said. “It makes me feel like back
home. The rain isn’t stopping
anybody’s fun.”
St. Lucian Roxii Smith
brought along her eight-yearold
daughter Bree to play with
“Freaks Mas.”
“I was doing this since I was
five years old,” Roxii said. “I feel
great.”
Another St. Lucian, Ehsani
Lee, portrayed “Ferocious Jezebel”
with Antoine International.
“This is s stress reliever,”
added the costume designer. “I
don’t mind the rain.”
Trinidadian Twiggy Santana
also played with Antoine International.
“This is my life!” she
exclaimed. “I live for carnival.
I’m a carnival baby.”
Nearby, her compatriot, Patrina
St. Clair, played with the labor
union 1199. “I feel great,” said
the Brooklyn resident. “I represent
my culture since kiddies.”
Grenadian Shanda Wharwood
stood tall among masqueraders
with a red costume, playing
with Stronjeh. “This is fabulous,”
said Wharwood, the band leader
for Bachique in Spicemas. “It’s
amazing. I do this every year.”
Syieda Wilson, who hails from
Bermuda, and Ashira Stoney,
originally from Panama, portrayed
“Princess Ariel” with
Ramajay.
“We live it,” they said in unison.
“It’s our third year, and we’re
going to keep playing with Ramajay.”
As the a huge Dingolay costume,
up the hill, Vincentian
Gregory Boyea said he was “very
excited.”
“Every year, you come out
to play,” he said, portraying
“Enchanted.”
As he sought refuge under
the large tent for the pre-parade
breakfast, at the Lincoln Terrace
Court, at the start of the parade
route on Buffalo Avenue, Kelvin
Jacobs, chief executive officer of
Spice Mas, explained how rain
impacts on carnival in his native
Grenada.
“In Grenada, when the rain
comes like that and people are on
the street, people will play (mas),”
he said. “But if it (rain) came
before, we’ll postpone it (carnival
event) If people are already on
the outside, people will play in
the rain.”
The extravaganza capped four
nights of spectacular pre-parade
shows, organized by the Brooklyn
based West Indian American
Day Carnival Association
(WIADCA).
The shows comprised: Reggae,
Afro Beats, Soca…Unda Di
Stars with headliners Ding Dong
and Wayne Wonder (Thurs., Aug.
29); Brassfest, featuring Kes,
Patrice Roberts, Farmer Nappy
and Skinny Fabulous (Fri., Aug.
30); Steelpan Panorama, featuring
more than 10 steel orchestras
(Sat., Aug. 31); and Dimanche
Gras, featuring, Calypso
Rose, GBM Nutron, Tallpree and
Lavaman; Kings and Queens of
the Bands, Individual and Ole
Mas Costume presentations; and
Panorama 2019 winners – all on
Sun., Sept 1.
The grand marshals for the
parade were: New York City Public
Advocate Jumaanne Williams,
the son of Grenadian immigrants;
City Councilmember, Haitian Dr.
Mathieu Eugene, who represents
the 40th Council District in
Brooklyn; Dr. Roy Hastick, the
Grenadian-born president and
founder of the Brooklyn-based
Caribbean American Chamber
of Commerce and Industry
(CACCI); and Guyanese First
Lady Sandra Granger.
“Thank you for the expression
of our culture,” Mrs. Granger
told patrons at the pre-parade
breakfast.
After asking for a moment
of silence for the people of the
Bahamas affected by the devastation
wrought by Hurricane
Dorian, Dr. Hastick noted that
the West Indian American Day
Carnival Parade brings “billions
of dollars to the city.”
“I want to thank you for the
grand marshal bestowed on us
Caribbean L 38 ife, Sept. 6, 2019 BQ
Traven Kenzel plays mas with Ramajay.
Photo by Nelson A. King
today,” he added.
Williams said that being a
grand marshal meant “so much
to me as part of our culture in
the year of Trump.”
“Being a grand marshal is a
very important part of our culture,”
he said.
“We’re going to mash up the
parkway,” he exclaimed, waving
a miniature Grenadian flag.
Dr. Eugene thanked “all the
wonderful people who make
this parade successful,” he said.
“Regardless to where you come
from — Jamaica, Haiti for Trinidad
and Tobago — we all contribute
to the greatness of this
American city. We ought to cel-
Continued from Page 37
Cristopher Wilson (no costume) fl anked by masqueraders in Anonymous Mas’s “A Journey
Around the World: Tales of Africa.” Photo by Nelson A. King
UNDETERRED
Vincentian Gregory Boyea Dingolay’s “Enchanted”
costume. Photo by Nelson A. King
Guyanese Moeubefoluwa Pollydore and Trinidadian Jayda Stewart portray Anonymous
Mas’ “Heritage.” Left: Trinidadian Patrina St. Clair represents Labor Union 1199.
Photos by Nelson A. King
St. Lucian Roxii Smith and her eight-year-old daughter Bree
represent “Freaks Mas.” Photo by Nelson A. King