Above: Stilt walkers were part of the fun at the carnival parade on Sunday along Constant Spring Road, St. Andrew. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer ON A cloudless Sunday, revellers, supporters and curious onlookers took to the streets of St. Andrew as Bacchanal Jamaica put on their carnival parade. Some 1500 revellers in seven costumed groups, jumped and wined to the soca beat from Mona to Oxford Roadin St. Andrew.
Unlike previous years when two different carnival groups took to the streets, Byron Lee's Jamaica Carnival group was absent. They say they will be back next year, 'With a spectacle unlike anything that has ever been seen in the island before'.
Without the additional carnival jumpers, the groups Fancy Fauna, Wild Orchid, Wild Canary, Silver Moon, River Bamboo, Fire Storm, the Curaçao Crew and the body painted posse left their Mona Road starting point at 10:30 a.m. despite the fact that not all members of the band were present.
From then on to Oxford Road it was pure 'Bacchanal'.
By the time the groups had their lunch break along Argyle Road, a crowd had converged on nearby Trafalgar Road waiting for the road march to continue. It was during this period that Reggae Boyz mascot Tiger made his entrance, much to the dismay of some onlookers.
Dressed in a platinum blonde wing, jewelled drop earrings, a denim jacket, white bra top, denim mini skirt, white pantyhose and heels, Tiger marched, with a large boisterous crowd following him. He stopped for the cameras and waved to his fans. He even hugged a security guard. "For my fans!" Tiger shouted, "I love you all!"
Then, he turned to his followers, "Oonu ready... awright, come mek wi go roun deh." With that, the group made their way on to Argyle Road.
REPENT
Not everyone, however, had the carnival spirit.
Along Trafalgar Road, a woman held a sign above her head which read, 'Repent, Jesus Soon Come'. The woman, Rosetta Williams, said Carnival was evidence of the moral decline of our society. "It is really sad to see how our morals have declined over the years," she said. "Today, you have half-naked people 'wining' up themselves on the road. This is against God's plan. He did speak to revellers as being among the unrighteous."
There were also bikers along Trafalgar Road. A group of six young men, rode up and down and did 'wheelies' through the police barricades. "We do it to provide entertainment," a member of the group said, explaining their actions.
It seemed that few agreed with them. A woman who stood on the sidewalk watching said, "I wish dem woulda drop off a di bike."
A man who stood next to her said in a heavy English accent, "In Britain, you would never see that. The police would have stopped them."
The woman replied, "Well love, this is not Britain. Our police don't see anything."
EAGER REVELLERS
By 1:35 p.m. the bands had made their way onto Trafalgar Road and the bystanders joined in. Eager revellers ran alongside the bands while some started dancing as the floats leading each band passed along the way. Others stood watching and pointing at anything unusual.
In one instance, two members of the Silver Moon Band stopped to dance with each other along the way. "Mummy, mummy watch deh," a child pointed as the male dancer sprayed water from a plastic bag onto his partner's genitals. His partner responded by spreading her legs wider as onlookers, adults and children alike, cheered them on.
By the time the road march got to West Kings House Road, the heat had begun to take its toll on many of the revellers. Most were seen buying water from vendors. "Bwoy, business good so far. We a gwaan walk wid dem till we sell off," said a vendor who would not give his name. "So far, tings a gwaan good but not as good as last year."
BROKE OUT DANCING
By the time the revellers had reached Half-Way Tree, scores of onlookers joined in the fun. People who tried to head westerly along Constant Spring Road found it impossible as males and females alike held each other and broke out dancing to Elephant Man's Pon Di River Pon Di Bank.
Warnings that the people should not come close to the wheels of the Beer Vibes truck, from which the music emanated, fell on deaf ears. It took the mounted police and the marshalls to clear the way.
"Mi a go wid deh truck here cause it a play music wha mi like," one girl said to her friend. Her friend, who was apparently trying to avoid a man who was busy trying to steal a 'wine', stopped to hear what she had said. However, she did not repeat as Vybz Kartel's Shelly started thumping from the speakers, sending the crowd wild.
Mitsy, a reveller, said she has been participating in the road march for years. "It's my time for exercise and it shows how fit you are so every year I do it," she said as she ran off when another dancehall song started to play.
By the time the parade had reached Mas Camp, many of the revellers were walking. The onlookers tried to make their way into the venue but beat a hasty retreat to the free concert in New Kingston when they were told they had to pay to get in.
