SOCANEWS
F REE
AUG 2021/138 ISSN 1464-7087
SOCANEWS.COM
CREATIVE CARNIVAL PRACTICES FRIENDLY TO THE ENVIRONMENT SN AUG 2021 1
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CONTENTS AUG 2021 | ISSUE 138
REGULAR 07 NEWS 20 MUSIC
UK Soca Releases
29 EVENTS
24 NOTTING HILL FIRES UP ITS OFF-ROAD CARNIVAL
It’s another year in exile for Notting Hill Carnival, deported from the streets that gave it life 55 years ago. Where racist residents, grandstanding politicians, snarling media and thick blue lines of police failed, an invisible bug succeeded for the second year running. But only partly…
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Your guide to whats happening when and where this August bank holiday weekend
FOOD 38 ROTI
Become a roti making master
FASHION 41 ONE PARADISE
One Paradise, focuses on highlighting the vibes, people, history and culture of the Caribbean Islands
FEATURES
CARNIVALS
12 WINDRUSH MONUMENT –
36 A quick guide to what’s
ARTISTS SHOW OFF THEIR DESIGNS
14 NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL –
A POTTED HISTORY
18 CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE
IN STEEL PAN
22 YAM CARNIVAL – BRINGS
AFRICAN MASQUERADE TO CLAPHAM COMMON
24 SOCA CHALLENGE –
FOR HACKNEY CARNIVAL AT HOME
happening with some of the main carnivals this year
JUNKANEW 44 A Novel Approach
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to Sustainability in Carnival
GET LISTED: If you’re a carnival organiser, promoter, mas band, steelband, soca sound, community group or other participant who’s feeling left out because we didn’t mention your event, or if you’d like to advertise in the magazine or online, the remedy is in your hands. Get in touch! Give us a call on 0333 012 4643.
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EDITOR'S
LETTER Hello Soca People It’s Carnival time again… well, almost. No jumping on the streets this year, as Notting Hill Carnival is once again kept at bay by the Covid pandemic. However, when it comes to events and entertainment there's plenty to keep you busy during the month of August. We've also compiled a comprehensive list of events, which can all be seen on pages 29 to 33. We've tried to be as accurate as possible, but as details are changing all the time we would advise checking socanews.com/events, where you can always find the latest updates. We're currently looking for writers, who must have a keen interest in Caribbean culture - especially soca, mas and carnival. If this is you, then email info@socanews.com with your details. And if you would like to contribute to Soca News or have a story to share, please email us at news@socanews.com. Until the next issue... YOURS IN SOCA Joseph Charles EDITOR
PUBLISHER & EDITOR Joseph Charles jc@socanews.com CREATIVE Joseph Charles SUB EDITOR Katie Segal katie@socanews.com CONSULTING EDITOR Stephen Spark stephen@socanews.com
SALES & MARKETING sales@socanews.com Eric Oppong eric@socanews.com WORDS Dunstan Creavalle, Joseph Charles, Pax Nindi, Radeya Osman & Stephen Spark. PICTURES Albert St Clair, Bampson, Chris Boothman, Kola Grafix, Shutter In Motion & Stephen Spark.
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PUBLISHED BY Soca News Ltd 86-90 Paul Street London, EC2A 4ND TELEPHONE + 44 (0) 333 012 4643 EMAIL info@socanews.com WEBSITE www.socanews.com
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The views expressed in Soca News are not necessarily the views of the editor or the publisher. All material contained within this publication is the copyright of Soca News. No material, written or photographic may be reproduced in any way without the written permission of the publisher. No liability will be accepted for any errors which may occur within the magazine. © 2021 Soca News. All rights reserved.
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NEWS
RUM AND RECOVERY FEATURE IN NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL 2021 LAUNCH
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ot so much a launch as a long-overdue reunion. That seemed to be the general verdict on the official launch of Notting Hill Carnival 2021, on Monday 26 July. Naturally, the venue was The Tabernacle, Powis Square. In the unlikely event that anyone was unsure where to go, five faintly sinister moko jumbies were stalking about outside before contorting themselves to get under the archway into the Tab’s courtyard. Brazilian bateria Tribo and Mangrove Steelband provided the music, masqueraders gave the photographers something to focus on, calypso queen Helena B served up doubles and the girls from Duppy Share dispensed welcome liquid refreshment. More delicious snacks did the rounds, so guests had no cause to complain. For many of us this was a first chance to meet in three dimensions friends we’d seen only on screen (if at all) over the past two years, so there wasn’t an excess of social distancing – except for the moko jumbies, obviously. A last-day-of-term, let-out-of-school feeling was in the air, and it was a joy to be able to dream that some semblance of our former lives might be returning, albeit cautiously.
NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL 2021 LAUNCH CREDIT: STEPHEN SPARK
Our recent experiences can be summed up in that old fete favourite, “One step forward, two steps backward and tremble”! After an introductory splash of calypso from Alexander D Great, the formalities were brief, starting with a reminder, by Notting Hill Carnival Ltd CEO Matthew Phillip, of the debt we owe the pioneers. It’s a debt that isn’t much recognised outside the carnival community, though. Two million visitors come to Notting Hill on the August Bank Holiday weekend, generating £150 million for the local and national economy, yet carnival’s creators receive very little in return, he pointed out. Matthew was greeted with a big cheer when he said: “We will be on the streets again in 2022.” However, funding is under pressure like never before, so NHCL has created a Carnival Recovery Fund. Amongst the money-raising efforts, Ishmahil Blagrove’s superb account of Notting Hill Carnival has been reprinted and licensed to NHCL, so that profits from sales of the book go straight into the Recovery Fund. He concluded by listing some of the events coming up, and details of these can be found elsewhere in Soca News. SN AUG 2021 7
NEWS
RHYTHM KITCHEN IS A TRAVELLER'S CHOICE
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he Walthamstow branch of Rhythm Kitchen is celebrating its status as a 2021 Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice. Travellers’ Choice was established in 2002 and is the highest honour Tripadvisor can bestow. Based on millions of reviews and opinions from travellers from around the world, the annual award recognises the best-rated tourism establishments in terms of service, quality, customer satisfaction and more. Soca News asked Rhythm Kitchen owner Delroy Dixon for his initial reaction: “Running your own business means you have to wear many hats. It’s so easy to get entangled in the responsibilities and hard work that come with the territory. Only when you receive an award out of blue, you realise all the hard work is worth it.” So what does the award mean to him? “This award is not just about me; it’s about the team and how we all work together to make Rhythm Kitchen E17 the place where people can relax and have a great dining experience. But, most of all, we wouldn’t be here without the support of the community, and for this I am forever grateful.” Check out Rhythm Kitchen for yourself at 257 Hoe Street, London E17 9TP; rhythmkitchen.co. 8 SN AUG 2021
DELROY DIXON CREDIT: RHYTHM KITCHEN
VETERAN VINCY CALYPSONIAN WINSTON SOSO HAS PASSED
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alypsonian Winston Soso (Trevor Winston Lockhart) has died at the age of 69. Known as the Rolls-Royce of soca, he has entertained us with songs such as Soca Dianne, All Men Ah Want It, Rude Girl Posse and Ah Feel to Party. Soso debuted with Vincy band Clymax in the 1970s. His big success came in 1985, when he released I Don't Mind, which went on to become one of the biggest songs of the decade and still resonates sweetly today. Soso passed away in Brooklyn on Sunday 18 July – four days after his birthday - after battling a variety of serious health problems for some time. May he rest in peace.
NEWS
ALL ABOARD – SHIP AHOY! ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES TO TRINIDAD CARNIVAL 2023
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our company Island Sea Fest has joined forces with cruise line Royal Caribbean to deliver an 11-night cruise based around Trinidad Carnival 2023. Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas will begin this first of its kind cruise from San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Wednesday 15 February 2023. From there, passengers will head to Trinidad, spending five nights on board their floating hotel in between all that carnival revelry. In time-honoured carnival style, the cruise even incorporates a las lap as the ship calls at Tobago, Barbados and Saint Lucia allowing passengers some essential post-bacchanal recovery and relaxation. The cruise ends back in San Juan on Sunday 26 February. The all-inclusive price includes the cruise fare, taxes, fees, gratuities, beverages, meals, onboard parties, wi-fi and basic travel insurance. For more information about the cruise, see islandseafesttrinidad.com.
KASSAV CO-FOUNDER JACOB DESVARIEUX, HAS DIED
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o-founder of Kassav, Jacob Desvarieux, who was born on the 21 November 1955, passed away on Friday 30 July 2021 at the age of 65. He had been hospitalised for several days in Guadeloupe with a Covid-19 infection. Born in Paris, Desvarieux was a singer, musician, arranger and producer. It was in 1979 that he met Pierre-Edouard Décimus, and they formed Kassav. He recently collaborated with Trinidadian soca artist Machel Montano in 2019 on the track Dance, which featured on the Ole Ting Riddim.
