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The dream of a carnival in Jamaica was just a seed in the mind of Byron Lee, who strongly believed that soca music with its free flowing expression would certainly capture the hearts of the Jamaicans along the roads of Kingston. |
In 1989, along with a small band initiated this mas festival in the island of Jamaica no doubt unites the people musically, culturally and socially. As Byron rightly guessed that as when people see the costumes, hear the music, feel the spirit they will jump to enjoy ,thousands of Jamaicans come together to celebrate their lives.
The joy of carnival finds no boundaries in the roads of Jamaica and the event is staged peacefully for the past 12 years that there is no report of theft or violence in any part of the island. On the carnival day, the Jamaican people, the young and the old alike, the black and white, Indian and Chinese, rich and poor march along the roads singing and laughing sharing the moments of joy . Carnival in Jamaica now opens door to such camaraderie which allows spiritual freedom.
Today this carnival has established itself as the Kingston Premier Metropolitan festival. The Adult Road Parade marks the culmination of three month long carnival activities. Before 1990, the carnival fetes were held annually but accessible only to a small number of people. Byron Lee initiated that no gate charge be collected to join the road parade and he commented,” This is where the true artistry of masqueraders can be seen”. “Byron Lee’s most ambitious dream, Revellers, took to the streets, and Jamaica may never be the same again”, wrote noted Entertainment Journalist G.Fitz Bartley.
Escalation of Carnival
In 1990, nearly 1400 costumed masqueraders took to the streets and it was a treat to the Jamaicans for over six hours. In the present days of the carnival, thousands of people line the streets to watch the parade, thousands of people watch the parade in the television sets from home, and some more dare to join the parade at Half Way Tree. In 1990, some 20,000 unofficial revellers joined the parade at Half Way Tree and tripped behind the truck to Liquanea. After ten years in 2000, nearly 70,000 joined the parade at Half Way Tree behind the Byron Lee and the Dragonaires truck. This is the official point of convergence of masqueraders and non masqueraders. An estimated 100,000 persons attended Liquanea Park for the viewing of the costumes across the stage.
Over the past 12 years the Carnival has undergone remarkable growth with the emerging of local designers and other mas camps. Jamaicans are exposed to the steel pan which is an integral part of the carnival in Trinidad and Tobago. Jamaicans now enjoy the top steel bands such as Renegades, exodus and Neal and Massey all stars. Today the carnival is expanded to cover the entire island. The areas such as Montego Bay, Negril, Mandeville and May Pen were introduced to their own brand of Jamaica carnival. The Soca monarch competition is held wherein the winner has the chance to enter the international soca monarch competition. The carnival city, the new home to the Jamaica carnival is also opened now.
