Pretty
Mas and Colourful Pleasure on a Spice Island
Glitzy costumes, bands competing for prizes,
trailer trucks and calypso music are just some of the few
things to get the party started on the lagoon right outside
Port Louis Marina in Grenada.
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Grenadian history
expressed through masks, dance, chants and colourful
costumes.
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After months of
preparation, planning and co-ordination, the Grenadian ‘Spice
Mas’ is in full bloom during the second Monday and Tuesday
in August. This colourful carnival is the Grenadian way of
expressing their links to their African, French, British and
Caribbean heritage. This is the month when Calypsonians, steel
pan orchestras, beauty contestants, ‘fancy mas’
bands combine colour, humour and surprises as they perform
and parade to compete for Carnival honours from the lagoon
right outside of Port Louis Marina to the Carenage.
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Each
has a different theme and is led by a trailer truck
with very large speakers on top which play calypso
music and the bands dance behind the trucks from midday
to about 7pm. There will certainly be music from Grenada’s
lost and found Calypso King Slinger Francisco, better
known as The Mighty Sparrow and affectionately dubbed,
The Birdie. The Birdie is the unrivalled Calypso King
of the World, with a career that spans over 40 years
and counting. This artiste par excellence’s
roots are in Gran Roi, a rural fishing village in
Grenada. |
The
Mighty Sparrow was born to a poor working class
family. They migrated to his adopted homeland, Trinidad,
when he was just one year old.Whichever way you
choose to travel to Grenada, the Spice Island welcomes
you with a friendly smile. Volcanic Grenada’s
three islands with spice-scented hills, tropical
rainforests, powder-white beaches and crystal-clear
turquoise waters is in full celebratory mood this
August. The country I visited and loved, lies at
the Southernmost tip of the Windward Island and
is a favourite for those seeking a relaxing tropical
holiday in exceptional luxury.
If you are sailing across the Caribbean, make a
stop at Grenada’s
Port Louis Marina.
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This
is the place to get a good view of the singers of
the bands singing as the partygoers chip (a slow
walking dance). The party starts on the lagoon right
outside of Port Louis Marina and goes to the Carenage.
Port Louis Marina is the ideal destination for visiting
and resident yachts. Located in a natural lagoon
opposite the island’s charming capital, St
Georges, Port Louis provides berthing facilities
of the very highest quality for yachts of 10m to
90m in length (32ft to 300ft).
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The
port is just five miles from the Point Salines International
Airport, with private aircraft facilities and direct
connections to Europe and North America. From the
Marina you are faced with magnificent views of the
historic fort and the restored Georgian buildings
of St. George’s.The port can accommodate a total
of around 390 berths for craft from 10m to 90m including
ten berths for craft over 60m. The marina offers any
yachts coming in for the week of carnival a monthly
rate instead of the weekly or daily rates. |
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The
Judging Procedure
Judges
for the Carnival are positioned at 3 different points
along the route where they will judge on originality
of the costumes, size of the bands and the energy
created by the partygoers. At this point all hell
breaks loose and all of the contestants dance their
hearts out. The song that is played the most on these
2 days of street parties is judged the "Road
March". Each band has a "King and a Queen
of the Band" who have costumes that are much
larger and more elaborate than the regular costumes.
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Many
take on disguises in the costumes of ‘Shortknee’
and ‘Jab Jab’ players. The Shortknee
tradition combines pieces of distant Grenadian history
expressed through masks, dance, chants and colourful
costumes. Like the Shortknee, the Jab Jab –
a creolized word for the French diable (devil) –
also operate in packs. Jab Jabs, however, are scantily
dressed with bodies entirely daubed to an extreme
black, or sometimes yellow or blue. Their antics
and appearance, such as Jab Jabs toting cattle horns
and cow chains, can be scary for the faint-hearted
or the uninitiated. However, it not intended to
create fear but a subject of historical study and
the existential reality of Jab Jab.
