Colour of the Crop

Bridgetown came alive with colour and music yesterday when the Crop-Over Street Parade made its way from Cheapside to Queen’s Park.Led by the Barbados National Bank (BNB) band, the parade included the Spiritual Baptists, a vibrant and rejuvenated Barbados Landship with some of the smallets paraders on show, Mother Sallys, the tuk band and “stick lickers”.It was noticeable that the opening of this year’s festival was not greeted by the thousands who usually flock to Queen’s Park.This was attributed to two things – threatening rain and the excitement of World Cup Football in South Africa which kept many people glued to television sets.At Queen’s Park, Anglican priest Rev. Coleridge Darlington led those gathered in prayer for ailing Prime Minister David Thompson who has gone on two months’ leave.Patrons took in the sweet sounds that the Barbados National Youth Symphony Orchestra offered in their renditions of a number of traditional folk songs, including King Ja Ja.They also watched as dancers paraded around a flag pole and listened intently as Archbishop Granville Williams of the Sons of God Apostolic Church blessed the canes.Missing from the annual ceremony was Flash, the donkey that for years hauled the ceremonial canes.Flash died and was buried this year and his replacement was clearly not accustomed to the commotion and loud music of the event.Patrons watched in amazement as the donkey broke away from the cart, and had to be restrained by his handler who eventually led him away from the area. Helpers were then forced to remove the cart.