A statue and Wob Dwiyet Band in honour of Mama Mas Irene Peltier will form part of Carnival Monday’s Ole Mas Parade.
Peltier, who is from Pointe Michel, but resided on Cork Street, was a carnival organiser in the 1940s to 1950s.During her stint, she spearheaded a major Wob Dwiyet Band on Carnival Tuesday afternoon.
The Carnival Development Committee (CDC) is reviving the Wob Dwiyet Band for The Real Mas 2010, and has invited the public to participate.
“Before people like Irenie Peltier, there was no organisation. She was the one of the early people who started to group people and do presentations. Her big thing was a major Wob Dwiyet Band on Tuesday afternoon. So we’re doing a tribute to her. They’re building an effigy, a replica of what she looked like roughly…
“Apart from some schools that have already been designated to be part of that parade we’re also inviting the general public if they’d like to join this Wob Dwiyet Band they’re free to do so,” CDC’s Chairman Alwyn Bully said on Wednesday morning at a Dominica Festivals Committee press conference.
Participants do not have to pay any registration fee. Bully has asked interested persons to register at DFC’s office located the Financial Centre on Kennedy Avenue to record the amount of persons who wish to partake in that band.
The Ole Mas is expected to begin at 10 a.m. and end at 2 p.m. on Carnival Monday. Mabel Cissie Caudeiron will be honoured at next year’s Carnival Ole Mas parade, Bully said.
Other traditional revellers included in that parade will be sensay bands, band mauve, darkies and kalinago people.
“We’re hoping to get the guys with the whips … we’re trying to build that up as much as possible and we’re making an appeal to these bands out in the communities, in the villages with these forms of practice. We want to encourage the village carnivals, but at the same time we want to remind them that in the capital we’re on display to the rest of the world,” Bully stated.
He strongly believes to promote Dominica’s carnival in its entirety the village groups and bands should come to Roseau since the docking location for cruise ships and the media coverage are more accessible.
Weather forecaster Joey Stevens of One Caribbean Weather is expected on island during Carnival. Stevens is well-known for having a toy parrot on his shoulder while giving the weather news.
Bully noted that Dominicans should put their best foot forward to show visitors the best of carnival here.
On Carnival Monday groups will be judged to be awarded prizes for the Best Ole Mas Band (1st, 2nd and 3rd place), first La Peau Kabwit on the road for Jou ouvé, Best Pappy Show Wedding and Best Sensay Band. On Carnival Tuesday, costume groups will be judged for the Band of the Year and Best King and Queen of the Band categories. Someone will also be awarded a prize in the Best Individual category.
Being Cultural is one thing but intertwining the two what a mess.Think better than that Val and who ever else who on the cultural committee.Carnnival is carnival nothing else
Great idea. those were the aspects of Carnival that made Mas Domnik.
must be a joke. this is absurd . introduce creative body art work.
HAHA must be a joke…. a ceremonial outfit lol. come on people introduce the the art of body painting. it seems you all run out of ideas.
Great idea! i am very much interested i cannot wait to see that segment of the carnival paraded. thumbs up!
My recollection of that band was men dressed in wob dwyet and women, so i hope dominicans are broad-minded enough today as we were in the fifties and forties.The umbrellas, nd hair wigs and lipstick. It was reat to watch as a child.