PREVIEW
Cariwest Festival
Edmonton’s Caribbean Arts Festival
Aug. 10 to 12
Capital Plaza, 9820 – 107 St.
Admission: Free
The Edwards family front-facing garage is open where passersby can spot metre high headdresses made of peacock feathers and assorted plumage.
Boxes overflowing with sequined fabric and glass jars packed with sparkly bling line a series of shelves. A worktable littered with a mash-up of material sits beneath a ceiling line strung with sequined bikini tops.
This is where the Cariwest magic happens every year since 1984, the year Osmond and Doreen Edwards helped co-found the Caribbean festival and became its top costume makers.
Today Osmond is mainly retired and son Desmond has picked up the torch. On this sunny Sunday, he is working tirelessly with designer Aisha Amin to finish more than 60 costumes for Saturday’s Cariwest parade.
The carnival-style festival runs Aug. 10 to 12 at the Capital Plaza, next to the Federal Building. Friday night’s opening ceremonies put on display every type of Caribbean music and dance.
Saturday is the much-anticipated parade walking along Jasper Avenue followed by a day of music, laughter, fun and celebration. Sunday is a wind-down day with a special performance by Trincan Steel Orchestra.
Desmond and Aisha are completely enamoured of their Caribbean heritage’s fashion exuberance – the flashy bikini tops and bottoms, the fluorescent vests, the sprays of feathers and the flamboyant bling. And the duo’s creativity is limitless.
This year, the mas (masquerade) band they are competing in is dubbed MnM Music N Mas. The theme is Birds of a Feather and all participants are decked out in blue and gold plumage.
Since its genesis, Cariwest has grown into a summer festival staple. An offshoot of Caribbean carnivals that were celebrated since the 19th century, it honours freedom for emancipated slaves.
“It takes a community to pull it all off. A lot of people think it’s just shake-your-bum in the street. But there’s such a rich history in mas. It was the one night of the year slaves could be free for one day. So they dressed up in what they could find,” Aisha said.
Every year the festival mas bands represent specific islands’ flag colours. This year, they are Jamaica, Barbados, St. Lucia, Trinidad-Tobago, Grenada and Haiti. Canada’s red and white will also be highlighted by one band.
While emancipated slaves scrounged for whatever material was available, Desmond, a pipefitter by trade, re-purposes recycled material to build a costume’s framework.
But it is his creative imagination that re-envisions ratty blinds, cracked bamboo, old gazebos, Styrofoam packaging, discarded patio furniture, rusty bicycles and swing sets into stunning one-of-a-kind attire.
“I was my dad’s right-hand man for 20 years. I didn’t realize how much knack I had until I stopped,” said Desmond. He stepped aside from costume building for five years to focus on his two young children.
“I have to do it. I’m destined to do it. I was born to do it.”
While parade watchers are mesmerized by the costumes' beauty and sexiness, many elements tell a story. Feathers can represent freedom of flight; religion is reflected in beads and rhinestone bling can represent the wealth of slave owners. Every costume tells a story.
During the parade, for instance, Aisha will wear such a massive costume it is harnessed to her body and rolls on wheels. Part of the costume is a duo of scarlet ibis, a protected bird species in Trinidad.
“It is said when someone from the Caribbean dies, the scarlet ibis takes the spirit back to Africa to its roots,” explained Desmond.
Aisha adds, “Let’s be out there and spread the love.”
Visit www.cariwest.ca for a complete listing of events.