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NEWS
FENTY BEAUTY TAKES RIHANNA TO BILLIONAIRE STATUS
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ihanna was born in 1988 in the parish of Saint Michael in Barbados, to a Guyanese mother and Barbadian father. She once sold clothes from a Bridgetown street stall, and is now worth $1.7 billion (as estimated by Forbes Magazine). This makes her the wealthiest female musician in the world, and second only to Oprah Winfrey as the richest female entertainer. Aspiring pop stars should note, however, that this isn't all due directly to her music; the bulk (an estimated $1.4 billion) of Rihanna's fortune comes from the value of Fenty Beauty, a 50-50 joint venture with French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH run by Bernard Arnault, the world’s secondrichest person. “A lot of women felt there were no lines out there that catered to their skin tone. It was light, medium, medium-dark, dark,” says Shannon Coyne, co-founder of consumer products consultancy Bluestock Advisors. “We all know that’s not reality. Fenty was one of the first brands that came out and said, ‘I want to speak to all of those different people.’” Hopefully, Robyn Rihanna Fenty’s success will serve as an inspiration to many Caribbean women to follow. 10 SN AUG 2021
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FEATURE
WINDRUSH MONUMENT
ARTISTS SHOW OFF THEIR DESIGNS WORDS | STEPHEN SPARK
Designs have been unveiled for the government’s monument to the Windrush Generation, due to be placed at Waterloo Station in London next year. Four shortlisted artists, all of Caribbean heritage, have revealed their proposals; the designs can be seen online in four short videos. Members of the public are invited to fill in a short survey, and a link to the videos, survey and privacy statement are given below. The questionnaire asks how much you feel each work celebrates the Windrush Generation and their descendants; is exciting; is something you identify with; would appeal to audiences across different ages; would provide a place for reflection and connection; reflects the diversity of the Windrush Generation and their descendants.
Jamaican-born Valda Jackson presents a man, woman and child in bronze spread out and facing in different directions on a plinth. She says they “represent the people who might feel least appreciated and most at risk of having to answer the question, ‘why are you here?’” The question was at the core of the Windrush Scandal and is still asked of present-day migrants.
US-based Basil Watson’s parents came to Britain from Jamaica in 1952. His man, woman and child stand on some of those suitcases that feature in so many Windrush-era images of the new arrivals. As well as being highly appropriate for Waterloo station, the suitcases are arranged as a series of steps, representing upward progress. Watson says the suitcase “holds within it all things valuable”.
Thomas J Price, of mixed Jamaican and English heritage, is the only contender to give us a single figure, a woman about 12 feet high in gold-finished bronze. Although the woman is in a “casual stance”, the sheer size and glamour of the statue gives her the sort of status normally associated with powerful figures commemorated in public places.
There’s no mistaking the Caribbean influence in Danish-Trinidadian Jeanette Ehlers’ work – a strikingly original group of three moko jumbies, whose bodies would be created from digital body scans of British people of Caribbean heritage. The sculptures would be made from bronze, aluminium and jesmonite – a gypsum-based material in acrylic resin.
The winner of this important celebration of the Caribbean contribution to Britain will be announced in Black History Month – October 2021. The deadline for comment is Wednesday 25 August at www.consult.communities.gov.uk/race-projects/windrush-monument-survey/consultation/intro. You can also email the Windrush Commemoration Committee at windrushprojects@communities.gov.uk. 12 SN AUG 2021
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FEATURE
NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL A POTTED HISTORY
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here do you start when talking about the beginning of Notting Hill Carnival? Few events have such a disputed history. By the time the Second World War ended in 1945, London was a city that had survived, but only after experiencing much loss. It was in many ways a drab and wounded place. It was also one with an acute labour shortage, attracting Britain’s colonial Caribbean citizens to cross the waters and increase the volume of the much needed, if not appreciated, working classes. The first large group to arrive were filmed disembarking from HMT Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks in June 1948. Mostly young, they brought
with them vibrant colour, energy and a distinctly Caribbean vibe (go online to hear calypsonian Lord Kitchener singing London is the Place for Me as he steps on to British soil). By the late 1950s, Brixton in the south and Notting Hill in the west of London had the densest populations of Caribbean people in Britain. Anti-immigration feeling grew, alongside unofficial colour bars that made it hard for new arrivals to find accommodation and employment. Yet Caribbean people had long been encouraged to think of themselves as bonafide and deserving British citizens. Simmering tensions boiled over into the Notting Hill Race Riots in 1958, and then tragically in 1959 a young Antiguan man, Kelso Cochrane who lived in Notting Hill, was at-
