Summer months in the Caribbean means Carnival! No matter which of the islands they all feature feathers, colorful costumes, acres of flesh, lots of bling and music.
We were fortunate enough to witness carnival in St. Vincent and later in Grenada. The size of the costumes and the events vary but every event has one consistent theme. Music! Trucks loaded with speakers crank up the volume and the beat until feet, head and body succumb to the pull. Like the pied piper they lead the revelers through the streets, in a dazzling, pulsing mass the revelers dance until they can dance no more.
The pull of the Caribbean Soca music is strong even to those who grew up far away from these shores. It seems no one can resist the beat; even the little ones have all the moves down by the time they can walk. Maybe the early practice develops flexibility in the hips and lower spine, as Soca seems to require an advanced degree of flexibility.
We captured a few clips during St. Vincent’s Vincy Mas celebration, including a few clips that appear a little racy. You have to watch this to see what we mean, especially towards the end.
Strangely enough when we asked the locals if this was as sexual as it looked, the response was “No, its just dancing”. It may be just dancing but the clubs fill on the weekends, as everyone gets dressed up and goes dancing!
Personally I’ll stick to the steel bands the pulse is just as insistent and as impressive, especially when delivered by these teenage bands. Whom we spotted doing a few practice runs before competing in Grenada’s Steel band contest.
If I had to sum up the Caribbean in one word, it would have to be Music. No event is complete without it and it pours from truck-sized speakers, doorways, cars, boats and the local buses. Loving it!
