The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

CULTURE Minister Danny Johnson yesterday led a large “cultural delegation” to Cuba for the 35th annual Caribbean Festival in Santiago de Cuba over the next week.

Ernesto Soberon Guzman, Cuba’s Ambassador to the Bahamas, told The Tribune that the presence of the Bahamian delegation at the “historically important” festival marked another step forward in the co-operation between the two nations.

“Cuba organises this festival every year and every year we have a guest of honour country. This year for the first time the Bahamas would be the guest of honour country,” said Mr Guzman. “Also, this is a special festival because this is a celebration for the 500th anniversary of the city of Santiago de Cuba. This is also a co-operation project to promote tourism to the Bahamas. Unfortunately, when people talk about the culture of the Bahamas the only thing they think about is Junkanoo. The culture of the Bahamas is so much more than Junkanoo.”

In addition to the minister, Antonius Roberts, Kishan Munroe (plastic arts); Craig A Smith, Patricia Glinton-Meicholas (cinema); Marion Bethel (literature); Ian Bethell Bennett (academic), as well as Percy “Vola” Francis, leader of The Saxons Junkanoo group, are all expected to travel to Cuba for the festival.

During the academic event, the Bahamian specialists will exchange with their Caribbean counterparts and the public on the particulars of the Bahamian culture that distinguishes it from the rest of the Caribbean countries, highlighting Junkanoo as the premier artistic manifestation of the Bahamas.

Another important part of this festival will be the presentations of the poetry of Christian Campbell and Marion Bethel, awarded with the Prize Casa de Las Americas 1994 with their books “Running the Dusk” and “Bougainvillea Ringplay” respectively.

“The idea with this festival is that you present as much as possible about the Bahamas’ culture to the people of Cuba and also to the rest of the people who (travel) to Santiago de Cuba for the festival,” Mr Guzman said. “You say this is what the Bahamas has to offer: if you want to see more, you should travel to the Bahamas.”

The Bahamian delegation that travelled to Cuba yesterday – after a few days’ delay – totals 300, out of which 75 will perform, as a unit, as the Junkanoo group in the main parade on Heredia Street. This Junkanoo group will be awarded with “Casa del Caribe” prize.

The group will return to the Bahamas on July 10, Independence Day.