If there was a Junior Carnival Road March, it would be Mical Teja’s (Williams) runaway hit DNA.
The song was the most frequently played as thousands of costumed children danced across the stage at the Junior Parade of the Bands at Carnival City at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain on Saturday.
[caption id="attachment_1062927" align="alignnone" width="969"] Blue Devil Come to Town from Kadisha and Kids. - ROGER JACOB[/caption]
Carnival Contract by Bunji Garlin would be second, with Nailah Blackman and Lyrikal’s Best Self and Patrice Roberts’ Anxiety roadmix placing third.
At the start of the parade National Carnival Commission chairman Winston “Gypsy” Peters told the children playing mas was a beautiful and powerful experience.
[caption id="attachment_1062926" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Fun Time Mas Production with Weakness for Sweetness. - ROGER JACOB[/caption]
“Remember that it is your time to enjoy yourselves. It is your time to be happy. It is your time to show the world where our Carnival resides – it resides in the children.”
TT Carnival Bands Association vice president Rosalind Gabriel stressed the Junior Parade of the Band was a celebration of youth, culture and vibrant creativity, and wished them joy, camaraderie and many good memories.
[caption id="attachment_1062925" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Bois Canot Junior Carnival Band's presentation of Mauvais Langue 2. - ROGER JACOB[/caption]
From 12.30-2 pm, 36 bands crossed the stage at the savannah. Other than two long gaps between bands near the start of the parade, bands moved smoothly and quickly across the stage. In fact, some of the bands barely spent time on the stage, not getting much time to jump up before officials were gently asking them to leave and make way for another band.
Yet, the move was understandable as the parade, scheduled for 9 am, began at 10.30 am. Also, there was a total of 71 registered bands and the National Panorama Finals were expected to begin at the savannah at 7pm.
Last year, Pan Trinbago president Beverly Ramsey-Moore blamed the late start of the Panorama Finals on the Junior Parade, saying the parade’s late conclusion on Carnival Saturday delayed a security sweep which delayed the start of the pan competition.
[caption id="attachment_1062928" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Ecckle's Village and Friends' presentation of Hello Africa. - ROGER JACOB[/caption]
She recommended the NCC find a way to deal with the “clash” of having both competitions at the same venue on the same day.
While Peters said he would consider a proposal to relocate the Junior Parade in the future, Gabriel said she would oppose any move to do so saying children needed their time too.
As expected, the mas was very colourful and the children seemed to enjoy their brief stints on stage. There were traditional mas characters such as the moko jumbie, dame Lorraine, blue devils and fancy Indians. There were also representations of nature as well as cultural individuals, dances and places.
[caption id="attachment_10
