Readers’ tips: carnivals around the world
Where in the world can you enjoy the best party before Lent? Been there readers recommend everything from a torchlit procession in Switzerland to full-on fiestas in South America.
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no matter how organized or how many people take part in bands or how many tourist visit any one island i will always have a hankering for dominica carnival.sometimes less is more and as for me………. there is no place like home…. there is no place like home….. there is no place like home
This is good publicity for Dominica’s carnival. But just ask Dominican hoteliers if their hotel full for carnival and ask trinidadian hoteliers if their hotel full for carnival and those in Dominica bound to say no except fort young probably but in trinidad you bound to hear yes and we even had to put people up in private rooms.
And yes ah going home for carnaval…
why the venom trini? every caribbean person is partial to their island so while we understand the loyalty to yours, please let us glory in what we consider to be the best carnival in the caribbean. promote yours and we will promote ours. don’t hate, appreciate
How many of you who say Dominica’s carnival is better then Trinidad’s have ever been to carnival in Trinidad? Some of you hear people talking their nonsense and keep repeating it without having experienced it.
I have been to carnival in many places including Trinidad. Nothing comes even close to Trinidad’s carnival. As a person noted earlier, carnival in Trinidad is not just Monday and Tuesday. This is a highly organized, well oiled machine. They have carnival down to a science.
Well I have been to TNT Val a few times their Val is colours and bachanal sexie women n good food.. The music is “meh” these ppl pay alot of money for a band that plays digital music.. You do trini Val once u done them all these ppl don’t know what live band music is lol. If u are not in a band you are not in carnival. Not the same in Dominica the most free up and safe carnival. Give me a break guy. Do you know how many people die every year during trini carnival? Lol they don’t stop s&%t. I was in insomnia once and there were 19 stabbings n I think one woman got killed. Music never stop hoss lol. Trini have theirs if u rather it why don’t u go every yeR? I rather feel free up in Da anyhow
Funny you should ask me to go there. Guess where I will be for carnival? I will give you a hint. it will not be in Dominica.
enjoy trini carnival. that your choice. we don’t begrudge you but home is home and while we need to improve we will always enjoy homegrown more than any other. so chill. dominicans are a proud people and we promote ours first
Why isnt anyone talking about the disrespect that the Tripple Band showed to Dominicans on the Opening Parade?
del HUSH YOUR MOUTH and leave triple kay alone NO matter the fans and dem will be deh!!! and u seem to be a good fan of CK HUSH YOUR MOUTH!!
WHOA THATS GOOD!!!!!!!
First off, these are “Readers’ Tips”. This means that the article’s portion on Dominica isn’t coming from an established journalist or world traveler; it is most probably coming from a patriotic son/daughter-of-the-soil. So the comments that say things such as “it’s about time”, “that’s good for us” and “someone recognized this”… well just take note that there is little credibility in user-generated content.
On the other hand, what the section on Dominica Carnival says is true; our ‘mas’ is less commercialized and anyone standing on the side of the road can take part and enjoy the festivities. For some this is a good thing and for others it might not be so good.
Have you ever looked at our Carnival Monday and Tuesday re-runs and observed our bands? The set ups are disorganized and not very attractive. If I was a tourist looking to take a cruise that stops at Dominica’s port on those days, I wouldn’t be very optimistic about coming to Dominica during Carnival. But that’s just me… I prefer some sense of order and structure even in times of festivities and when ‘playing mas’. Others, on the other hand, might prefer the lack of structure and spontaneity.
But ultimately, I think if we want to grow Dominica’s tourism sector, then Carnival will need to play a bigger role in drawing visitors. And in order to attract visitors (other than returning nationals) we need to be able to package the Carnival tourism product. The only way to do this is to increase the sense of structure and to “commercialize” Carnival more. I look forward to a time when: we have contingents of non-resident Dominicans returning in troupes of bands; costume packages – including the costumes, show tickets, island tours, etc – being sold at the point of purchase of the cruise ship tickets; videos of our Carnival highlights playing on BET, MTV and other pop-culture networks.
My2Sense
First of all, I want to celebrate the free advertising that Dominica got in this Guardian piece. We can never pay for publicity like this.
But, people, where in the piece that was submitted by someone named Dorival did it ever say Dominica’s carnival is better than Trinidad’s? Where in there did you see that? Where in there did it say, as the headline of the DNO story suggested, that Dominica “beats Trinidad”? This entry is just an opinion piece submitted by someone who has been to Dominica’s carnival, possibly a Dominican.
