Anita Bully believes there is a great need to revive the ‘Real Mas’

Production Manager and Financial Controller of Kaz Kweyol Productions Ltd,  Mrs. Anita Bully asserts that there is a great need to revive the ‘Real Mas’.

Her comments came during her presentation on culture on day 2 (June 5) of the Economic Revival Summit, held at the Jungle Bay Resort in Soufriere.

The event was organized by the United Workers Party (UWP) in partnership with the Electoral Reform Coalition (ERC) and took place from Tuesday, June 4, to Thursday, June 6, 2024,

Anita Bully’s presentation was on ‘Creating Opportunities Within the Culture and Heritage’.

 “Projects close to my heart, our Carnival which we promote as the ‘Real Mas’ and at present there is very little real about the Mas. And there is a great need to revive the ‘Real Mas’,” she said.

She continued, “Last November our company Kaz Kweyol Productions Ltd in association with the Alwin Bully Foundation carried out an [artistry residency program] aimed at emphasizing ways to preserve Dominica’s rich and vibrant tradition, particularly the Sensay and exploring ways to make the Sensay lighter and to get rid of those Halloween masks and build proper masks that suit the costumes.”

According to Mrs. Bully, the workshop was facilitated by a team brought in from Trinidad & Tobago, Martinique, and New Orleans.

“And together with local experts in mask-making and Sensay costume building they came together and a few of these costumes and masks were seen on the road this carnival,” she said.

Mrs. Bully pointed out that this is a great start, however the process has to be ongoing.

She argued that there is no longer any ‘Carnival Street Theatre’.

“And there are a number of reasons for that,” she stated. “We used to have Pappyshow Weddings at Jouvert and group and individual presentations…”

Furthermore, she made mention of the Arawak House of Culture which was severely damaged by Hurricane Maria.

“Ongoing discussions are being held and I understand that it will be ready by November,” Mrs. Bully noted.

She went on to speak of the promotion of Dominica’s historical and natural sites as well as the development of projects promoting those sites.

“[Historian ]Lennox [Honychurch] was commissioned to do some signs of some of the sites, but much more needs to be done,” she explained.

Mrs. Bully also mentioned an idea from her late husband, cultural icon Dr. Alwin Bully, which is the renovation of the Botanic Gardens, and the addition of a new feature, specifically a waterfall.

Meanwhile, she expressed her frustration over shows being scheduled on the same dates in Dominica.

“I have a problem with shows being scheduled in Dominica and there are sometimes you have nothing for a whole month, 6 weeks, or two months and then everything happens in one night,” she remarked. “We used to have what is called ‘what’s going on in Dominica?” Every month it would come out…”

Mrs. Bully suggested that the internet should be used to add events to avoid clashes.

“You can get advertising for it, because people need to know places to eat, places they can get souvenirs, various spices, rums…,” he explained. “So, we need to try and see how we can get one or two of those things done.”

Mrs. Bully is a Cultural Industries Consultant. She was appointed Film Commissioner to Dominica from 2006-2012.

She is a former member of the National Cultural Council. She is presently Production Manager and Financial Controller of Kaz Kweyol Productions Ltd and Caribbean Theatre Network, and a member of the Alwin Bully Foundation.