Salome Odeny, School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culture student

By Samuel Getachew

Canada’s largest festival, Toronto’s Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Toronto (Formally Scotiabank Caribana), will celebrate its 44th year this July.

For the second year in a row, Centennial College, through its award-winning School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culture department, will be an integral participant in the widely popular event. According to the college, “the partnership allows students to fulfill important cultural components of the program with the expert guidance of a specialist in Mas costume design and construction.”

Sway caught up with Steve McKinnon, a student of Centennial, and Verona Barclay, Chair of School of Hospitality,Tourism and Culture at Centennial, the duo behind the initiative to participate in Toronto’s great cultural event.

SG: Tell us about the two-year-old partnership between Centennial and the Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival?

This exciting partnership is the first time a college in Ontario has participated in the Caribbean Carnival in this manner. What is also unique about this partnership is that it is entirely a student initiative. Students from our School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culture built a showpiece costume that stood almost two storeys tall, debuting at the King and Queen Show and marquee parade.

SG: What has been the reception like among students so far. I have heard of many students of many backgrounds enjoyed the first experience last year?

The students who participated tremendously enjoyed the experience.  They were from diverse cultural backgrounds, yet the Caribbean Carnival is inclusive…you do not have to be from the Caribbean islands to participate and enjoy. The students worked under the continuous guidance and support from the costume designers at Tribal Knights Mas Camp. The student volunteers, who included some international visa students from China, created a rainforest-themed costume, which they say aligns with the School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culture’s mission to promote responsible and sustainable cultural heritage tourism.

The Caribbean Carnival costume was worn by Salome Odeny, a third-year Hospitality and Tourism Administration student. Odeny, who is from Kenya, had been working out in a gym just to be able to carry the 200-pound costume. Although our team didn’t win the competition, they received plenty of accolades and applause from the massive crowds. They also garnered the attention of CP24, which mentioned the college’s submission in its July 29 broadcast. By all accounts, Centennial’s first entry in the King and Queen event was a great success.

SG: How did a mere student idea become a reality?

The School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culture’s Dean Shyam Ranganathan and Tribal Knights’ costume designer Dexter Seusahai met and discussed the idea of a project. Volunteers were sought and the assembled team came up with a theme. “It is a rain-forest theme,” said Norine Bedminster, one of the Centennial student volunteers. The chosen theme and design aligns with the School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culture’s mission to promote responsible and sustainable cultural heritage tourism.

The costume weighs a whopping 200 pounds. “I am working out just to be able to carry this costume around at the parade,” says Salome Odeny, the student masquerader who wore the costume last year. Odeny, who is from Kenya, is a third-year Hospitality and Tourism Administration student at Centennial College. Canadian and international students at Centennial College teamed up together on the project. With initiatives such as this one, students learn how to work in teams towards common goals. They also knew it was an opportunity for international college students to practice their English language skills outside of an academic setting. These are some of the reasons they wanted the idea to work.

SG: What is the main objective of the partnership and what are you hoping to achieve in the long term?

This partnership further enables us to actively engage our students and the College as a whole with the greater community. The history and contributions of the Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival is profound and vital to the cultural diversity of Toronto. To look at its contributions and history is to be amazed to say the very least. The Festival – which celebrated its 43rd anniversary in 2010 – is the largest Caribbean festival in North America. Presented by the Festival Management Committee, the three-week festival attracts more than one million participants annually, including hundreds of thousands of American tourists. Drawing inspiration from the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival Festival falls around the anniversary of the emancipation from slavery in Trinidad on August 1, 1834. We are lucky to be its contributors.

SG – Any lasting words?

Last year’s chosen theme, titled “The Amazon Rainforest” aligned with the School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culture’s mission to promote responsible and sustainable tourism. Many students are even more excited with what this year has to offer them. This year’s theme for Centennial College with Tribal’s Knights will be the first time ever to be in a specific section “Legends of the Orient”. It will showcase our students craftsmanship, the ability to work together for a common goal and gives them the perspective on how to run a festival. For many of our international students, it has introduced them to the great rich diversity of Canada while helping them fulfill their promise as talented students.

By Darling Nicky

Ground Canada?

“I guess technically, airline service work is not an “essential” service. Or is it? Frequent fliers must think so.” via @darlingnicky999 on Twitter.

