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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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