity in mas

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Spirit of the Nation this weekend November 16

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The Richard Stoute Contest Finals Tomorrow November 9 & 10th

The Richard Stoute Contest 2024, co-produced by the National Cultural Foundation, has reached the final turn of the race. Twenty eager competitors are now preparing for the finals of the Over 21 and Teen Talent categories.

The ten Over 21 finalists are Alicia Alleyne, Zoe Armstrong, Kimberly Allen, Shaquan Smith, Amirah Cordice, Shaneka George, Jaleesa Greaves, Jacqueline Stoute, Lisa Hackett and Kenyah Joseph. The ten Teen Talent finalists are Kadarius Allen, Joshua Osbourne, Kayla Alleyne, Jasmine Walkes, Kyrique Alleyne, ZZ Cumberbatch, Kymani Devonish,Roneisha Alleyne, Joshua Osbourne, Jaliah Thompson, and Kenaz Walker.

Simply by making it to this point in the competition, these competitors join a special class of Barbadian entertainers, all of whom experienced the training and development that comes with taking the Richard Stoute stage. Since its inception in 1976, the Richard Stoute Contest has given birth to several Barbadian musical favourites. One of these is 1983 winner of the competition Edwin Yearwood who was referred to then as “the baby of the competition” by journalist Linda Deane. Singing Wildflower and You Are So Beautiful, a tribute to his mum, he won the seventh teen talent competition, beating AndersonArmstrong and Terencia “TC” Coward who would both later become his contemporaries in the soca arena. In a 1983 article about the contest, Linda Deane referred to the three as “the ones with the better chances of success”. TC would place second in that competition. Just three years later, in 1986, now global soca queen Alison Hinds was also a finalist in the Richard Stoute Contest.

Fast forward to the 90’s and many popular names in the Crop Over arena were singing and winning the transformative competition. In its sixteenth year, a twenty-year-old Adrian”AC” Clarke sang his way to the crown with his rendition of Jackie Opel’s Higher and Higher (his first time singing spouge) and Calypso Traveller. The very next year, his future Coalishun bandmate Rupert “Rupee” Clarke won the crown at just eighteen years of age. His winning songs were Frankie Paul’s “Sarah” and Stevie Wonder’s “Lately”, earning him a standing ovation in the Wildey Gymnasium along with a red Suzuki Swift, driving lessons from Cox Driving School and a trip to a Caribbean island of his choice. The 90’S would also see Barbadian balladist Betty B win the 1998 contest while performing artiste Ishiaka McNeil took the1999 crown.

The start of the new millennium was not without its future household names as Barry Chandler, who sang Vehicle and Wildflower(in tribute to his own mother and single mothers) amidst a standing ovation in George Street Auditorium, sang his way to the crown in the year 2000.

There are several more names throughout the years including popular band Spice & Company and 2024 Courtesy Garage Pic O De Crop contenders Darin Holder, Trinity Clarke and Shontae Alleyne-Clarke. Undoubtedly there isevidence that the environment of the Richard Stoute Contest breeds exceptional talent. Speaking about the competition in the year 2000 Barry Chandler spoke about Founder Richard Stoute saying “He not only taught me how to sing my songs properly, he taught me discipline, and I want to thank him for that”.

In a recently held press conference at The National Cultural Foundation NCF Music Officer assigned to the contest, Aisha Butcher, assured Barbadians the NCF will continue to uphold Richard’s legacy and standards while introducing innovations. These innovations include state-of-the art equipment, additional vocal coaches and a separate competition for the Over 21 age group. “We were happy to see that registration doubled this year [for the Over 21 age group] and the quality is on par with prior competitions”, Butcher stated.

The National Cultural Foundation has also introduced The Richard Stoute Award and The Spouge Award as part of their strengthened approach this year. The Richard Stoute Contest 2024 Finals will take place, tomorrow, Saturday November 9th (Over 21s) and Sunday November 10th (Teens) at The Derrick Smith School

and Vocational Centre

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Sagicor Life Inc. Lighting Ceremony This Friday

The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment will host the Sagicor Life Inc. Lighting Ceremony this Friday, November 1, marking the start of the annual community Independence celebrations.

This year’s ceremony will be held under the theme Celebrating Our Communities: Re-engaging, Re-igniting, Re-imagining, and will take place on Friday, November 1, at 5:30 p.m., at National Heroes Square, The City.

Following the Lighting Ceremony, the celebrations will continue with a Bajan Brew at 7:00 p.m., offering an evening filled with spouge, drama, song, and steel pan performances.

The event is free and open to all, providing an opportunity for the community to come together and enjoy the rich cultural heritage of Barbados as we celebrate Independence. 

Patrons are encouraged to arrive early and make any necessary transportation arrangements due to expected road closures in the vicinity of Wharf Road and Trafalgar Street. (PR/GIS)

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