CROP OVER 2000
SWEET FOR DAYS
By Donna Pierre
Trinidad Guardian
August 19, 2000
Page 22
They
insist it is not Carnival, but it was hard to overlook the
great similarities that the Bajans' July festival bore to Trinidad's largest
festival.
From
the moment you entered Grantley Adams airport where costumes were hung on
walls, you could not help but know it was Carnival…oops, Crop Over time.
The
radio stations pumped the airwaves with enticing soca and kaiso music (well…at
least for a portion of the day, before they switched back to dub and
R&B). And, there was the usual
heavy advertising of fetes, featuring top acts in the country.
Then,
on the nation's one local television station, there was a round-table
discussion called "Festival state," which examined various aspects of
Crop Over.
What
caught my attention one night was the repugnant manner a bandleader displayed,
as he openly vented his objection to the Trini input in costume making. He suggested to authorities that those bands
be debarred from competition.
Others
on the panel strongly opposed this suggestion, declaring that even if they made
the costumes in Barbados, they still had to import the materials from
Trinidad. But hey, what is the problem
anyway? Bajans use our materials, we
push their music and top brass bands - it's all in the spirit of Caribbean
unity.
For
the King and Queen of the Bands final, on the Sunday night before Kadooment
Day, backstage at the National Stadium took on the appearance of 'the drag' at
the Queen's park Savannah.
Besides
some very familiar-looking portrayals, there were a number of renowned Trini
mas designers, led by veteran Geraldo Viera Snr.
The
funny thing about this was that almost every king and queen costume was either
designed or made with Trinidadian assistance.
The
most outstanding queen entrant, alleged in hushed tones to be the work of
Viera's son, unfortunately fell while making its entrance on stage and was
disqualified. But, the winning king
undoubtedly displayed the trademark signature of D Midas Associates' Stephen
Derek who, incidentally, was sipping brandy while calmly sitting backstage.
Trinidadians
are a resolute and stoic breed, and the scores who made the trip to Barbados to
enjoy every bit of another carnival did just that, ignoring the comments of
their reluctant hosts. Some even found
the Bajan concerns comical, countering with the point that Trinis afford
everyone the red-carpet treatment at our Carnival, especially Barbadians.
However,
costumes made by Trinidadians seem to be just the tip of the iceberg for Bajans
and the problem they have with outside influence. The music produced by several artistes were deemed as "being
geared towards a Trini market."
For what it is worth, at every party - especially at Wadadah - no one
cared if the music being played came from Japan, Alaska or Trinidad.
One
week after Kadooment, it seemed all was forgiven, if not forgotten. Bajans packed the courtyard at the After
Dark nightspot to be entertained by Trinidad's premier cultural ambassador, David
Rudder. As they swayed and obeyed
Rudder's every command, nary an objection was heard - as was the case when he
performed a fortnight earlier, at the Party Monarch Final on the East Coast.
A
Bajan patron, fortified with Cockspur Rum and no doubt impressed by Brian
Lara's score of 112 runs against England a few days earlier, was loudly singing
praises to the Trinidadian batsman, acclaiming him as "the greatest
batsman ever" while the refrain to Rudder's "High mas" played in
the background.
But
you must give the Bajans points for their differences.
We have
Carib International Soca Monarch; they have "Eddie's Hardware Party
Monarch." We have National Calypso
Monarch; they call it "Pic of De Crop Final." We say Dimanche Gras; they say
"Cohobblopot." Our J'Ouvert
heralds Carnival Monday revelry; their "Fo-Day Morning Jam' precedes
Bridgetown Market on Spring Garden Highway.
We have Parade of the Bands; they say Kadooment Day. Iwer says "bottom" in the road;
Bajans say "boxsee." We wine;
they "wuk up."
For
what it's worth, the festival - albeit the name - is great and a lot of fun.