I am a carnival reveller and every year I get the chance to dance and prance to melodic rhythms produced by our outstanding creatives.
Over the years I’ve jumped to ecstatic tunes sung by Ricky T, De Invader, Ezra d Fun Machine and Emran Nerdy. I’ve grooved to the melodic compilations of Arthur, Alfa, Teddyson John and Sly, and every carnival Monday and Tuesday I exhale on the streets of Castries.
But whilst I love to partake in the manifested expression of my heritage that is packaged as a summer carnival, I remain patently mindful that carnival has its origins in a popular expression of extraordinary indulgence in the excesses of life before the 40 days and 40 nights of hibernation, to observe the religious period of Lent.
I am sure I would not be unkind to the art form when I say that the modern evolution of carnival has inadvertently left behind those who are unable to afford the pricy costumes.
Carnival has moved further and further away from the reach, involvement and participation of the ordinary Saint Lucian. It is now fully out of their grasp.
In order to prance and jump to the clarion call from De Invader, to put all worries aside and enjoy the party, we need Lajan, Lajan, Lajan.
Carnival has become an expensive pastime affordable only by the financially healthy among us and a large majority of St. Lucians have no choice but to stay in their section.
The fetes, costumes and attendant shows are just too price-prohibitive, thus resulting in the marginalization of the masses, subjecting them to mere spectators of the glitter, glamour and glare of the fine physics that ordinarily would be under business suits and attire of conformity and prudence.
What I have seen over the past two weeks has rekindled my sense of optimism that revelry can be returned to the grassroots for the participation of all.
Yes — you guessed right! The Independence Baton Relay has reignited the spirit of a pre-Lent indulgence before we lay down our earthly excesses to observe 40 days and 40 nights of soul searching, reflection, withdrawal and retreat.
The scenes that accompanied the Independence Baton crisscrossing through every nook and cranny of Saint Lucia assured me that Saint Lucians are a united people with a level of pride that drowns whatever divisions that (from time to time) conspire to divide us.
From Day One, I saw citizens — young and old, ‘Flambeau’ and ‘Layba’, Black and White, Rich and Poor, Employee and Employer, Seventh Day Adventists and Catholics — rally together in celebration and tribute to the 46th anniversary of our nation joining the league of self-determined independent states.
The celebrations were reminiscent of the old days when everyone was able to participate in carnival, not only because it was affordable, but equally because it was available.
Senior citizens who perhaps believed carnival was no longer for them, Members of Parliament who felt the weight of public office stiffening their joints, religious leaders who only avail themselves of gospel music as their joyful noise unto the Lord, were on the streets of our nation dancing, jumping, waving and moving to the Independence theme song ‘I’m a damn proud Lucian’ (the 46th-anniversary road march) and a full Playlist of Lucian hits.
Local artists, cultural groups, community activists and leaders, youth, students and children, business icons — all joined the revelry, and we witnessed thousands of Saint Lucians take to the streets in exuberant celebration of our nation turning 46.
For many who have called for carnival to be a more all-embracing festivity, I see the opportunity for the Baton Relay to evolve into a carnival of sorts, for the participation of all, in what I envision as an event that unifies us with themes that promote togetherness and national pride.
If we take a look at the carnival in French Guiana, where many Saint Lucians have settled and now call home, we will note that their celebration is a culturally rich national event that lasts from January to Ash Wednesday.
This festivity, which is a blend of the same pagan and African influences that morphed into our pre-Lent carnival, is staged to allow everyone to feast before their Lenten fasting.
As we moved away from a popular event deeply rooted in our Christian and African heritage to one that is associated more with a visitor experience than grassroots participation, we lost the feasting before Lent — a crescendo of sorts — and today we play mass in July when we can optimize visitor arrival at a traditionally low tourist arrival period.
What the baton relay has returned to us is the latent passion for a celebration that precedes that crescendo.
The baton relay for independence is what the popular carnival was to Lent and we can build on it to return people to the centre of the celebration.
Carnival — as we knew it — will not return. But the baton relay has shown that an opportunity still exists for a Carnival of and for the People.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Armstrong Alexis is the Deputy Secretary General of CARICOM and a regular reveller with Just4Fun Carnival Band.