Barbados hosted the 10th Annual Fish and Dragon Festival at the Garfield Sobers Complex on Saturday. The celebrations of the festival busted with Barbadian and Chinese Culture.
It is to be noted that the event was coordinated by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Barbados and the Central Bank of Barbados. The festival was returned with live performances of many renowned artists and a large number of audiences spilling over into the stands.
Presentation of talent by Artists
The Fish and Dragon Festival showcased the richness of Chinese culture, including new instruments such as the Erhu, played by Zhou Yuhan. The Taiji Wushu Association attracted attention with a martial arts performance, and the Chinese medical team in Barbados presented their talents through dance accompanied by a flute player.
Moreover, the members of the Confucius Institute, including dancer Jessica Chow and young singers, added variety to the program.
Performance of the Foundation School Steel Orchestra
Notably, Christ Church Foundation School Steel Orchestra entertained the audience with a mix of Soca hits, including a medley of Edwin Yearwood tunes.
The local contingent displayed the Black Banana band, which was led by Lowrey Worrel with backing vocals by Shekara Straker and Jeliah Boyce. The Fish and Dragon festival welcomed Saxophonist Jelani Belgrave as a new addition to the season.
Event producer Adisa ‘AJA’ Andwele acknowledged that the acrobatics of the guest troupes were the highlight of the event and assured that efforts would be made to include them in the next edition.
Initially, Andwele was concerned about a potential decrease in the audience due to the absence of a troupe from China. However, he was filled with joy at an unexpected turnout. He stated, “I was really shocked at the amount of people that came.
Noting this, the event producer described the Fish and Dragon Festival as a “Street fair in the gym” as it was inclusive for everyone.
This year, the number of booths at the expo increased. Exhibitors included the Chinese Embassy, which provided information about scholarship opportunities, and Going Place Travel, which advertised its packages to Beijing, Shanghai and Xi’an.
Representatives from the Chinese Enterprises Association of Barbados were present to market their range of services. Some adventurous souls even tried therapy, which was available at another booth. Another highlight of the show was the sale of Chinese food.
