So Mavens.....I'm choosing to be quite candid for this post because in all honesty Miami Carnival can really make me sick! The bureaucratic bulls**t and fool fool politics truly ticks me off.......But for now, I will just big up my island people on their completely UNAPOLOGETIC street style, carnival edition. Gotta love the bright colors & bold fashion statements that encompass Caribbean culture which we are so proud of. These fashionistas caught my eye...and of course couldn't leave out a few masqueraders :)
Fun fashion aside I digress...As a New Yorker of Jamaican descent with Trinis, Guyanese, Sint Maarten & U.S.V.I. family I've traveled to many a carnival. Now this is the absolute truth and I would bet money on the fact that MIAMI CARNIVAL IS HANDS DOWN THE WORSE CARNIVAL EXPERIENCE. {~Excuse the bold but I'm definitely venting here and my freedom of speech just kicked in~} In all honesty I believe the organizers have turned it into an overly capitalistic venture at the people's expense of course. Unless you pay $100-$1000 for a costume, you simply aren't allowed to experience the fullness of what carnival is supposed to be about. When you listen to the lyrics of soca music, the driving sound of a Caribbean carnival, the lyrics always talk about letting go of your stresses, being with friends & family, and overall just enjoying life reminding you "from you wake up dis maanin yous a winna!" (Voice) But the non-inclusive pretentious energy of the Miami social circles have permeated our cultural experience. If you can't afford it, too bad, get rich now! Makes me SICK :p it's deplorable {~yeah I said it!~}
PEEVE LIST:
HIGH HIGH GATE TO SEPARATE MASQUERADERS FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY
LONG LONG WALKING DISTANCE BETWEEN ENTRANCES
PREDOMINANTLY JAMAICAN FOOD AT A PREDOMINANTLY TRINI-STYLE CARNIVAL {~probably due to an overpriced vending fee, I bet money on it~}
LATE AND LONG DRAWN OUT HALF INTERESTING, HALF VISIBLE SHOW ACROSS THE SMALL SMALL STAGE
This late starting, expensive everything having, blasphemous so-called carnival pisses me off every year {~And I do attend every year~}. Really gives me an appreciation for growing up in Queens & looking forward to the last summer jam as our West Indian-American Labor Day parade ensues on Eastern Parkway in the heart of Brooklyn where masqueraders & general public moved in one accord. We had the freedom to choose to join the madness, jump, tek a whine or simply watch from the sidelines. So Miami, yes I still know how to enjoy my Caribbean roots & that's why every year I find myself in carnival's midst but trust me, I LOATHE your segregation tactics and could no longer stay quiet. So I've vented, see you at Carnival next year right, just as pissed as ever I'm sure but jumping my heart out during the spurts of joy being amongst my fellow West Indians always brings. Selah
