Isaacs: Rake n' Scrape Festival struggled for govt support this year

Fri, May 29th 2015, 12:04 AM

The annual Cat Island Rake n' Scrape Festival struggled for government support this year because of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Relays and the inaugural Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival, according to Sidney Isaacs, president of the Cat Island Rake n' Scrape Association.

"The event still struggles for government support, especially this year... last year I only had to compete with IAAF, so I was given a bit more government support," said Isaacs.

"A cultural event such as this definitely needs a whole lot more injection into it, because it's your culture, it's your identity and we're just not getting what we need from the government."

The rake n' scrape festival is Cat Island's signature event, where various Bahamian artists and rake n' scrape bands perform and compete for prizes.

This year the annual music festival will feature a gospel concert, a battle of the rake n' scrape bands, quadrille dancing, a children's corner with games and a fishermen and farmers market.

The three-day festival will begin on June 4 in Arthur's Town and will be held in honor of Edmund Moxey.

"The rake n' scrape association is honoring the memory of Edmund Moxey, the greatest cultural icon this country has ever had, bar none," Isaacs said.
Moxey was the creator of Jumbey Village, a recreation of a Bahamian village on Baillou Hill Road, and the Jumbey Festival.
Isaacs said the main focus of the rake n' scrape festival is to keep rake n' scrape music current.

"The association was formed some 17 years ago, recognizing the need to showcase our true indigenous identity, not just in the music and the dance but everything that encompasses our culture: food, arts and craft, literature, sculpture, you name it," he said.

He added that the association does this by launching an aggressive campaign of competition among both junior and senior rake n' scrape enthusiasts.

Isaacs said another objective of the association is to make rake n scrape a musical genre that is recognized internationally on the level of reggae and soca.

He compared the importance of the festival to Bahamian culture with a scenario of a patient in need of blood after a fatal accident.

"Its like a transfusion into the veins of Bahamian culture," said Isaacs.

He added that although the festival will take place on Cat Island, it will mean more to the people of The Bahamas than the people of Cat Island. He explained that the location only serves as a transmitter point to transport rake n' scrape around the world.

If given the support needed from the government, Isaacs said the association will be able to address the problem of audience participation coming into Cat Island and possibly venture into accommodations.

The event will be held at the rake and scrape park, where stalls will be provided to accommodate the sale of food, drinks, and arts and craft.

Isaacs said if last year is used as a scale, the event is expected to attract almost three thousand people. Despite this great expectation from the association, Isaacs said the festival will encounter an issue of transportation for people traveling to the island.

An opening ceremony on the first night will acknowledge officials and special guests. The following two nights will feature a youth rake n' scrape competition as well as a senior rake n' scrape competition.

Bands competing in the senior competition will be Bohog and the Rooters, Franko and the Roosters (formerly the Toughskins) and the defending champions Ophie and the Websites. The festival will also feature performances from other Bahamian artists and bands including The Spank Band, Lassie Doe Boys, Veronica Bishop, Ancient Man, DMac, KB, Geno D and more. The charge for the music festival will be $20 for adults and $10 for kids.

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