After six years in existance the Welches Festival, a celebration of traditional Anguillian life and culture, has grown into a strong national event attracting island-wide support in one of Anguilla’s smallest villages.
The event has mushroomed into a huge attraction for persons of all ages, among them being children with an interest in toys and games of yesteryear; others with whetted appetites for traditional foods; older folk who were part of the conventional lifestyles, now pleased to witness various reenactments; and tourists looking for glimpses of the past and opportunities to interact with the people of the island.
The Whit Monday holiday this week, the annual date of the festival, saw a milling crowd and a cluster of vehicles at a magnitude not often seen on the island. The crowd began converging on the Frederick O. Harrigan playfield, site of the event, from early in the morning and, hours later, swelled into what was described as “a sea of people” under tents and spread out elsewhere on the open grounds.
The main afternoon attraction was the reenactment of “an old time wedding” at which excited onlookers jostled for unobstructed positions, while in fact obstructing the wedding party’s entry on the stage. Apart from a few bits of humour, the “wedding”, in which the actors performed in grand style and fashion wear, symbolic of the customs of generations ago, had all the trappings of a real nuptial ceremony.
Among the main actors were William Vanterpool (as the priest); and the marriage couple Winston Duncan (as George Zephaniah Henry Richardson) and Merlene Rogers (as Helena Margaret Eliza Hodge). The “wedding” was a production of the Anguilla Creative Arts Association and the Anguilla Scouts Association.
Mr Joseph Vanterpool, a member of the Welches Fest Organising Committee, chaired the festival. “This year, it is much, much larger than previously, and we are thankful that so many people have turned up to support the Welches Fest,” he told The Anguillian. “I can clearly say that this has been the greatest one so far. The people are overflowing. We put a lot of effort into it and are happy that so many people came out to support us. I know that the ‘old time wedding’ is a major factor here for the first time. In terms of a ballpark figure, we can say we have more than a thousand people here, and look at the hundreds of vehicles. It is really massive.”
Mr Vanterpool said that, in addition to the traditional wedding, another new feature was the newly-built rock oven which provided various baked products. He was pleased with the many vendors, the large variety of delicacies, other items of local foods and drinks, and the overwhelming patronage.
“We have here children at early ages and adults who are way into their eighties and nineties,” he went on. “We are happy that Mr Albert Lake is our very strong supporter, and provides us with useful advice and other assistance. Our main sponsors include Malliouhana-Anico Insurance Company Ltd., the Department of Youth and Culture and LIME Anguilla. We are always grateful to our sponsors for coming on board and supporting the Welches Fest”. He was grateful to Mr kenneth Harrigan for donating the land for the Federick O Harrigan Playingfield and for the Welches Fest.
Mr Othlyn Vanterpool, the Elected Representative for District 1, and a member of the Welches Fest Organising Committee, welcomed all persons to the event. “Our motto is Preserving our Past. We are rapidly losing all we have known in the past and we are trying to preserve it,” he stated. “We are fortunate to have with us some residents of the senior citizens homes. It is because of their contributions, in the past, that we are here today to recognise, celebrate and preserve our cultural heritage.”
He hoped that all persons would have an enjoyable time. He was delighted that the Committee was able to provide lights for the area, for the first time, to facilitate the late evening portions of the festival, as well as future events.
Meanwhile, German journalist, Bern Kubisch, had high praise for the Welches Fest. “Welches is a small village but the people do unbelievable things,” he commented. “For me, it is one of the best parties in Anguilla, especially this idea of an old-fashioned wedding; and the food is good. It is not French fries; it is real Anguillian food.”
Mr Kubisch, who writes for English, German and Spanish magazines in Europe, added: “I love this party. It is incredible, and thanks to the people in Welches. I think it does a lot for Anguillian culture and even the children learn something. I think they have an opportunity to learn something that they don’t learn in school.”