An airline without Customer Service agents is like a Burger King with no order takers.  If the strike by Air Canada Customer Service agents that officially started at midnight (June 14, 2011) when negotiations between the agents’ union and the airline failed to result in a mutually satisfying agreement lasts too long, Air Canada may become known as Ground Canada.

The whole panic that I saw ensue online at the looming strike of Canada’s largest airline got me thinking about what services we could live without, if for whatever reason they were unavailable to us.  As much as flying has become a part of normal bulk transportation, people could still get around by train, bus, or ship providing that arrival time was of little consequence.  We know that we can’t survive without health care workers, police officers, fire fighters and manicurists.  (Oops, those are essential, right?)

Listen, I don’t know about you – but those Customer Service agents are very significant to the overall flight experience!   After all, they are the ones that will encourage you to open up your bag right there at the luggage check-in to shift around those 5 extra pounds in order that you don’t have to pay for an extra piece of checked luggage, and they also have a really good time massacring your name – to the point where I actually had to check to see if the passport they were holding was still mine!

“I really hope Air Canada resolves this thing quickly, otherwise there will be a lot of disgruntled Super Elite Members. #milehigh #jussayin” via @darlingnicky999 on Twitter

#thatswhatshesaid

What’s In a Name?

“Today, the case brought by The CAG to prevent the FMC from proceeding with the former #Caribana festival will be seen by ON . Supreme Court.” via @darlingnicky999 on Twitter

A few weeks ago, when word got out that the name of the festival so lovingly known as “Caribana” by North Americans would now be called “Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Toronto”, people scratched their head, laughed at the new mouthful, and carried on preparing for the annual Caribbean festival that takes place on Simcoe Weekend here in Toronto.

While the FMC (Festival Management Committee) appears to be doing whatever it takes to save the festival, the founding group, now known as the CAG (Caribbean Arts Group) have a case strong enough to fight the use of the name, the concept and even the weekend that the festival takes place on; that a another date (today June 14, 2011) was set by a judge to hear the rest of the case for an injunction.

While from a legal perspective, they may very well have a strong case, from a cultural standpoint – this discord about the largest North American festival that celebrates Caribbean culture is very defeating.  At a grassroots level, the 15 participating Mas Bands in the city are in full throttle, having all launched their costumes, and are now in production mode.  So…what exactly are tens of thousands of masqueraders supposed to do with their beautiful costumes if there is no festival?  Where else am I going to see Toronto’s finest dancing on the sidelines in full uniform?  Where else is a woman going to be surrounded by visiting American tourists and featured on random YouTube videos entitled, “My Caribana was the bomb.com”?

This festival, formerly known as “Caribana”, now known as “Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Toronto” is not just a huge economic stimulus for the city; it is something that Caribbean residents here in the GTA take pride and ownership in because it celebrates the beauty,  and culture of a people who love life, and want to share that with the World.

Besides, don’t you want to eat a roti with 1.4 million other people ‘pon di side ah di road?

“On behalf of #Carnival enthusiasts – you could call it “Winin’ on Anyting”, and move it to Bowmanville – festival still needs to happen.” via @darlingnicky999 on Twitter

#thatswhatshesaid

 

July 31, 2010 Caribana revelers enjoy the 43rd annual parade along Lake Shore Blvd. Toronto Star/Andrew Wallace

Henry Stancu
Staff Reporter

Caribana, the celebration of Caribbean culture that brings more than a million people to the streets of Toronto each summer, has a new name.

The festival will now be known as the Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Toronto, organizers announced Wednesday.

The name change, ordered earlier this month by the Ontario Superior Court, is the latest in a long-running battle over the massively popular festival.

The name “Caribana” is trademarked by the Caribana Arts Group (CAG), the successor of the Caribbean Cultural Committee (CCC), which founded the festival in 1967 but lost control in 2006.

That’s when the city and province cut funding after organizers failed to produce adequate financial statements. Control was transferred to the newly created Festival Management Committee (FMC).

After the transfer, the festival was officially called the Toronto Caribbean Carnival.

The FMC has said nothing but Caribana’s name will change, much to the consternation of the CAG, which claims the festival itself is the group’s intellectual property. The group’s chair, Henry Gomez, said they’re prepared to go to court again unless FMC acknowledges CAG’s ownership.

In 2009, the festival attracted 1.2 million people, including 300,000 from outside the country, and helped fill 85 per cent of Toronto’s hotel rooms. That year, the festival generated $483 million for the provincial economy.

