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The History of Crop
Over
The end of the sugar cane
harvest, or
Crop Over
as it is almost always referred to, has long been the occasion for
celebration.
In what seems to be the
earliest reference to the
Crop Over
festival, we find the manager of Newton Plantation writing in 1788
to the estate's owner in England, telling him that he had held a
"dinner and sober dance" for the slaves, saying: "twas a celebration
of Harvest Time after the crop."
Many aspects of
plantation life in Barbados carried on unchanged after the end of
slavery, and the
Crop Over
festival likewise continued. Never the less there must have been an
important difference in the way in which the festival was perceived.
Before emancipation, the planter had no choice but to support his
slaves, well or badly as the case might have been, all year round.
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After 1838, for most
people
Crop Over
meant not just the end of a period of hard work, but also the
beginning of a period of less work and lower wages. For many the
interval between two crops would indeed have been "hard times",
and the symbol of these, perhaps not invented until after
Emancipation, was the figure of a man stuffed with trash (the dried
leaves of the sugar cane plant) which was known as "Mr. Harding".
Mr. Harding was formally introduced to the manager of the
plantation, and, according to some accounts, later burnt as part of
the celebrations which must have had a tinge of desperation to them
as people strove to enjoy themselves while they could. The
festival was apparently fairly common at the beginning of the
present century, by which time the name Crop Over seems to have
ousted that of Harvest Time. A procession of carts would bring the
last canes to the plantation yard, the draught animals being
decorated with flamboyant, frangipani and other flowers, whilst
brightly colored kerchiefs would be tied like flags to the canes.
The laborers would parade around the yard, and it was at this point
that that they would introduce Mr. Harding to the manager, after
which they would adjourn for a dance, for the manager or the owner
for the estate would normally contribute some salt meat and rum.
Even by 1940
Crop Over
was being described as a
"custom which has very nearly died out", and the continuing
decline of sugar and the growing availability of other sources of
employment had put an end to much of traditional plantation life.
The modern Crop Over, revived by the
Board of Tourism
in 1974 and now administered by the
National Cultural Foundation,
pays tribute to the fact that sugar is still important in Barbados
and the immense influence which it has had on our history. The
present day festival is very different from the old time
Crop Over,
but it continues as a tradition by offering a thrilling celebration
of many aspects of Bajan Culture, old and new . |
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ABOUT CROP OVER
TODAY!!
“Our Festival”
In Barbados, Crop Over is a five-week long
summer festival and it’s our most popular and colourful festival.
It's origins can be traced back to the 1780's, a time when Barbados
was the world's largest producer of sugar. At the end of the sugar
season, there was always a huge celebration to mark the culmination
of another successful sugar cane harvest; hence the festival name -
Crop Over.
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As the sugar industry in Barbados declined, so
too did the
Crop Over Festival,
and in the 1940's the festival was terminated. The celebration was
revived in 1974 and at that time other elements of
Bajan culture
were incorporated to create the
spectacle that exists today…… an exciting and vibrant extravaganza
of music and masquerade, history and culture.
The festival begins with the
Ceremonial Delivery of the Last Canes
and the crowning of the King and Queen of the Festival - the most
productive male and female cane cutters of the season.
Bridgetown Market
– a street market, that consists of several stalls, which sell local
food, beverages, arts and craft and music. Enjoy the
Calypso
music and the live
Tuk-bands
as you browse through the many colourful stalls.
Cohobblopot
is a huge, colourful and spectacular show with
the Kings and Queens of the
Kadooment
bands
displaying their elaborate and stunning costumes. In recent years,
there has also been a huge entertainment package with the most
popular calypsonians and bands performing to packed audiences.
The children are not left out as they can
participate in the Kiddies Kadooment,
jumping and dancing in beautiful costumes, as they parade before the
judges.
Folk Concerts
and
Art and Photographic Exhibitions
are integral parts of the festival, highlighting Barbadian history
and culture as well as the artistic talents of Bajans.
Calypso
is one of the main features of the
Crop Over Festival.
The calypsonians are organised into ‘tents’. These ‘tents’, who are
usually sponsored by local businesses across the island, provide a
place for the public to hear most of the music released for the
festival, LIVE!! During this festival, calypsonians compete for
several prizes and titles, including the
Peoples’ Monarch (new),
Party Monarch, Road
March Monarch and the Pic-O-De-Crop Monarch.
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The semi-finals of the Pic-O-De-Crop
competition are held at the picturesque
East Coast Road,
where the calypsonians perform on a stage with the Atlantic surf as
the backdrop while the spectators gather in the hillsides with their
picnic baskets. This magnificent spectacle should not be missed! The
finals of the Pic-O-De-Crop competition are held at the
National Stadium,
and this is followed by the
Fore-Day Morning Jump-Up!
The grand finale is the Grand
Kadooment! This carnival parade features large bands
with ‘revelers’ dressed in elaborate
costumes
to depict various themes. Designers of these bands, compete for the
coveted Designer of the Year prize while the revelers seem more
intent on
having a good
time! The revelers make their way from
the National Stadium to Spring Garden accompanied by the pulsating
rhythm of
calypso music. When they reach
Spring Garden, the party continues with more fantastic music, lots
of food and drink and, for some, a quick swim at the nearby beach. A
grand end to a grand festival.
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