GRENADA AND CARIFESTA
by
OLIVER HUNTER


Grenada one of the many jewels of the Caribbean comes to CARIFESTA
with a colourful ~lriety that brings to the fore vivid glimpses of the Carib-
bean man as portrayed by the many art forms.


The Grenadians are as lively, throbbing, rich and beautiful as their
history and all of this gay rhythm will be presented by a 48 strong troupe
coming from this sunny Caribbean Isle.


Grenada, like hundreds of other Caribbean Islands, has been blessed
with the dynamic cultural sperms of many peoples....Old World and pre-
Colombian, and out of this mosiac has emerged a friendly lovable people
that are proud of their land and heritage.


The Grenada story began, like in other Caribbean lands, with the
Caribs; then came the many adventurers from Europe, with the French getting
the upper hand of the Island.


It was Le Sieur Du Parquet who made the historic deal when he bought
the Island from the Caribs for a couple of pennies.


The Grenadian folk still talk of this historic swindle. It is said
that Du Parquet landed on the Island one day with a party of desperados
got the Carib Cacique drunk with two bottles of liquor, gave him a few
knives, hatchets, clinched the deal with a handful of shiny beads, and
the Island was for life, the property of Du Parquet.


After the effects of the liquor had worn off the Carib Cacique
realized that he was flinched of the land that "Belong to our ancestors"
and so he and tribe decided to fight to the last man for its return.


Unfortunately for the Caribs they lost the battle with the French.
Their war axes, arrows and red pepper smoke were no match for the
"lightning stick" of the Frenchman.


There is a very sad ending to this tale. The Caribs, it is said,
realising that they had lost the battle decided to give the whole state
of affairs an heroic ending. So they gathered themselves at the end
of a cliff and committed suicide together by jumping to their deaths
300 feet below.


Apart from the people of African decent living on the Island with
the strange superstition and drum pulsed rhythm, there are the Redlegs
living in Mount Moritz, This white community are the descendants of
prisoners of war who were deported from the United Kingdom to work on
plantations in the Caribbean. Over the years there has been little
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mixing with other Grenadians and as such the Redlegs have reminded almost

pure to this day biologically and culturally.


Grenada sends to CARIFESTA an exciting multi-media presentations

bringing together the best in song and dance of the Island along with
dramatic presentations of the country's history.