FOREDAY has been a vibrant conversation for many within the last seven years of Crop Over. It has grown beyond our expectations and some may claim that it has now plateaued. Whatever your view, there is always an aspect of Foreday Morning which can be interestingly assessed and discussed as a key aspect of the “sweetest summer festival”.
Travelling to the sweet, pulsating rhythms of Caribbean music in the early hours of the morning and as the sun rises is a priceless experience. Many who participate in such activities give rave reviews of their experience whether it be J’ouvert in St Lucia or Foreday Morning in Barbados.
An issue with Foreday is the fact that we Barbadians have been unable to deal with its evolution effectively. Foreday has grown quickly and perhaps we have spent much time trying to curtail its evolution as opposed to seeking to craft an icon that is authentically Barbadian.
This fact was exemplified with regards to costumes. There is no other Foreday-like event in the Caribbean that had all these options available. What we should have embraced as a new feature (especially with the National Cultural Foundation’s (NCF) stipulation that no more than ten per cent of any band should wear costumes) continues to be denounced by many traditionalists.
Additionally, Barbados does not have a Monday Mas like Trinidad, St Vincent or Antigua. Monday Mas has become a big money earner and niche market for young swimsuit and body wear designers and many a sewing machine works to produce fantastic costumes for parade. It must be noted that body wear costumes for Monday Mas bear no relationship to carnival/Kadooment type costumes. When “First Call” (Island Fusion’s injection of body wear costumes to Foreday Morning) was introduced, many Barbadians took issue with this and feared Foreday not only mirroring Kadooment but also as the eventual eradication of Ole Mas.
Three issues arise in response to this. Firstly, with elements such as paint, mud, glow, oil, percussion music, chocolate and the actual time of the event, one should not critically view Foreday Morning as mirroring Kadooment. Secondly, if we view Crop Over as a viable business venture and many Kadooment bandleaders claim to be entrepreneurs, then they should not blame Foreday for the dwindling Kadooment numbers. Evolve, bandleaders, and step up your offerings! Times are changing and the consumer is definitely now king and champion.
Thirdly, many people push for Ole Mas. Personally, I love the concept and would love to participate again in the future. However, the irony of this is that Ole Mas is not even a Barbadian concept. It is interesting how
we flip-flop on what outside influences we want to retain. A preliminary assessment of the term Ole Mas states that “Ole Mas is one of the traditional forms of carnival that was transported from Trinidad during the early days”.
It is ironic how we are pushing for the continued promotion of Ole Mas as a part of our Foreday culture when it is not even an authentic Barbadian product. Why can’t body wear costumes and Ole Mas both exist and evolve simultaneously? “Eva cloth got a buyer”.
As millennials, our attention spans tend to be short and faddish. Many believe that the costume aspect of Foreday has plateaued. Although it is still quite popular, we should never discount the majority of people who simply want to enjoy the experience without a care in the world about attire.
There has also been an inability to deal with Foreday’s growth in numbers with little regard for the time span of the event or the route. Some bands have suggested and executed new routes as a catch-up mechanism. Perhaps we should’ve used Foreday Morning to have the multiple jumps islandwide as opposed to what many view as “a carnival per parish” or “politicians’ way of fostering community spirit among its youth”. Once the adequate security can be provided, this is an idea which can be explored and Bridgetown would not be so heavily congested.
Many people want exclusivity and it has nothing to do with class or economic background. Patrons are not comfortable with John Public barging into their band and receiving all the benefits in the dark without pay.
A few days ago on Twitter, many young Barbadians, some claiming to be “bougie”, others claiming to be “ghetto”, all expressed the desire for exclusivity at such an event. Kadooment may be a parade to showcase the beauty of costumes. However, Foreday for some is just an opportunity to “get ben-up”.
One personal grievance with Foreday is the fact that we call it J’ouvert. In all seriousness, what will Crop Over look like in 20 years if we do not establish an evolved, authentic cultural product for ourselves? This cannot be the responsibility of the National Cultural Foundation solely; all of us must be held accountable.
Toni Thorne is a fashion entrepreneur and World Economic Forum Global shaper who Loves global youth culture, a great debate and living in paradise.