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The role of
the Jab Jab is similar to that of Puck, the mischievous
trickster and knavish jester – also known as Robin
Goodfellow – of William Shakespeare’s “Midsummer
Night’s Dream.’’ Jab Jab revellers paint
their bodies black, put red helmets with make-believe horns
on their heads, and march in energetic groups. Originating
from African and European rituals, Jab Jab has evolved as
an integral part of contemporary Spice Mas, shedding away
long ago customs of frightening Carnival patrons and establishing
a unique rhythmic chant to Carnival. Masqueraders in knee-length
pants carry talc powder and arm themselves with tiny mirrors
to reflect enemies; they wear ankle bells to make music,
as they stomp through towns and villages. The powder is
a symbol of appreciation and sprinkled on those who make
cash donations.
Monja of husband and wife team Grenada
Explorer says that she finds this as one of
the most exciting times in Grenada when visitors and friends
visit Grenada to meet family and friends or simply to have
a great time; the Jouvert jump up, the parties, the costumes
- everyone just having a good time. Inevitably is it also
one of the busiest times for them because every visitor
is looking for places to stay, car rentals, tours etc as
well as information on where and when the celebrations will
be.
If you are travelling by air, a number of airlines provide
service to Grenada from cities around the world. You will
first arrive into Grenada and if you want to see its sister
islands, you may continue on to Carriacou aboard a ferry
or in a smaller plane on a short flight to Lauriston Airport
in Hillsborough. Travellers who wish to visit Petite Martinique
must take a ferry to the island.
Overview
Driving through
Grenada, one cannot help but notice that Grenada, though
one of the fastest growing economies in the Caribbean, poverty
is widespread; thankfully, growths in investment and tourism,
and a construction boom, have helped to reduce unemployment.
The country was dealt with a serious blow in 2004 when Hurricane
Ivan swept through killing dozens of people, damaging 90%
of the island's buildings and devastating the nutmeg crop.
Tourism has also generated its own problems, in the form
of threats to the rainforest and beach erosion caused by
resort projects, nevertheless, Grenada still has a lot to
offer. Aquatic life is always assured because Grenada is
made up of over forty pristine beaches, shipwrecks and treasures
for the astute diver to explore.
For further information, please visit www.spicemasgrenada.com
Grenada
in brief: Approximately 108,132 (est 2008)
people inhabit Grenada, including the 6,521 inhabitants
of Carriacou and Petite Martinique. The nation's
citizens are primarily of African, East-Indian and
European descent, with the largest proportion of
the population, approximately 75%, of African descent.
Grenada is an English-speaking nation.
Entry Requirements: A valid passport
and return or onward ticket is required for all
visitors. However, proof of citizenship bearing
a photograph is acceptable from British, Canadian
and US citizens. Please note however that as mandated
by the United States Department of Homeland Security,
all US travellers must provide a passport to enter
or re-enter the US from both vacation and business
travel. A visa is not required from citizens of
the US, Canada, UK, British Commonwealth, most Caribbean
countries, most European countries, South Korea,
and Japan.
Business Hours: Banking hours in
Grenada are usually Monday to Thursday from 8:00
a.m.- 2:00 p.m., and Fridays from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00
p.m.
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Shops are generally open from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.,
Monday to Friday, and 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays.
Supermarkets and shopping centers are usually open
from 9:00 am. - 7 pm. And there are one or two that
are open on Sundays. Craft and souvenir shops will
open on a Sunday or Bank Holiday, especially if cruise
ships are in port. Government offices are generally
open from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday,
but may be closed from 12:00 to 1:00 pm for lunch.
Credit
Cards & Currency: Major credit cards
are accepted by most hotels, car rental companies,
and shops. Travellers cheques are accepted everywhere.
The Eastern Caribbean Dollar, linked to the US Dollar,
is the local currency. Banks will exchange EC$2.67
for US$1.00 cash, and EC$2.68 for US$1.00 in travellers
cheques. It is advisable to exchange currency at the
banks, as the most favourable exchange rates may not
be obtained elsewhere.
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