Batabano and Tribal Too. Costume Launch for Cayman’s Big One

Carnival coming to Grand Cayman ... with Canadian help

By Stephen Weir for the Caribbean Camera

Tribal Carnival will be taking Grand Cayman Island over this May 5^th one Mas costume at a time.  The Toronto based Mas Arts Club travelled to the British colony last weekend to hold its annual costume launch  in  the capital of Georgetown. Early reports are calling the Friday night showcase  a huge success!

“Last year we had 400 people sign up to go down the road with us in Cayman’s Batabano,” said Tribal founder Dexter Seusahai.  “ This year we are looking at 600 or more people buying costumes and jumping up!”

Dexter Seusahai.

Dexter and his daughter and partner Celena Seusahai  were in Grand Cayman to act as ring masters in the large Friday night band launch which showcased the costumes that Tribal Carnival will be wearing in the 34th annual  Batabano parade.

This year Tribal Carnival used the huge Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville restaurant to put their colourful costumes and equally colourful model and dancers in front of the locals and curious tourists.

In 2018 Tribal Carnival is going with a Pirate theme (with new sponsor Appleton supplying the Pirate’s’ Rum) and will have six sections of swashbuckling revellers.  

Appleton Rum, the new sponsor

It is not just Cayman residents signing up with Tribal Carnival, there will be many Canadians and Americans heading down to Grand Cayman for the May  5th afternoon parade.

On stage in Grand Cayman

Cayman Carnival Batabano is the annual national carnival of the Cayman Islands, held in late April and  early May. The outdoor festival includes an all night J’ouvert , a Calypso Monarch competition, a Junior Batabano parade for the children (April 28th) and afternoon parade that takes thousands of masqueraders and steel pan players on a route from the Seven Mile Beach to downtown Georgetown.

According to the organizers, the annual festival’s name “ is a salute to Cayman’s turtling heritage – the word “Batabano ” refers to the tracks left in the sand by sea turtles as they crawl onto the beach to nest.”

 

Pictures Bandlaunch photos Courtesy of Cortez Vernon, Roy Williams and Steve.
Cayman photoshoot pictures by Steve.  www.tribalcarnivalcayman.com