By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Chairman Michael Pintard yesterday said he believes the inaugural Junkanoo Carnival failed to reflect the “uniqueness” of Bahamian culture due to its format.

He also called for the government to abandon the carnival moniker and brand “the modesty” of The Bahamas.

Senator Pintard said that in his view, the label of “carnival” limited the impact of last weekend’s event because it lacked three essential components of true Bahamian culture: “Label, costuming and language.”

He said that inclusion of these elements could have made the three-day event more palatable to those that opposed it on cultural grounds.

“If I am going to put on a international festival where things Bahamian are being reflected, I first begin in crafting that by using the correct banner under which I then put all of my cultural creation,” said Mr Pintard.

He added: “I would have not chosen that banner for the simple reason that the Bahamas Carnival then becomes one stop on an international carnival calendar as opposed to if I chose a Junka-Fest or a Junkanoo-Fest, or a Rake-N-Scrape Festival or some other term associated or unique to us.”

Mr Pintard, speaking as guest on the Star FM talk show ‘Jeffrey’ with host Jeff Lloyd, said it was a “wonderful idea” to promote Bahamian cultural events in a manner that gives international exposure to Bahamian culture.

However, he said the concept of carnival displayed over the weekend didn’t achieve that.

“I would want to reflect a costuming that reflects our sensibilities so that we don’t appear to be an imitation of somebody else’s culture or to move away from the modesty that we have been pretty much accustomed to.

“Depending on the term that you use, you begin to impact the creativity of people, which is why most artists entering the song competition presumed that having a Soca feel in their song was a requirement if you are entering a carnival song competition.

“If you had said a Rake-N-Scrape or Junkanoo you would have gotten a different feel. You would have gotten even more authentic reflections of Bahamian creativity.”

Mr Pintard said yesterday that he believes that carnival was a step in the “right direction” to promoting Bahamian culture, but admitted that more needed to be done.

He said: “I think if this is to emerge next year it would be useful to remove the carnival label and let’s brand us.

“In other words, you don’t trade away your uniqueness. If you wish to configure an event that is essentially Bahamian in nature, not evolved into be Bahamian by virtue of criticism and backlash then these are some of the adjustments you make: label, costuming, language used so that you don’t constrain creativity.”

Earlier this year, FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis said he did not agree with spending $9m on carnival, adding that the money should be invested in Junkanoo.

Subsequently, Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe called on the FNM to get on board with the inaugural event, insisting that it would be a great display of Bahamian culture while providing opportunities for local artists.

• Nicolette Bethel writes on Carnival, page 8