(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) CARIFESTA X comes home to Guyana, its place of birth, on August 22, 2008.
Large birds will fly; horses from Guyanas Rupununi region will dance; Jaguars will prowl; people will land from the sky; glyphs and nymphs will leap from the stadium floor as over three thousand performers transform a cricket ground into a Caribbean world of magnificence.
All these elements will come together in Celegacy.
Celegacy, the name given to the opening of the event is a compression of the words “celebrate” and “legacy”. The grand flagship event will set the tone for the premier festival of the arts set for August 22-31, 2008. It is also expected to project the Caribbean to the world as an important producer of cultural products.
Celegacy seeks to trace the magnificence of the Caribbean in its many aspects. From the diverse origins of its many beautiful peoples to the vast natural resources resident in the Region and the important philosophical contributions that the Region has made to Caribbean and world culture – a magical moment will unfold.
The event will begin with a parachute jumping display which will be put on by members of the Guyana Defence Force. This will be followed by a formal Celegacy.
One should expect a big experience – big as befits Guyana, the Festival’s host country. The show will take place at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence on the East Bank of the Demerara River. The Stadium seats fifteen thousand and has a vast arena with a circumference of some five hundred yards. This arena is the main performance area.
Performance highlights include one thousand children presenting a taste of Guyana segment, a combined children’s choir of more than three hundred voices presenting a taste of the Caribbean and stellar performances from Caribbean icons such as the Yoruba Singers, Dave Martins, Black Stalin, Rikki Jai, the AlaKondre Drum Orchestra from Suriname and Malik performers from Trinidad and Tobago. Guyana’s National Dance Company and a combined Indian dance company of more than one hundred dancers will also perform.
The actual staging of the event will present innovations in spatial use which are expected to be one of the legacies of CARIFESTA X.
Another CARIFESTA X innovation is the combined dance and musical performances of participating countries. This is being done to preserve and highlight the ‘Caribbeaness’ of the show. It allows the highest level of performance participation in a CARIFESTA opening of both local and regional performers ever.
“Celegacy” will be declared open by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Guyana while Suriname’s President, His Excellency Ronald Runaldo Venetiaan, who has lead responsibility for Community Development and Cultural Co-operation in the Quasi-Cabinet of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, His Excellency Edwin Carrington, the Secretary General of the Caribbean Community, and Guyana’s Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony will also speak.
The show was conceived and is being directed by CARIFESTA X’s Artistic Director, Guyana’s Dr. Paloma Mohamed, the youngest and first female Artistic Director of any CARIFESTA so far.
Dr Mohamed is working with a huge staff of Guyana’s best technical personnel to realize her concept. These include Director of the National Dance School Ms. Linda Griffith, Musical Directors Deputy Commissioner, Cecil Bovell and Trevor John, Desiree Whyle, Director of the Allied Arts Unit of the Ministry of Education, Marilyn Dewar, Megan Duke, Ron Robinson, Vindi and Trishala Persaud, Ronald Sagar, Norman Dos Ramos Nizam Bacchus and Rudy Saul. Designers Sonia Noel and Michelle Cole as well as Trevor Rose are developing costumes and moving elements. Gerry Gittens and large team are producing mechanical elements while Gem Madhoo-Nascimento manages the production.
Celegacy will be televised live from Guyana from 7pm to 9pm on August 22. A free live satellite feed is available for all stations and persons who wish to broadcast or view the proceedings.
