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

Performing in front of the Junior Parade judges

Unofficial Results From The Children's Carnival

(slightly adjusted since Saturday July 20th)

JUNIOR FEMALE OF YEAR 

1st Place

Masquerade Theme: THE BEAUTY OF NATURE  

Theme For Female of the Year: THE BUTTERFLY MENAGERIE  

Band Leader: DEXTER SEUSAHAI  

Player:  CANEISHA EDWARDS

2nd  Place

Masquerade Theme: THE REEF

Theme For Female of the Year: D'ZEBRA FISH

Band Leader: MARCUS EUSTACE

Player:  KAI CASTLE

JUNIOR MALE OF YEAR 

1st Place

Masquerade Theme: ONCE UPON A TIME

Theme For Male of the Year: JACK AND HIS BEANSTALK

Band Leader: JAMAAL MAGLOIRE

Player:  JALEN MAGLOIRE 

2nd  Place

Masquerade Theme: THE BEAUTY OF NATURE

Theme For  Male of the Year: MANTIS, THE PREDATOR

Band Leader: DEXTER SEUSAHAI

Player: COURTNEY ST. Louis

JUNIOR FEMALE QUEEN  OF YEAR 

1st Place

Masquerade Theme: HEAVEN AND EARTH

Theme For Female Queen  of the Year: HEAVEN CAN'T WAIT 

Band Leader: LOUIS SALDENAH 

Player:  FAITH HERMELIJN 

2nd  Place

Masquerade Theme: THE BEAUTY OF NATURE

Theme For Female Queen of the Year: THE LOTUS QUEEN

Band Leader: DEXTER SEUSAHAI  

Player:  CELENA SEUSAHAI 

JUNIOR MALE KING OF YEAR 

1st Place

Masquerade Theme: THE BEAUTY OF NATURE  

Theme For Male of the Year: MARAHOOTAH THE GUARDIAN

Band Leader: DEXTER SEUSAHAI  

Player:  MALIK ADAMS

2nd  Place

Masquerade Theme: ONCE UPON A TIME

Theme For  Male of the Year: ANANSI WEAVES A TALE

Band Leader: JAMAAL MAGLOIRE

Player: TY WILLIAMSON

JUNIOR BAND OF THE YEAR 

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

FIRST: ONCE UPON A TIME - JAMAAL MAGLOIRE 

2 HEAVEN AND EARTH - LOUIS SALDENAH 

3 THE REEF -  MARCUS EUSTACE 

4 THE BEAUTY OF NATURE DEXTER SEUSAHAI  

5 MINI LEGENDS WILL MORTON 

6 IN FLIGHT MERVYN SKEETE 

7  CELBRATING OUR  HERITAGE - WHITFIELD BELASCO 

8 HOME FOR CARNIVAL - OSEI BRAND 

9 LOST CIVILIZATIONS - NARISSA ALI 

10 SUGAR AND SPICE - COREY HOWARD 

11 MAMA THIS IS MAS - MICHAEL WILLIAMS