Teino Evans, Staff Reporter
The Gleaner revellers show off a diversity of dance moves and gyrations at yeasterday's Supreme Ventures Jamaica Carnival Road Parade. - PHOTOS BY IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE UNCERTAINTY of the weather was no deterrent for the hundreds of revellers, carnival lovers and curious onlookers who turned out yesterday to witness and partake in the Supreme Ventures Jamaica Carnival Road March and Parade.
"When I got out there and saw how the skies looked overcast, I was saying to myself, I wonder if we in for some rain later, but rain or shine, I have been jumping for the past three years," said Jasmine, who came out to enjoy the Soca affair.
The Road Parade which started at the Liguanea Preparatory by East Kings House Road, proceeded towards Devon House, along Hope Road, onto Waterloo Road, paused briefly by Kings Plaza on Constant Spring Road, headed past Mandela Park, Half Way Tree and National Housing Trust, Oxford Road, eventually ending at the National Stadium car park.
A total of seven music trucks and two floats were the main highlights that led the carnival costume aspect of the attractions that greeted the eye, as sponsors like The Gleaner Company, Digicel, Supreme Ventures, Air Jamaica, CVM television along with Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, brought life to the streets of the Corporate Area with their colour and music.
CARNIVAL ATTIRES
The outstanding orange and red of Byron Lee's 'Sea Dragon' costumes and The Gleaner's blue 'Deep Waters' were among some of the outstanding Carnival attires to be displayed, many of the revellers, cutting and clipping to create their own variations of these costumes.
At around 1:15 p.m., the rain started to pour, but the wet clothes and water puddles could not affect the revellers and carnival lovers who turned out as persons jumped, skipped and pranced in the water and rain as if it had no effect.
"Yow, why uno a hide from di rain?" asked a male passer-by of three young ladies who had taken refuge under a small tree along Waterloo Road. They simply ignored his curiosity, however, as they stood, huddled together, watching the rest of the Parade go by.
As it turned by West Kings House Road, a woman who had gathered with the rest of her family by the fence of her apartment, decided that she would add to the fun and excitement, as she turned her garden hose on the revellers and sprayed them with the water. No one took offence, however, as they skipped and danced in the path of the sprinkles.
The revellers took the wining and gyrating up a few notches as they headed down Constant Spring Road, showing no signs of being tired. They bubbled and gyrated to a mix of musical genres, mainly dancehall and soca.
The RJR and Gleaner music trucks were at this time, playing predominantly dancehall music, giving revellers the chance to Dutty Wine in the rain and do the Bad Man Forward Bad Man Pull Up in puddles of water. Other music trucks, however, had soca lovers feeling Tempted To Touch and as the selectors instructed to Roll It Gyal, many onlookers felt the urge to log on to the Nookie.
DUTTY WINE ATTEMPT
One female had to be lifted from the ground, as her attempt at doing the Dutty Wine to the soca beat left her male partner incapable of holding his balance which left her stranded on the asphalt.
On board the CVM music truck, dancehall group Voicemail brought added flavour to the entertainment, as they instructed revellers to "spin yuh rag ova yuh head" and "get jiggy" as they briefly performed some of their songs.
In the meanwhile, the Byron Lee and the Dragonaires' music truck saw the likes of Oscar B singing Get Di Cat, causing a few women to have a dance-off by the side of the truck, as they kicked off their footwear and splashed in water puddles, competing for dance space and supremacy.
As far as could meet the eye, all who turned out to the Supreme Ventures Jamaica Carnival Road Parade 2K6 enjoyed the fanfare, revelry and spectacle that it had to offer, and what better way to enjoy it than incident free.
According to a security officer, all was going well so far. "Everything alright, no incidents and di people dem a co-operate," said Leroy Johnson of Entertainment Systems, partly responsible for monitoring the revellers on the road and marshalling the trucks.
Two revellers with The Supreme Ventures also expressed the joys of carnival, as both estimated that this year was better.
Patrice, in describing her experience, said, "this year Carnival off di roof, a lot more people come out this year ... just one word, amazing!"
Her friend, Nicky also agreed, saying, "it bad, it wicked an di rain did mek it nicer. Ah blessings."
