The Parade Carnavalesque de Goyave 2026. This is one of the big ones of the Carnaval season in Guadeloupe. Most of the big groups(read: well-known and award-wining) perform at this parade. We happen to be right down coast from Goyave, so why not, right? We plan the whole day around the parade, because you have to get there early, snag parking, snag a good spot to sit, and wait until the festivities begin. We've done this before, at small parades like on Marie-Galante, or bigger ones, like the one we attended in Sainte-Anne a couple of years ago. You have to be prepared, and you have to be patient. Starting times are very approximate. Sainte-Anne started 5 hours later than expected, because the performers can't possibly be expected to start before sunset, it's too hot, one woman told us. That parade was scheduled for 1 pm! This one, however, is scheduled for 3pm, but it's televised, so timing has to mean something, right?
Okay, to give you an idea of how big this parade is, we find out that a portion of the National Highway is being closed to be turned into a parking lot for the event! That's planning. Of course we have to use the highway parking. We show up early enough that we are only the 5th car parked(later on, when we leave, a good portion of the highway is full of parked cars, but nowhere near how many I though would be there). We walk the 20 minutes into town, being too early for the free shuttle.
We walk the parade route all the way to the judging station, where most of the spectators are already gathered, wanting to have the best vantage point to watch the groups perform. Each group stops on that red carpet, in front of the jury, and performs their dance/song/musical routine for 2 and a half minutes. They are judged on this, and awards are given per category. Otherwise, they sing/dance/perform all along the parade route, like a marching band, but the first half of the route is usually more energetic, and the post-jury second half is usually much more lazy, often in several states of costume undress. The hardest part is over, the rest is just getting back to the bus!
There are plenty of snack vendors along the route, selling things like peanuts, popcorn, lollipops, sorbet coco, or sinobol(snowball), which is what I got. It's much more refreshing, though I think the vendor got my order wrong. We were right up near the giant speakers of the judging area, so I have to yell. I asked if she had a gwosey peyi syrup(groseille pays, also know as red hibiscus syrup). She smiled knowingly, then started pumping all manners of syrup on my cup : mint, grenadine and orgéat(almond). I think she understood "couleurs peyi", which is syrups in the colours of the flag of Guadeloupe, and so I got the equivalent of an all-syrup Squishee. It was still good.
We managed to get a really good spot on a skinny road near the fishing port, where there were tables and chairs set up, shade, some snack stands, and even a first aid tent for the performers, so we knew it was a good spot! The only downside was that it was post-jury, so hopefully the energy levels would still be high for us.
Thankfully, the parade was only and hour and a half later, but we packed a lunch, and water, snacks, and towels to sit on. When the drums start to sound just beyond the last turn, we the parade is coming! The first group is the local Goyave association, joined by Miss Goyave 2024, Mrs. Goyave 2025-26, and the Mayor, in full costume!
From our spot on the sidewalk right next to the parade, I catch some very candid moments of the parade. It helps that my big camera attracts a lot of attention, and some performers are naturally drawn to it.
At our location post-jury, a lot of the younger kids were done with performing, having removed hats, or masks, or even parts of their costumes. Most were sucking on lollipops, which might be a thing to boost energy. We saw just about all the young kids with suckers in their mouths. It's important to note that all groups are also followed by a support vehicle, and security, to make sure the parade is done in complete safety. The support makes sure they stay hydrated, replaces broken instruments is needed, and picks up any injured performers (we did see a sprained ankle get collected from the first aid tent).
It's interesting to see this other side of the parade : the one where the kids are done with performing, have all removed their masks, and are just walking because they have to. These kids from the group Réality Bi Mass were the start of a great migration of monkey-masked performers to the large park behind us, off the parade route, so they could all be fed.
I am amazed at how young they start being a part of Carnaval.
Of course, some people are just FULL of energy. This performer wanted to draw attention to the importance of their security team, often left in the shadows.
The musicians, however, seems to have endless energy. As the group of monkey-masked kids overwhelms us, the drumming swells to a deafening volume, and suddenly, the entire group is bouncing intime with the beat.
This sad little group of drummers was the next in the parade, but got overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of the energy of Réality Bi Mass. They even tried to muster up more sound, pounding on their drums, but with no success, so they moved on.
Eventually, the yellow-and-white monkeys chilled out over snacks, and we were able to enjoy some other groups, music and costumes.
Chilling monkeys.
However, there seems to be some rivalry between the different Mas groups, the massive groups who dance around with monkey masks on. Once this group of red and green monkeys, Atafaya, came by, everyone crowded the sidewalk to jeer and chant at each other.
We enjoyed the dancers most, with their routines, and often very elaborate costumes. Their headgear was often very showy and spectacular. This group had a windmill theme.
Impérial Machin'a Groov'la were a very large group, but was well-represented by all ages in their group.
Tiny dancers.
Energetic women.
Musical men.
Another Mas group, Mouvman Mass Guadeloupe, came by to rile up the monkeys in the park behind us. In fact, they had to be controlled by their security to keep from disrupting the flow of the entire parade!
One of the only groups to win an award, that we saw, was Waka, with a frog theme, "Gounouy la ka chanté". They even had a float! The costumes were very elaborate, and they danced with as much energy as I imagine they had when performing for the jury.
And once it started getting dark, we decided not to spend the entire night on the sidewalk in Goyave, and to head home. Turns out, Réality Bi Mass had the same idea and began evacuating the park at the exact same time, so we just followed their group through the streets on Goyave to the turn-off for the parking lot.
When we got home an hour later, the parade was still being broadcast on TV, so we watched the end while having dinner! It was as chaotic on TV as it was in person - check it out!
No comments:
Post a Comment