As a gospel singer, I have travelled to many places to share the good news with the world. However, my latest trip to Naples, Florida last weekend took a different twist. I participated in the Caribbean Cultural Festival, along with my friends, Dedrie Hanna and Domonic Moultrie. The festival was hosted by the Golden Gates Seventh Day Adventist Church as a fundraising initiative to build a new cathedral.
Since its inception ten years ago, the church functioned by leasing buildings from different churches that worship on Sundays and not on Saturdays. Last year's telethon on a local television station raised some $600,000 for the church, which allowed it to purchase its property and begin construction of a community center. By the time the church is completed, the value of the property would total an estimated $1.5 million.
The festival, however, was bigger than we all thought it would be, with hundreds of persons from throughout the Caribbean patronising what was deemed "A Taste of The Caribbean."
Jamaica, St. Lucia, Trinidad, The Bahamas, and the Mother Land, Africa, were very well represented as they shared their native dishes, culture, history and talents.
Although The Bahamas gave them a run for their money with a beautiful thatch palm booth, adorned with native straw work, straw dolls and delectable foods prepared the "Bahamian" way, The St. Lucian's stole the show with a dynamic and humorous skit in which they spoke their highly distinctive patois, and of course, they showcased their native dress, dances and glorious food.
The Jamaicans brought it home with a watered down version of dance hall reggae, and of course, their signature jerk chicken, ackee and codfish, callaloo fritters and others. The Trinidadians modelled their traditional native dress as well as their various kinds of formal attire. Representatives from Africa came up with a dish that I must admit, I was too scared to taste…….Cow's Feet….in gravy. Yet, others sampled it and concluded that it was surprisingly good but I passed.
Yet, it was easy to see the wonderful familiarity of each country with regard to style, patois or lingo, cultures and history. Sad to say, however, in keeping with the Bahamian culture, the Bahamians arrived late for this event….extremely late…….. but it seemed like the party just started when they arrived. We knew we were running late ….but we were in Walmart!!!! Yes, the Bahamians were shopping – shopping for the little extra things that would make our presentation one that would lure our Caribbean brothers and sisters to our shores.
We made our grand entrance from the back of the room, dancing to a song by The Brilanders as we proudly waved our Bahamian flag and placards featuring pictures of the national bird, the national flower, the national fish and the national tree.
After an eloquent introduction of Bahamian history by Domonic and the singing of the Bahamian national anthem, Dedrie, Jaquie Hart, Nicole Jennings, and I joined him as we free-styled a Bahamian skit (with songs) which had the audience rolling over in their seats. The skit was based around Kevan McKenzie's song 'Til Ya Dead.' The presentation should have climaxed with a mini Junkanoo rush out…..but even in America, the CD player still didn't work. So that was the end of that brilliant idea. Next time, we think we'll bring that 'lil fantastic group from the Junkanoo group Colours along.
So, we improvised and ended the segment with an accapella Negro spiritual which was well received by the crowd. Dedrie decorated the booth so beautifully that patrons took pictures of it as a Bahamian tourist attraction. They also came back for more of the Bahamian sweet and delicious daiquiri which Nicole made; the Bahamian style macaroni and cheese, and potato salad which I made (there was not a morsel left); cole slaw, and the sumptuous peas and rice which no-one can make like Jacquie; and of course the bird that almost put the flamingo out of business….the Bahamian chicken. Although a prominent realtor in Naples, Jacquie could leave that job any day to work in the five-star restaurants of The Bahamas.
Domonic said, " This was a unique experience. I actually felt like a real ambassador." But he was. " Speaking out in the front of all those people about the country I represented gave me a new appreciation for the Bahamas."
As for me, I always saw myself as an ambassador for this country whether I was singing in Jamaica, or Miami or Alabama or Chicago. It is my dream to let the world see that The Bahamas has much more to offer than just sun, sand and sea; a part from a unique charm, Bahamians are some of the most amicable, down-to-earth and talented people in the world and can hold its own, not only in the Caribbean, but on the world stage.
By: Vanessa C Rolle, The Nassau Guardian
