It goes by many names: "bacchanal", "mas". And lately here in The Bahamas it has been called: "the brainchild of the prime minister", "an economic stimulus", "a copycat event", "a threat to Junkanoo". Carnival is its formal title and it will be here on May 2, 2015, whether we like it or not.
The idea was sprouted by Prime Minister Perry Christie in October 2013, and it has quickly snowballed into an issue of debate between those in favor and opposed. Those with no opinion, who appear to be the majority of Bahamians, are often surprised to hear that the country will be hosting a carnival.
Predicted by event organizers to attract approximately 10,000 people and to spur a seasonally sleepy economy into a time of prosperity for Bahamians across the country, it seems surprising that so many know little or nothing at all about the festival.
The who and when
The Bahamas Carnival is managed by the Bahamas National Festival Commission (BNFC) - a body appointed by the government. Members include hoteliers, financial experts and Junkanoo enthusiasts. They are led by former banker Paul Major, the BNFC's chairman.
Planned to be a weeklong festival, the carnival's ice will be broken in the preceding weeks with a series of events and activities. Historically a slow period for the hospitality industry, it is hoped the carnival and the events leading up to it will provide a hefty boost to the economy in early May. Major thinks timing is everything.
"All the tourists, all the snowbirds go back home April. Early, mid-April they fly back north. Atlantis [is] empty. Everybody [is] empty. The unions [are] kicking up because people are on short days and short weeks, so that's why we picked the post-Lenten season because hotels are in low season," he said.
The what
Comprised of four main events: the Road Fever, Midnight Rush, Junkamania and the All-Star Concert, the carnival is expected to appeal to both tourists and Bahamians, according to Roscoe Dames, the BNFC's technical consultant.
"We can't really say the percentage of visitors over Bahamians, but we would like to have a 50-50 mix of Bahamian participation as well as visitors," he said. "Part of the economic impact is to fill the hotels and for Bahamians to make money owning the companies and being a part of it."
Costumes and companies
The companies he refered to are those involved in the Midnight Rush and Road Fever, which are the types of events that come to mind when most people think of carnival. Identified by masquerading groups in brightly colored costumes, these parades are largely participatory events, meaning that anyone interested in being part of them can join by purchasing a costume from one of the Road Fever companies.
In effort to set itself apart from other carnivals, and in an attempt to bring economic sustainability to the Family Islands, the commission has mandated that 30 percent of all Bahamas Carnival costumes be composed of indigenous Bahamian materials. According to Dames, this means materials like sisal, shells, plaited straw, burlap and sponge.
"Our goal is to include as many indigenous Bahamian-made products... They're not imported products," he said.
"You have to literally buy them here in The Bahamas. That means if the cost is $100 to make a costume, $30 of that was spent with local suppliers and not fellows who are bringing stuff in from China; no, the girl in Inagua and Acklins and Abaco, we are sourcing that stuff now."
Companies are being formed by Bahamians from all walks of life, who are required to attend the BNFC's carnival business seminars for training. The applicants hope to benefit from the carnival's economic stimulation as the official vendors of costumes. They will be responsible for sourcing materials, designing, making and selling costumes, which can be bought online on the forthcoming Bahamas Carnival website. Dames thinks the response thus far from potential entrepreneurs has been overwhelming.
"We're probably at 50 to 75 percent over what we anticipated... It speaks to people understanding the economic part of it. They want to get involved. They also understand what it means to have a group because they would have been in one in other festivals," he said.
The where
Described by Major as an "iconic stage", the Bahamas Carnival village will be based in the area comprised of Fort Charlotte, Clifford Park, Arawak Cay and the Botanical Gardens. The commission plans to use the area, which will be open day and night, for most of the carnival's events, excluding the Street Fever. The village will feature several "staging areas" and it is in this location that Bahamians will be given the chance to sell goods like food, souvenirs and homemade gifts.
Choosing an appropriate venue for the village is another of the commission's efforts to distinguish the Bahamas Carnival from the competition.
"These guys just came from New Orleans' Mardi Gras. That's their carnival. You know where they have it? On a horse track... In Trinidad, they do it in the Savannah, which is a track, again, or a cricket field, or whatever," said Major.
"Nothing special, just a venue set in the middle of a crowded, dirty city. Now, compare that with the iconic stage we plan to produce out on Clifford Park... What are they seeing in the background? The Atlantic Ocean, the lighthouse, the mega-cruise ships, Atlantis and south, to some degree, Baha Mar."
The why
Why? This is the question asked by many, often backed with concern or indignation for what has been interpreted as a snub of national celebrations like Junkanoo and the Rake 'n' Scrape Festival.
Musician Kirkland "KB" Bodie has been outspoken with his views concerning, among many things, the financial support given to the carnival compared to that given to existing national festivals like Junkanoo and the Cat Island Rake 'n' Scrape Festival.
Pam Burnside, the co-founder of Creative Nassau and widow of Jackson Burnside III, has described the event as a "Mardi Gras debacle".
Artist Dionne Benjamin-Smith has criticized the commission for adopting a "defensive" tone. She wrote: "Instead of welcoming discussion, the door of exchange and dialogue seems to have been politely closed in our faces. Although subtle, the tone of each response has been viewed as sarcastic in places, condescending and biting, even petulant at the notion of being questioned."
Stan Burnside, artist, brother of the late Jackson Burnside III and a founding member of One Family Junkanoo group, has questioned the use of the name "carnival" and its impact on what he describes as the "fragility" of Junkanoo.
To be sure, the carnival is something most Bahamians should be aware of, if not for its predicted economic impact then for its significance in terms of historically Bahamian festivals and celebrations.
o Next week the discussion on the Bahamas Carnival continues with an overview of its critiques and declared merits.

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