I am yet to exhale from Carnival and already my desk is cluttered with notices of events for C2K11. I previously said the first big all-inclusive fete is booked for January 23, and Newtown Boys' RC School has already red-circled February 25 for its annual school yard blow out. Not to be left out, St Crispin's EC School has pegged March 1, 2011 for its Carnival lime. However, long before C2K11 rolls in there are the traditional annual T&T-style carnivals across the globe, including Canada's Caribana and London's Notting Hill in August; Labour Day in New York on September 6 and Miami Carnival on October 10, not to mention Vincey Mas and Crop Over in Barbados, in July and August, respectively.
On local soil though, our next Carnival–Point Fortin Borough Day–is scheduled for May Day (May 1). Already up and making noise, and actually launching its J'Ouvert presentation–Real Unity–tomorrow, is Royalty. The J'Ouvert Band of the Year winner of 2005 and 2007, Royalty is keen to recapture the title this year. A band spokesman explained this week: "The theme for this year, Real Unity, celebrates our unique diversity, where every creed and race finds an equal place." Tomorrow's band launch, to take place at the band's headquarters at Techier Village in Point Fortin, is scheduled to begin at 7 pm. The evening promises to be quite exciting, with a special performance by Royalty Body Art Entertainment, along with an appearance by the delegates for the upcoming Miss Point Fortin Borough Pageant. The Samba girls will also be in attendance. In addition, lots of give-always, including hampers for the first five people who register on the day, have been promised.
For further information on Royalty, call 338-2675. Last February 8, former pupils of my old alma mater (St Crispin's EC) held a bumper lime at Starlift Pan Yard in Woodbrook. Yes, I attended St Crispin's (Class of 1957), before going to Moulton Hall Methodist. This event was organised by Norman Hunte, Coswell De Peiza and Marlene Hunte, and was attended by many alumni, including Dianne Daniell, Claudette Alexander, Elliott Skinner, Charmaine Carter, Annette Roberts, Andrew Roberts, Yvonne Barry, Trevor Harewood, Jasmine Knights, Gordon Barnes, Edgar Garraway, Ian Jones, Bunny Rivers, Noreen Web, Joyce Barclay, Kenrick Haynes, Rhona Haynes and Neville Mason.
The evening turned out to be a huge success, with everyone enjoying the music of the DJ and eating accra, bake, saltfish etc. An unofficial committee is to be formed this year, with the mandate to make next year's event even bigger and better. That lime is scheduled for St Crispin's school yard on Tuesday, March 1, 2011. Michael Headley has also mentioned that people should begin planning from now for Escape to Playa del Este in Salybia on Carnival Thursday, 2011 (March 3), as he intends to maintain a controlled attendance at this much sought-after all-inclusive fete. Michael said he also intends to rigidly maintain a substantial amount of retro music and live performances at this do. By the way, you realise that all now so, next year, is another Carnival done.
The students of the University of New Hampshire, USA, at the Maracas lookout on Monday.
US students experience Trini paradise
Thanks to my colleague Vidya Thurab, I encountered some young people this week who served to reinvigorate my waning national pride. Try as you may, no one can convince 13 students, aged 18-22, from the University of New Hampshire, that Trinidad is not a paradise. They came to our shores just six days ago but had such a good time they are craving a return visit.
Actually, it was Trinidadian student Nicole Lee who convinced her colleagues that Trinidad was the greatest place on earth to visit and the rest is history. Under the "chaperonship" of Ukranian Taras Ferencevych, the students went to Maracas Bay on Monday, sampling the world famous Richard's Shark & Bake, followed by a lime around the Queen's Park Savannah in Port-of-Spain, to enjoy doubles and coconut water. On Tuesday, the students visited the giant Hanuman murti in Caroni, and the Waterloo Temple by the Sea.
Ferencevych said they planned visit to hang out in MovieTowne on Tuesday evening. For the remainder of the week, the students were scheduled to visit the reforestation project in Fondes Amandes; spend the day Down the Islands yesterday Thursday; and, do an extensive tour of Port-of-Spain on today. Nicole's father, also Vidya's uncle, Richard Lee, assisted Ferencevych during the students' visit.
The group returns to the US tomorrow morning.