But last year, an expected $600,000 in federal and provincial grants didn’t come through. The festival’s budget decreased from $2.6 million to $1.8 million.

originally published on thestar.com

 

The popular Caribana festival can no longer use the name because it is trademarked by a group that founded the event but no longer runs it. Photo by Colin O'Connor/TORONTO STAR

Dan Robson and Nicki Thomas

Staff Reporters, Toronto Star

For now, just call it the festival formerly known as Caribana.

Toronto’s massive mid-summer Caribbean celebration is being renamed.

Last Thursday, the Ontario Superior Court ruled that it can no longer use the name Caribana because it is trademarked by a group that founded the festival, but no longer runs it.

“There is no change to the festival,” said Chris Alexander, chief administrative officer of the Festival Management Committee, which has run Caribana for the past five years. “The only thing that has changed is the name.

“And people will still call it that.”

But behind the Caribana name change, there’s an ongoing struggle for control over the massively popular celebration.

In 2006, the city and province cut funding to Caribana after organizers failed to produce adequate financial statements.

Control was transferred from the Caribbean Cultural Committee (CCC), which started the festival in 1967, to the newly created Festival Management Committee (FMC).

After the transfer, the festival was officially called the Toronto Caribbean Carnival.

In 2007, Alexander said, the FMC was given permission to use the Caribana name by lawyer Charlie Roach, then chair of the CCC. (The Star was unable to reach Roach for comment.)

But the Caribana trademark remains with the Caribana Arts Group, successor of the founding organization.

Henry Gomez, the Caribana Arts Group’s current chair, said the organization was forced to take the FMC to court because control of the cultural tradition had been stripped from their hands.

“(The FMC) were supposed to run the festival for one year only,” he said. “Since 2007, we’ve made innumerable attempts, but they’ve refused to acknowledge our ownership.

“We created it, conceptualized, nurtured, managed and produced it for 39 years. And we still own it.”

While plans are still in place to run Caribana under a new name this summer, Gomez said the Caribana Arts Group will do everything in its power to prevent the festival from going forward.

“Caribana by any other name is still Caribana,” said Gomez, calling the festival the intellectual properly of his group. “We will fight vigorously against any theft by sleight of hand, because that’s what it would become if they tried to pass it off.

“I must stress,” he continued. “Should a group treat us with the respect of our rights of ownership . . . we would see what is possible.”

According to Alexander, the Caribana Arts Group has asked for $250,000 from the FMC to use the Caribana name. Gomez wouldn’t comment on the specifics of what an agreement would look like.

Alexander said Caribana has flourished under the FMC’s leadership, expanding into new events and operating as a sustainable business.

An Ipsos Reid study released last April showed Caribana generated $483 million for the provincial economy in 2009, drawing about 1.2 million festival-goers, including 300,000 from outside the country.

But last year, an expected $600,000 in federal and provincial grants didn’t come through. The festival’s budget decreased from $2.6 million to $1.8 million.

Organizers plan to announce a new name next Wednesday.

Originally published on thestar.com Tuesday May 17

Click here for backstage pics from the King & Queen Show.

Christina Thomas, 2, dances at De Scotiabank Caribana Lime. Toronto Star/Andrew Wallace

Two-year-old Christina Thomas went to De Caribana Lime party at Ontario Place and, oh yes, she brought the cute.

Big brown eyes, brown dress down to chubby knees, hands in the air, distracted only for a moment by the puddle a few feet away.

When the beautiful lady singing on stage, Rita Jones of the Roy Cape All Stars, pointed to her own derriere and instructed the crowd to “Move it any way you know how to move it,” little Christina did just that.

For Christina’s clan, the annual Caribana festival doubles as a family reunion.

“Every year, we all come to Caribana,” said Christina’s aunt, Judy Cushnie of Markham. That’s nine sisters and one brother, along with their assorted partners and children.

“I like to see all the people, all ages, all nationalities, under one roof having fun,” Judy’s sister Lorraine Thomas chimed in.

Even better when the roof is a blazing blue sky on a hot summer day.

Another sister, Doreen Whittingham, makes the trip every year that she can from Cleveland, Ohio. “I love it 100 per cent,” she said.

The parade on Saturday, of course, is Whittingham’s favourite part, but she does prefer the lime – a more-laid back party – at Ontario Place, rather than Centre Island. The event moved over last year.

