Events Director of the Dominica Festivals Committee Natalie Clark-Meade is suggesting that the costume segment of the national queen show be reviewed.
According to Clarke- Meade building big costumes is not cheap. “We tried spectacular wear last year but we are back to the big costumes again this year … I would like to say it is my opinion that we need to look at this because it is costly to build big costumes,” she pointed out.
She further pointed out that when such big costumes are built they are not used again since the winners are not able to travel with them when they compete in regional pageants.
She noted that money obtained has to be carefully spent and challenged organizations in Dominica concerning the display of costumes from the pageant. “We have to look at the way that we spend the cash that we acquire I do not think that it is a very sustaining way to go unless we are going to find something to do with those costumes herein I challenge Dominica Hotel and Tourism Association,” she remarked. “Why aren’t those costumes in the hotels? I challenge the Port Authority, why aren’t those costumes at the airport and seaport at the places where the tourist come in? I challenge the ministries, why aren’t we absorbing these costumes and put them in each ministry so that they are showcased so that people can see something that is created by a Dominican.”
Clarke- Meade also urged corporate businesses to invest in Dominica’s carnival and support the shows and the participants of those shows.
Meanwhile, she added that no major changes will occur for carnival 2013.
In an interview with Dominica News Online Clarke- Meade dispelled recent rumours that the street parade will end earlier than usual.
“We are opening the park to all vendors on January 19th, the opening parade is open to all sponsors, the live bands will be on the road and we are hiring them to be a part of the opening parade show. There is no change in the time for the street parade or jump up on carnival Monday and Tuesday,” she pointed out.
She also suggested utilising Carnival City more and keeping it open for a longer period of time. According to her the City is built to host the events for carnival and should not be used for only three shows.
“I would like us to start thinking about keeping the city open for seven days where all activities occur from the princess show, teenage pageant, calypso monarch and all shows,” she said.
Whats with the hostility? “challenge” what a strong word. Is it necessary? has there been any formalized program for promoting the costumes after carnival and Port authority and hotels said no? stewps. What a set of drama.
I believe that Clarke-Meade is making her comments in good faith, trying to save the sponsors some money in the hope of alleviating the annual stress of finding sponsorship for the ladies.
However, please leave our costumes alone. “Costume” is the last remaining part of “carnival” left in the carnival queen pageant. It ignites the stage and the streets, it allows the costume designers and builders to demonstrate their creativity, and it stimulates the economy.
Bring on the costumes… bigger, better, brighter!
what i’d like to see is the calypsonians included in the opening parade. they contribute tremendously to our carnival celebrations yet year after year we see them standing on the sidewalk as opposed to being part of the opening parade. no i dont expect them to have individual transportation as it would be costly but atleast alyou can find two long trucks for them and include them.year after year only the calypso monarch is included. miss meade instead of going year after year on a non relevant issue please look into that.thanks
Exactly in trinidad they have these costumes prominently displayed at their airport. we need to learn to think in DA.
I always felt so as well….I can never forget that costume made of banana leaves (05 or 06 young lady from north)…Now that was a costume which was truly captivating and used our natural resources…pure skill.truly deserved to be highlighted…..what happens to the costumes after the show anyway?
Natalie Clark meade you must understand that yu have no say. carnivaland the queen show is controlled by one family for fifty years, and the queen costumes are made by the same group for fifty years. yu cannot fire the mafia group who controls carnival girl.
Mrs Clarke-Meade is making a valid point. The costumes cost about $4,000 and when the girls do not have sponsors, this is met by the DFC. Now when they represent us overseas guess what, DFC again has to pay to make a smaller, spectacular. wear which can be transported more readily. I like the idea of using these costumes as displays in key areas.
Why not have the costumes made in China, just like the “Dominica” souvenirs the vendors sell to tourists. I’m sure that would be cheaper.
I know why not source those costumes, TNT doing i even hear riverland mass in florida got the costumes made in China its Cheaper
An image of bulky costumes all over and piles of stinky garbage right outside is repulsive, untidy and uggghh.
Let’s talk landscaping, timely, proper garbage disposal as the new tourism objective. For costumes, a costume museum sounds like an organized mind and action plan. Wah happen, we just talk for talking sake in this place or what?
It doesn’t sound right when good policy decisions cannot be taken and stuck to, and others who are totally uninvolved in that decision making process are forced to feel a sense of responsibility to deal with the consequences.
After one year of displaying them in various places mentioned by Mrs Clarke-Meade, they could be placed
in a museum, allowing space for the most recent ones.
But I don’t understand Nathalie? If the sponsors don’t mind spending monies to get a costume built why is she so persistent? According to a previous comment she sounds like a broken record!! She said it last year but I guess the small costumes were not appealing so they go back to the larger ones! what’ts so funny? It is our culture, after all…
When I was young you paid for a carnival costume yourself. If necessary you would save up all year.Where does the idea come from that public entertainment has to be sponsored by the tax payer? Let those, who want to enjoy and participate pay for it themselves. That is fair, isn’t it?
Get rid of the that money sucking and unprofitable event. Replace it with something fun! Some event that we can ALL go to an enjoy!
Hear, hear. All they doing is jump up to noise, they calling music in a t-shirt drinking the beverage their truck is advertising and they mad enough to pay for that. You calling that culture? That is our heritage then?
like what may i ask?
We are choosing a Carnival Queen, It is a Carnival Pageant. Keeping that in mind, Carnival is Mas, Carnival is Calypso, Carnival is Culture, Carnival is a lot more. The Costume segment is the only segment which allow the Contestant to “play Mas on Stage”, It is the only segment which is Carnival, in the Carnival Queen Show. Whether small or huge Costume, it provides the opportunity for designers, builders and Contestants to be creative, to put Carnival in the Carnival Queen Show. However given the cost of building these costumes, I believe the sponsors should have these costumes displayed at their organization for a year or more if they choose to, as a reminder of their contribution to the Carnival Queen Show, to Dominica’s Carnival. I believe the ports of entry and places like the Dominica Museum, the Culture Division, the Dominica Festival Commission and Government Headquarters, should be areas [ spread out] where no more than eight costume could be displayed for a year.
