Let’s address the elephant in the room…

On March 14th, The Tribune posted an article discussing a one-sided view of Bahamas Carnival, stating that feelings are “split on the future of carnival” … and well, I have a few things to say about that.

The idea of split feelings implies that two sides of the issue were explored and addressed, however, the article clearly only cited one side of the coin. Those of us truly involved in carnival, know and understand that the carnival product includes both the road march and the events leading up to and around “the road”. So how can you speak on the future of carnival, and not include all parties involved?

Carnival chasers, as we like to dub ourselves, are those of us that attend yearly carnivals around the world. We sit down year after year and look at carnival calendars, we look at our available paid time off and work creatively to maximize our days off to attend as many carnivals as possible. Some of us attend the same carnivals yearly, ensuring that our time off is booked well in advance so that we can enjoy the entire carnival experience. This experience includes the fetes, j’ouvert, the road and all that the destination has to offer. That being said, the article focused only on the Bahamas Carnival road march, quoting people currently involved in the production of that ONE area of carnival, and even some that are no longer involved…yet, the promoters, responsible for the events that make up the rest of the carnival product, were not given a chance to share the other side of the future of carnival in The Bahamas. A future that is alive and well.

Many of us involved in the production of these events have worked tirelessly since the beginning of carnival in 2015 to produce quality events that rival those found in the more established carnivals around the world. These events are well attended and praised by their patrons each year. The events that have become the cornerstone of Bahamas Carnival have seen continuous and considerable growth, even after COVID, which threatened the carnival experience around the world. So, for people to speak on the future of carnival, without understanding and appreciating the entirety of the product is biased and unfair.

Many of its critics often discuss the fact that carnival isn’t inherently Bahamian, so why try to make it a part of the Bahamian landscape? Carnival originated as a celebration of rebellion against enslavement in the late 18th century in Trinidad and Tobago and has evolved into a celebration of culture and freedom around the Caribbean and the Caribbean diaspora around the world[1]. Does this sound familiar? It should. Junkanoo, which is often used as a counterargument against carnival in The Bahamas, has similar roots. “Junkanoo celebrations have been held—and are still held—across the British Caribbean and Southern United States, from the Cayman Islands to South Carolina. In Bermuda, it is known as Goombay or Gumbay. In the Bahamas, the tradition dates back to when enslavers gave their slaves a day off during the holidays as reprieve. Enslaved people often used this time for celebration and subtle protest, creating the foundation for Junkanoo as both a fete honoring the African diaspora and a form of resistance.”[2]

Today both Carnival and Junkanoo are celebrations of culture, identity and resilience, and more practically a way to boost the local economy. So, while the argument against carnival continues to be made, why not embrace the experience as another way to celebrate and unite people, rather than divide?

Not convinced yet? Let me paint a different picture for you. The carnival product attracts local and international markets. When people come to The Bahamas for carnival, they spend their dollars locally. They support local entrepreneurs, they pay for lodging, pay for transportation, buy food, explore cultural spots and often return to a beautiful island nation with many things to offer. In Toronto, it is estimated that Toronto Carnival brings an estimated $388 million to the Ontario economy each year[3]. And hey, Carnival is not inherently Canadian either…so why not focus on the potentially significant economic impacts that Bahamas Carnival can have on the Bahamian economy?

The point that I’m trying to make here is that Carnival has great potential. The feelings about the future of carnival should not be split, rather we should be working together to make carnival great again…

Yours in mas,

Bahamas Carnival Guide

[1] Carnival’s Indigenous Origins

[2] What To Know About the History of Jukanoo

[3] Government of Canada invests $1 million to support return of Toronto Caribbean Carnival