Caribana’s raucous parade typically grabs the spotlight. But the lime is meant to give visitors another taste of Caribbean culture. The air pounds with steel pan, soca, and reggae, and there are long lines for jerk chicken, oxtail, and doubles.

New to the event this year was the Caribbean Food Festival, offering more delicacies from celebrity chefs from Trinidad & Tobago, Cuba, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and Guyana.

The Bahamas Junkanoo Players opened the lime, heralding their first official appearance at a Caribana event.

“They wanted to invite the other islands,” said Denise Huyler, a member of the mas band, clad in felt, beads, and feathers. “It’s another flavour. Caribana is growing.”

The band played cowbells, goatskin drums, and a tuba, while Huyler kept them in time with her whistle and the stomp of her feet. Next year, the band hopes to join in the Caribana parade.

Homeira Ahmadi, visiting for just four days from Iran, delighted in her good luck. She had no idea about De Lime, but came down after the hotel concierge suggested she might like to see it.

“It’s amazing, the singing, the dancing. I like it all,” she said, eyes wide as she looked around.

Ahmadi had her picture taken with a Bahamas Junkanoo, then for fun, tried on his headpiece, too.

Food, music and dance were set to last through the early evening.

By mid-afternoon, the crowd was filling in nicely. Trinidadian soca star Shurwayne Winchester took to the stage and bawled “Look, the band coming,” before hopping down in front to demonstrate some dance moves.

He was just getting warmed up. “We takin’ the tempo up right now. Let’s see how much energy you really got.”

July 31, 2010 Caribana revelers enjoy the 43rd annual parade along Lake Shore Blvd. The sights and sounds of Saturday's Caribana parade were enough to bring a smile to any face - as were events leading up to the parade. Toronto Star/Andrew Wallace

The costumes, for many, are the highlight

The sights and sounds of Saturday’s Caribana parade were enough to bring a smile to any face.

Especially one covered in sparkles.

“She likes to dance,” Latasha Coombs said, smiling with glittery lips as her one year old daughter did her best booty shake between swigs of her sippy cup.

Heaven Tyrell was decked out in a full red and gold costume just like her mom for her very first Caribana.

Three generations of the family were waiting for the parade to begin in the Exhibition Place parking lot. The lot was filled with colourful masqueraders dancing non-stop among discarded chicken bones and water bottles. Coombs’ aunt Cherry-Ann Baird didn’t mind the wait. She was happy to be “listening to the music, dancing and having a good time” with her family.

“It’s not fun unless you’re in costume,” she said.

Although many of the spectators gyrating on the sidelines would disagree, it’s hard to argue with head-to-toe fabulousness.

Standing in the shade of an ice cream truck, Shiloh Williams, 5, wore a headdress she was given at last years parade. “That’s my favourite part,” she said as three women walked by covered in glitter and not much else.

Masini McDermott, 16, was in her first Caribana when she was two months old. As she waited to “flaunt it” in front of the judges, she said soca music fills her with a rush of adrenalin. “It’s the best time of my life” she said.

She had no trouble talking over the beats.

“We’re very loud when it comes to Caribana,” she said.

The parade began at 10 a.m. from Exhibition Place and headed west along Lake Shore Blvd. W. to Parkside Dr.

Outgoing CEO Joe Halstead said it was a great send-off for his final year at the helm. But he wouldn’t pick a favourite mas band.

“They’re all worthy competitors,” he said pointing to the dancers jumping at the judge’s stage. “Just look at the imagination and the creativity. They’re all so different. They’ve put so much thought into it.”

Although some spectators said it didn’t seem as busy as usual, organizers said the crowd was bigger than last year, when they pegged the number of revelers at 1-1.2 million. Crowd numbers are difficult to estimate because there is no easy way to count the legions of people along the parade’s route.

A police officer watching the parade said it looked like a third of the city came out. An officer at police headquarters said “thousands” were on hand, with no incidents, just “lots of partying.”

The partying even led some people to ignore the fences along the parade route. The fences were erected to keep spectators and dancers separate.

Caribana spokesman Stephen Weir said some spectators and dancers who had already finished were mingling near the end of the parade route, making it difficult for mas bands to get through.

Featherless federal Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff could be seen near the fence giving high fives.

Earlier in the day, a very warm-looking George Smitherman, also featherless, tried to keep up with his mas band as he greeted people on the other side of the fence.

Smitherman and his crew had purple shirts and “Jump up for George” signs.