I am 100% Dominican and have experienced both carnivals. I know that Trinidad’s is far superior to ours. Trinidad’s carnival is not just Monday and Tuesday. It’s an entire season. It’s an major event that brings in tens of thousands of people. All of the activities that surround the street jump ups, the fetes, like Brian Lara’s. It’s an entire production that has come to be known worldwide as the greatest show on earth. Countries go to Trinidad to learn how to organise carnival. If we sit and gloat that Dominica’s carnival is better than Trinidad’s, how can we ever improve?
And, in the event you missed it, the person who wrote on Trinidad’s carnival described it as “the granddaddy of Caribbean carnivals” and added, “you owe it to yourself to experience the real thing…”
Here’s the entire post on Trinidad:
The grandaddy of Caribbean carnivals is an assault on the senses. The scale is hard to conceive, as the bigger bands of masqueraders hold thousands, and some costumed players can take up two lanes of the road and tower 20 feet in the air. Revellers parade through the streets to the pulsating sounds of soca music, and the steel pan orchestras are another delight. If you enjoy the Notting Hill carnival, you owe it to yourself to experience the real thing, for in Trinidad, people of all ethnic groups, social classes and ages take part in a public display of the nation’s soul.
Admin: The Guardian article was really a survey based on the opinion of readers of the newspaper who had been to the different carnivals. They were told to give a tip of which carnival they would recommend. And Mas Domnik was recommended overwhelmingly, hence its stature as the “winning tip” in the newspaper. Yes, there is no doubt Trinidad’s carnival is big but readers of the Guardian recommend Mas Domnik over Trinidad.
sounds good,but lets face the fact we cant get a big catch,
we lack international airport
we lack high end hotels 150 roomer and upwards
golf course/casino
classy night life.
we struggle at carnival and creole fest time just to move our returning dominicans due to not enough air access,seats, baggage issues etc..
so seeing we not at par with those who have met the standards and requirements to handle that flow of foreigners for events…even though on paper we got a first rank due to the fact of how ease to cash into a band etc for jump up..we still 40 years behind on gaining ground and thats the fact
so in otherwords someone on the internet when compares say DA and TnT bases on the fact that TnT has that upper level standard and broader base will gain the max!!
but sadly dominican policy makers are extremly coward to bit the bullet and take high end risk..small aspect like a dangerous nightlanding vibe…pooling wool over the citizens is lack of vision and focus which will continue to hunt Dominicans unless they dont raise the bar and level of thinking.
If dominicans were critical in terms of governance and strick policies we as a country would be a fore runner,but it does bring tears to our eyes because those who are proffessionals and policy makers have yet again sold the soul for greedy and ego.
only time and divine intervention and wash that clouded outlook of seeing a blue sky but constantly saying thank god its a red sky! God help dominicans out of this spell.
Here we go again with someone who just cant savor the good moment for once. All what you say we lack most of it we DONT NEED…..Dominica is the NATURE ISLE. Lets keep it that way. I am happy we dont have all these thing…so when tourist come let them enjoy the nature in life., I myself wont want to come on a cruise and meet more casinos after i left a set of them back home. I would rather spend time going around the island and seeing how simple and happy we live. So for once…put aside what we don’t have and thank God for what we DO HAVE! The highlight here is that we beat trini carnival…..can’t u celebrate that?
I agree 100%. DA is the nature island. let’s preseve and enjoy it and share it with others. for once, keep the politics out.
I agree 100% +
Sometimes we should just take a bow, accept the compliment and say thanks.
This is one of those times.
i agree with you a 100% whisler ,those that disagree with your comment plans for now not the furture,thats why we are moving nowhere…………labouuurrrr
Welcome news. We should use this exposure to market our Carnival and island.
Dominica deserves this 100%
Way to go; let’s keep it that way.
hhmmm that’s real good for us,,,,
Finally!! Someone recognized this! For so long we have been trying to tell them DA carnival is BETTER than Trinidad carnival no matter what they say! The only reason ppl keep sayin trini carnival is the best is ONLY BECAUSE they have a strong culture so they are known more. Trini carnival if you not in a costume band u cannot enjoy it as much. but in DA costume band or not you jumping up till u cant jump no more……they better give jack his jacket…DA CARNIVAL BETTTTEEERRR than trini own!
I need to vet my hand on that guardian. Dno need to post this sooner u no. It’s late now so you asking me to go and get today’s newspaper tomorrow. But it is an amazing feeling. Thank you dno