Calgary Carifest honours Caribbean culture as thousands gather to celebrate
A couple thousand Calgarians wore colourful costumes, played traditional music and danced for hours in the downtown streets Saturday morning to celebrate Caribbean culture.
The 2022 Carifest showcased several cultural groups from Jamaica to Grenada, Trinidad & Tobago, Brazil and beyond as they paraded from Olympic Plaza all the way to Shaw Millennium Park.
Billed as the city’s largest festival, spokesperson Sabrina Naz Comanescu says she’s overwhelmed by the community support after two years of cancelled events due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It means the world that we were able to be back on the road with all the bands, all the revelers, and all the good vibes,” she said.
“This absolutely characterizes a time for multiculturalism, but especially an eye on Caribbean culture.”
The event was particularly important for members of the Jamaican Canadian Association of Alberta as they recently celebrated the 60 year anniversary of the country’s independence from Britain on Aug. 6.
“How can you not have a smile on your face? This is freedom of 60 years of independence and you can't put a price on that,” said Ashford Baker of Calgary’s Jamaican community.
“I'll tell you something my friend, when the music hits you, you feel no pain. I think that's what we needed to kind of get through this and to bring us all back together again to share this as one.”
Many different cultural organizations took part in the event with the vast majority dancing to the sweet sounds of Soca music which is a mixture of Calypso, soul, West African, East Indian and Latin influences.
Perhaps the most exciting dance however was called the ‘Jab Jab’.
The Grenada-based dance is a celebration of the emancipation of slaves.
Namika Reuben could be seen covered in black paint alongside others with scary masks to signify the important historical event.
“It was first started with the slave masters, they used to take molasses and paint their bodies to mark the slave,” he said.
“So after emancipation the freed slaves took it a bit further and turned it into an emancipation celebration. In today's world, we use it more often to actually express our true freedom.”
Plenty of vendors also took part in the event which will run until 8 p.m. Saturday at Shaw Millennium Park.
The evening will include performances from international Soca artist, Patrice Roberts along with Steele & the Hardcore Reggae Band from Toronto.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre will do 'anything to win,' must condemn Alex Jones endorsement: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery caught on video
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.