St Vincent celebrates Garifuna Heritage Cultural rally, promotes cultural activities

Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines: St Vincent and the Grenadines celebrated the vibrant culture and traditions of the country with the 9th edition of the Garifuna Heritage Cultural rally on 5^th March 2024. The rally offered all its attendees with a wide range of fun activities.

The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Sustainable Development and Culture of St Vincent and the Grenadines collaborated with the Garifuna Heritage Foundation to host the Garifuna Heritage Cultural Rally.

Various cultural items were presented by the students of Primary and Secondary schools, which entertained the audience greatly and made the event memorable for all the attendees.

Moreover, a Secondary School exhibition was also conducted, which displayed the children’s talents, abilities, and skills.

The festival was celebrated under the theme “Children of Chatoyer, Fruits of our Heritage.” The main objective of the theme was to promote cultural activities among children, ensuring greater participation with the motive to build their confidence, team spirit and knowledge.

The event was a great blend of activities filled with fun, including dance, singing, drama, drumming, choral speech, and many more. All these activities play a significant role in developing diverse skills among children beyond just the educational curriculum. Such events are also a great opportunity for them to interact with others and enhance their social ability to connect with new people.

The rally started at 9:00 am with a march from the Bishop’s College grounds to Victoria Park. The students were also presented with trophies for their enthralling and exciting performances in various fields.

The categories in which the awards were presented include,

Awards in the category of March Past

• Largest Group of Students
• Most Organised Group
• Best Garifuna Park

Awards in the category of Best Booths at the Park

• Most Outstanding Traditional Booth
• Most Creative Local Dish
• Most Outstanding Oral Presentation
• Most Outstanding Research Paper

Awards in the category of Best Performances at the Park

• Most Outstanding Garifuna Dance
• Best Overall Garifuna Themed Presentation
• BEST /MOST CREATIVE USE OF GARIFUNA COLORS (Yellow, Black and White)
• Most Outstanding Garifuna Fashion – Teachers
• Most Outstanding Garifuna Fashion – Students
• Most Outstanding Garifuna Choral Speech
• Most Outstanding Poetry
• Most Outstanding Garifuna Song
• Most Outstanding instrumental piece

The event was a huge success as it witnessed various excellent performances of the students.