Recently returning home from participating in CARIFESTA XIV, staged at the Queen’s Park Savannah in Trinidad, is Mrs Collete Jones-Chin. She was instrumental in Anguilla’s display of talent at the regional festival, as she coordinated the island’s performance on Country Night with the staging of a theatrical presentation entitled “Sweet Salt: An Anguilla Fable” performed by the cast Anguilla Stages.
Mrs Jones-Chin claims that she was extremely proud of the various performances of the Anguilla delegates, and was extraordinarily impressed with the talents that the island was able to display on the inter-Caribbean stage.
She jovially commented: “Our preparation for CARIFESTA XIV was very short but quite productive. The entire Anguilla team had met together prior to our preparation and we tried to brainstorm as to what kind of feature we could present for the festival. Then my daughter came up with an idea related to salt which was once a prime industry for Anguilla. Our theatrical group ‘Stages’ had just shot a video last year on salt picking, and bam — the idea fell right into place.
“The idea was quite befitting because it was primarily to Trinidad that Anguilla exported its salt, for the production of asphalt, back in the day. And, it was in Trinidad that CARIFESTA would be staged. So we pulled ourselves together and created a marvellous play. Each scene featured a mascot who represented a Zemi goddess. This goddess would be watching over all the phases of the salt’s progress — from its reaping to its bulking into heaps, to its loading on schooners, to its transportation on the rugged Caribbean Sea, down to its importation and arrival into Port-of-Spain. The goddess would protect the boatmen, keep them safe and provide for all to go well with the salt trade.
“The play depicted that as soon the salt was offloaded, the homebound captains, heading due north back to Anguilla —skillfully commanding their sail-driven crafts — decided to do a daring race. However, fate would have it that the jealous Zemi goddess sent a monstrous, raging storm which capsized three of the boats. This tragedy came as a result of the goddess fury which was provoked because not enough worship and thanksgiving were ascribed to her. Fortunately, according to fate’s decree, no lives were lost.”
Mrs. Jones-Chin testified that the massive audience was overwhelmingly delighted with their displays. She reported: “The crowds went hyper over all of Anguilla’s performances. Whether it was our play Sweet Salt for Country Night, or Roxie’s calypso, or the relishing of our culinary arts, the audience showed a great deal of appreciation for all we offered. Many of them had never heard about the island of Anguilla, but the Anguilla delegates were hospitable enough to share pertinent information about the island.”
She praised each member of the Stages actors: “I really admired their diligence and hard work in performing Sweet Salt. There was a high degree of camaraderie and energy that existed among the cast, and this enabled them to support each other and pull off a stellar performance. Stages also had the opportunity to display their signature act Virtue, to the praise and admiration of an appreciative, mega capacity audience.”
Mrs Jones-Chin wishes to thank Ms Avon Carty, Director of Youth and Culture, for the role she played in leading the Anguilla delegation. She also has high praise for Nordisia Lake, the local Programme Officer of Culture. She states: I also wish to recognize and share appreciation to my fellow CARIFESTA associate delegates, who include: the Anguilla National Culinary Team, Roxxy and Becky, the Roots Binghi Drummers, Louise Brooks, Fiona Wilkinson, Vanessa Croft Thompson and Regine Niles. In addition, I want to particularly thank Ms Nicola Mac Donald of 4WD Elite for arranging the choreography of the dances that complemented Sweet Salt.
By extension, on behalf of the Group Stages and the 60-strong representatives of Anguilla, Mrs Jones-Chin emphasized: “I would like to thank all those who contributed to our trip financially and otherwise. These include The Department of Youth and Culture, the Anguilla Community Foundation, ANGLEC, the Anguilla Social Security Board, the Anguilla Tourist Board, Leviticus, Pam Webster, Paramount Pharmacy, Dr Phyllis Fleming-Banks, Four Seasons Resort, Tynashia Rogers and Joseph Pradel.”
CARIFESTA XIV was held in Trinidad from August 16th to 25th. Mrs Jones-Chin says that she is already looking forward, with much excitement, to CARIFESTA XV, which will be held in Antigua in 2021. She says that she envisions a much bigger delegation, by then, which would be representing Anguilla.
– Staff Writer, James R. Harrigan