There are several avenues one can take if we have a Dominican Museum why cant we display the Canival Custumes and make it a Tourist point of interest we could also have a few at port of entre .
Trinidad send their canival custumes to Toronto at Caribana time they are very large customes but beautiful why dont you and your team look into that.
In this case we have to make sure that costumes are not duplicated from other countries and parades. I remember going to carnival queen show somewhere around 1991-1993 and there was a costume called Champagne On Ice which was a duplicate from one used in Caribana. If they are going to be on display they should ensure that they are original designs.
costumes can be displayed at various venues, what I would like to see come back is the Sunday float parade with the winners, and end jouvert earlier, it should be from at least 3oclock to 7oclock am, and for the bands to parade on Monday and Tshirt and gang band on Tuesday….
nothing beats when contestants appear in creative and colour costumes. The reaction from the crowd is priceless.
I do understand that it is costly but i don’t think we should do away with that segment. It left to the local bodies to utilise the costumes later on or challenge the builders to deconstruct/rebuild &/or recycle.
Most islands display them in their ports of entry, ministerial offices or tourist board offices/centers.
Remember when we used to have the floats on carnival sunday and opening parade? Now a faint memory.
This is one of last areas where we will get to see authentic carnival costumes.
I do not believe they should be taken away from the show, after all that’s a major segment people look forward too which over the years has be down- sized for I guess cost. That took away from the queen show glam
so true….last years show was really lackluster
I totally agree. Was always wondering why aren’t they used. All our major ports can have one to beautify, those places are so dull. They can be used to adverse too at the ports. From Jan 4 – feb or march when it falls. Welcome to Dominica, please visit us for Mass Dominique with dates. Our two airports. Cruise ship ports. Le Express, Portsmouth and Roseau major ports
Just to take up space!!! Stupes
I’m not sure Natalie wants the costumes reviewed before the shows. I think she means when they have served their purpose they should be displayed in prominent places for onlookers to appreciate the creators works. Now with regard to cost, I do agree the big costumes are costly. My suggestion is to move away from the oversized costumes, and towards smaller, more original pieces made with recyclable material that is cheap. I was awed by costumes I saw overseas made of leaves, treated paper, used plastic bottles, wrapping plastic, all kinds of flotsam and jetsam. You know what they say, o ne man’s junk is another man’s treasure. The designers were really outstanding artists. We all kept saying “wow!” At each piece, laughing at the surprising use of that material. So maybe this is the way to go. Keeping the ideas fresh and yet affordable.
I agree with Mrs. Clarke-Meade, but would go further and suggest reviewing other “dress” segments the Queen Show.
In swimwear and eveningwear, rather than promoting off-the-peg items from overseas, let us encourage our own designers and dressmakers. Likewise, natural skin tones and hairstyles should be the order of the day.
In terms of sponsorship, it would be fairer to divide the proceeds equally between all of the finalists.
Miss Natalie did we not hear that same thing last year? Sounds like a broken record to me.
She has to reiterate in order for people to listen. If something was done about it she would not have to bring it up again. If nothing is done next year, she will have to say it again.
Well said. I strongly believe that the costumes should be put on display considering they cost so much to make. Moreover, it is essential to show off the talents of those who build those costumes. It’s good for tourism as well.
Well said Mrs. Clarke-Meade. You are absolutely right. I hope DHTA takes your suggestions seriously because if they don’t, Dominica will be losing out. Very viable suggestions.
Clarke… you got it goign on. DOminicn or not, you came to help our DFC and is that you doing. We can see the changes in WCMF and we can already see the changes to Carnival. Big ups and Respect to you!
Why would the costumes be reviewed,things leak and someomne one might give out information about the costumes,why do we have to be so different from other carnival events, in Trinidad or in North america(Caribana) the costumes of queen and king of bands are hidden untill the night of the competition.
The costumes are to be showcased AFTER the pageant at the different places suggested. That is so true Dominica is one of the place where you donot see the beauty of things if you were not at the show or if you visit after that period.
I was under the impression that Dr. Alwin Bully had made a suggestion to open a museum for carnival costumes. The Old Mill Cultural Center could be a perfect place to display the numerous costumes and would help in sustaining our vibrant culture.
where that coming in there? did u read the story?
lol, i guess u didnt understand nothing Mrs. Clarke Meade said
Ou taux sot!! Read Carefully- fou-fou brain..
You totally misunderstood the content of the piece. That is not the review she is talking about. She means instead of having such elaborate costumes that are only used on the night of the show and in the parade they should do one of two things:
1. Make the costumes smaller as to reduce the cost. Smaller costumes would also mean that the winner could travel with the costumes for regional competition. Example: Francelia Agar’s costumes (best costume) was very portable. It was basically a part of her body.
2. If the costumes’ size does not change, then they should be on display after the season is over.
A review could also mean coming up with different ideas for another section instead of a costume section. I know the English language is a difficult one at times.
i think u missed the point completely
Can you read and understand the article.
Typical Dominican. She is asking for the different agencies
To display the costumes after they are used. Do you
Have any idea the amount of work involved
In building a costume, what is wrong in displaying
Such work of art. I think this is an excellent idea, it
Would really brighten up the places like the airport
great suggestion miss Clarke.
And next time read the article first.
It is better to be taught of as a fool, than to open
Your mouth and remove all doubt.
What are you talking about??? Read the article again, fool!!!