Support Toronto Caribbean Carnival Year-Round

Now that Toronto Caribbean Carnival season has passed, and the festivities formerly known as "Caribana" are a few weeks behind us, I can't help but reflect on what this occasion has meant to the city, the country, and the Caribbean culture.


Here are our thoughts, on behalf of myself and Kya Publishing (who have been involved in the administration and production of carnival on the mas band level since 2011), as posted on our speciality site: @CarnivalSpotlight earlier this week.

"It's more than just #JumpingUp in costume, dancing on Lakeshore Boulevard, taking selfies with #SocaArtists, having the biggest #SoundSystem and the prettiest truck #OnDeRoad, and IG recording the #WickedestWine. It's more than just #CostumeDesign, and parade logistics, media appearances, and the coveted #BandOfTheYear title.

Each year our #TorontoCarnival comes and goes. For 51 years we have looked forward to this #CaribbeanCommunity celebration, and revelled in the various streets of Toronto in appreciation of the music, food, people, and traditions that make our hearts soar with electricity and #GoodVibes.

We can't let Toronto Carnival die a slow death, and lose respect internally and externally.

#Carnival is our time: exclusively. In every major city, on every #island, and anywhere that #WestIndianPeople gather, the annual Carnival is OUR time.

We can't remain silent as our community is pushed away from venues, spaces, financial entitlement, and municipal favour.


We can't let #infighting, #badmind, #sabotage, #ill-will, and competition divide us even further, when we as a #community already are in a battle to preserve our #culture in a way that we enjoy and appreciate.
"#Caribana" is not the end all and be all of Caribbean culture in Toronto, Canada, or the world. Carnival is not the only way that we can acknowledge or pay homage to our #ancestors. BUT...it is a joy. An extremely entertaining and pleasurable joy!! It is something thousands of people are dedicated to, and commit their lives, time, passion, and finances to.


***If we're not careful, we will lose this celebration and related activities in Toronto. We are all accountable.*** 🎉


If we neglect #loyalty, our #morals, our #values, and trade them for ego, narcissism, braggadocio, money, and evil-spirited competition, we all lose. Big time.
The very nature of this celebration is community. Let us all be conscious of what our community means to us and how we are either contributing to its progress...or feeding its demise through our words and actions.


FOR THE LOVE OF #TORONTOCARNIVAL

Thanks for reading this!!