“Who wants beads?” the mayoral hopeful shouted.

Everyone.

This is Caribana after all.

It’s the much anticipated jump off to Caribana weekend and Thursday night’s King and Queen Show did not disappoint.  Sounds and smells of the Caribbean filled the air above Lamport Stadium as fans quickly filled the seats for an evening of high drama and high fashion – literally. 

Eve in the Golden Garden of Eden

Rodeo Dreams

For many of the night’s contestants, playing mas was all about family pride – celebrating Caribbean heritage. Sway caught up with a few of the male and female individual competitors backstage.  

Shane, who competed as the Gladiator’s Maximus for Tribal Knights’ Hollywood Glitz and Glamour theme, has been with the band five years, but he’s been playing Caribana for 23.  ”Since I was 13. This is our culture, and I’ll pass it on to my children.”  Shane said his five-year-old daughter is just starting to get into the festivities. “It’s a labour of love, definitely,” says Shane.  He designed and constructed his own costume for the competition. 

Camille, 18,  represented Pleasure Players in a bright yellow Indian sari.  She’s been playing Caribana with the same band for over 16 years.  As far as she’s concerned, there’s nothing not to like about mas.  “Meeting new people every year, the beautiful costumes, the competition…everything.  I just like dancing and Caribana. I’m celebrating my culture.”

For Nicholas, 2010 is a year of firsts.  ”It’s time for a change, time for something new.” The Louis Saldenah reveller was completely new to the mas experience.  “This is my first year with the band – first year, actually playing male individual for a King and Queen show.”  For the rest of Caribana 2010, he can celebrate another first.   First place in the male individual competition.

The 70s came back with a vengeance when Albert hit the stage for a disco routine complete with ’fro, cape and bellbottoms.  The 23-year-old said he was hand-picked by Jamaal Magloire and has been playing mas since he was 6 or 7 years old.  “It is a family thing.  When you’re Trini, it has to be a family thing.”

Ladies and Gentleman, your King and Queen….

Dexter Seusahai, “Predator Returns”
Pat Horsham, “D’Chandelier – A Portrait in Crystal”

“Although the Toronto Police Service has been involved with the Caribana community for quite some time, we decided it was time to take things a step further,” says 53 Division superintendent Sam Fernandes. “This is the first time we decided to get involved with the mas band, where we get young kids to design and develop their own costumes.”

Caribana fever has indeed infected the boys in blue, making the generally-stern officers share smiles in anticipation of the big day. Officer Rodcliff Chung, a constable with the mobilization unit, was especially happy to see the children’s enthusiasm. “It really makes me feel good,” he says. “I just have a passion to work with kids. I love to see kids smile, be happy and involved. Getting the children involved means more than playing mas for the day and more than having pizza once the day’s work is over.”

Chris Campbell is a member of the Carpenters and Allied Workers union, which financially supports this new initiative. He agrees that a long-term cultural engagement strategy must be in place if children from at-risk areas like Jane and Finch are to become successful community contributors. “This will help the kids in the long run because it will keep them in tune with their history, their culture, and where they’re coming from,” Campbell says.

“It makes sense that if you are from the Caribbean and there’s a Caribana event, you encourage your kids to participate and be a part of it. It just goes to show that as much as it takes a community to make children’s costumes, it also takes the entire community working together to build their future.”

Lekesha Barry
Age: 39
Toronto
I think it will be the Toronto Revellers, all the way! They always have really, really good costumes. Their theme for this year is “Disco Fever.” I love that because it makes me think back to my parents playing all kind of disco records and dressing up real funky.

Shawn Hart
Age: 15
Pickering
I will say that the winner will be Tru Dynasty. They are a younger type of band and they represent the next generation of Caribana. The theme is “Fever” and if you saw the costumes, you would know that it is going to be hot, hot, hot!

Cheryl Clarke
Age: “Mind ya business”
Brampton
I am a diva at heart. So, for me, there is only one band that can take the crown: Tribal Knights. They are doing “Hollywood: Glitz and Glamour” as a theme. So, if you want to jump up while still holding down your inner diva, Knights is the way
to go.

Akua Delfish
Age: “Um, yeah”
Toronto
I think Carnival Nationz is going to win. They have a track record of success and they won last year. This year, they have a legendary theme: “Sparrow D Legend.” It pays respect to The Mighty Sparrow, also known as the Calypso King of the World. How can they lose?