PICTURED ABOVE : Wesley Hall students cant wait to parade Saturday.
History and dancing, science and design, folktale and glitter.
These odd combinations will make for a spectacular show at the Sunshine
Snacks Junior Kadooment’s kaleidoscope of colour and movement in
various disciplines take place at National Botanical Gardens at 9 a.m. on
Saturday.
For students of nine primary schools and one secondary schools, the
academic year may have ended, but learning certainly has not for the
summer holiday. The primary schools are: Arthur Smith, George Lamming,
Elliot Belgrave, Roland Edwards, Eagle Hall, Selah, Hindsbury, Ellerton
and Wesley Hall. The secondary schools is: Springer Memorial.
Participants in the Sunshine Snacks Junior Kadooment will unveil all
they learnt after months of preparation through training and research
facilitated by the National Cultural Foundation’s Universal Cereal
SigniaGlobe Financial Junior Costume Programme. The Kiddies
segment of the national parade will match the Grand Kadooment display
of Barbadian history and cultural practices as the Crop Over Festival
swings into full gear.
Flag girl at Wesley Hall Primary practising. 
George Lamming Primary students gearing up for Junior Kadooment. 
Hindsbury Primary is ready for the road. 
Students of George Lamming Primary rehearsing ahead of Saturday’s parade.
Since 2002, the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational
Training has endorsed the NCF programme which is geared towards
attracting interest from schools in preserving the world-renowned festival
and developing talents at all levels.
Chief Cultural Officer of the NCF Andrea Wells notes: “This is how you
guarantee the continuance of strong traditions – by training and investing in
the youth.”
The programme’s aim is to teach students, parents and teachers the
elements of costume design and production by assigning a local designer
to each registered school. From there, through the collaborative effort
between the participants and the artisan cultural and historical themes are
conceptualised and ultimately translated into a masquerade presentation.
Participants learn the techniques of wire-bending, colour coordination,
dance, costume mechanics and a plethora of other skills necessary for
masquerade. This year, these skills will be showcased through the themes
of 160 years of the Barbados Landship, climate change, a rich cultural
heritage and inclusion for all abilities. The programme also promotes
employing local artisans and showcasing alternative careers to mainstream
jobs.
“The kids who are jumping in the school bands aren’t just jumping and
dancing and having fun. They have been through a process of growth and
learning, so the performance is a culmination of the process.
“This growth and learning will enhance their skills going. They will learn
about design, costume construction and visual arts skills. They will also
learn about the history and culture of their country which would make them
more well-rounded citizens. So, even if every child does not become a
designer or artist, they have an appreciation for art, design, history and
culture,” Wells stated.
This year, there is a record-high of 28 registered bands for the junior
national parade, the first since the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions were
lifted.
Remarkably, this number signifies 100% participation from the eleven
schools that joined the Universal Cereal SigniaGlobe Financial Junior
Costume Programme, and this is also a first for the NCF.
Stacia Bryan, NCF Festival and Event Planner expresses that not only is
this a success for the NCF, but it also aids in developing promising futures
for the youth.
She stated: “What I like about the school’s programme is that we try to
transfer skills. It gives you the opportunity to see where you can earn a
living from your creative skill and talent… going into schools and having
transferrable knowledge and showing them what it is that’s possible.”
Bryan also highlighted how the programme takes into account that the
much-overlooked preparation that goes into the Crop Over festival.
“A lot of the times performing arts takes the precedent like singing and
dance and theatre, but they don’t think about the intricacies a masquerade
involves – sketching, colour coordinating… very creative in terms of design
and use of material,” she explained.
Bryan encourages patrons to attend the event as it promises to showcase
the work of some of the country’s best talent.
“We pulled a cadre of some of the best designers who were willing and
able, in order to give the schools the best of the skillset available on the
island.”
She thoroughly enjoyed the individual presentations put on by Eagle Hall
Primary School and Springer Memorial School last year and is excited to
see them perform at the national parade, noting that they should be fierce
competition for top prizes such as Best School Band.
On June 10 th , Barbadians got a preview of what is to come during the
launch of the Sunshine Snacks Kadooment Day. Schoolchildren paraded
around the National Botanical Gardens displaying colourful costumes,
with some performing a traditional Landship dance. There were live
performances and food abiding in true Crop Over spirit.
The NCF’s goal is to see an expansion of the programme to all schools,
including the Government 68 primary schools and 21 secondary schools.
(PR)