tacked and murdered by a group of white youths. Despite being the supposed champion of workers’ rights, the Communist Party of Great Britain failed to protest about Cochrane’s racist murder, infuriating Trinidadian activist – and staunch communist - Claudia Jones. In response, she made a move that many years later earned her the affectionate, although controversial, title ‘Mother of Notting Hill Carnival’. Using her persuasive oratory and her newspaper, the West Indian Gazette (WIG), Jones brought together seemingly disparate groups of immigrants to demonstrate, march, hold meetings and to work with other anti-racist and anti-imperialist organisations. Crucially, Claudia Jones employed the weapons of art and culture “in the face of the hate from the white SN AUG 2021 15
racists”. The events she organised with strong support from like-minded individuals such as Edric and Pearl Connor and Sam King included beauty contests, talent quests, readings and shows by African-American artists and writers who were being introduced to black British audiences. The acclaimed actor and activist Paul Robeson was one of her supporters in these efforts. Jones brought all these elements together at St Pancras Town Hall, London, on 30 January 1959 for her fund-raising ‘Caribbean Carnival’, which was televised by the BBC. It became an annual event that continued until 1964, the year that she passed away through overwork and the after-effects of ill-treatment in the USA. Sam King, who had been a passenger on board the Windrush and worked with Jones on the WIG, is often credited as the ‘co-founder of Notting Hill Carnival’ in 1964. This is the year that some cite as the start of Notting Hill Carnival, tracing it to a children’s street party featuring Russ Henderson’s steelband. The outdoor celebration with which most people are familiar began dates back to late September 1966 when a week-long Notting Hill Fayre took place, organised by the volunteer-run London Free School (LFS). The latter had been co-founded by community worker Rhaune Laslett and photographer and political activist Johnny ‘Hoppy’ Hopkins. Active members of the local community with roots in Africa, the Caribbean, Cyprus and India also contributed to making the inaugural Notting Hill Fayre a reality. Significantly, it included processions to open and close the festivities. Laslett co-opted as much local talent as she could muster for the processions, including Guyanese activist Andre Shervington and the well-known Trinidadian jazz pianist and pannist Russell Henderson. Henderson had played for Claudia Jones’s 1959 event, but in 1966 he, together with Sterling Betancourt and Ralph Cherrie, took steelpan to the streets. Caribbean residents responded enthusiastically, pouring out of their homes to follow the “pan men on de road”. It was this unscripted ‘call and response’ dynamic between the three pan men and the residents which unquestionably introduced the uniquely Caribbean flavour into the 1966 festival. Unlike Jones’s indoor Caribbean Carnival shows, this brought Caribbean music onto the street. In the years that followed, participation on the streets by costumed revellers and organised steel-
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bands increased. Laslett’s vision of an all-inclusive al fresco celebration expanded, underscored by everstronger Caribbean connections with, and contributions to, its organisation and management. Leslie Palmer, from Trinidad, was a young teacher in London in the 1970s and served as the director of Notting Hill Carnival from 1973 until 1975. He organised sponsorship for bands, encouraged more steelbands to become involved and brought reggae bands into the carnival, while still retaining the magic of traditional masquerade. Palmer is best known for having invited static sound systems - as opposed to the mobile sounds used on mas band trucks - into carnival for the first time. This provoked some opposition, especially from the steelbands, but Palmer defended his decision. He explained: “The sound systems were the voice of the youth and the people, and to have a carnival and to leave that out was to ignore the demands of the people, because the sound systems were really the most popular entertainment for the youths.” Under Palmer’s direction, the carnival route was extended and generators were introduced. His organisational abilities laid a foundation for his successors at the helm of the rapidly growing carnival. In particular, Claire Holder, another Trinidadian and a barrister, was chief executive of Notting Hill Carnival for 10 years. Despite being confronted with a multitude of challenges, Holder is seen by many to have brought long-term stability to the leadership of the event. One legacy of the Holder era was the formal division of Carnival into five disciplines: costumed masquerade, calypso, soca, the sound systems (mobile and static) and steelbands. Today, these comprise the ‘arenas’ of Notting Hill Carnival. Innumerable characters have played their part in the Notting Hill Carnival story. It is a tale with many beginnings, and one which continues to draw us in, spellbound, even as it shifts and changes. What remains is the fact that, from the outset, London’s very own world-renowned carnival firmly placed Caribbean people in the vanguard of an unstoppable cultural force, which keeps on evolving. This unique annual August Bank Holiday weekend event continues to showcase the colour, creativity, irrepressible energy, music, resourcefulness and rhythm of Caribbean and many other diaspora peoples, who all share in the rich, culturally textured expression that is Notting Hill Carnival. For more on carnival visit socanews.com.
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FEATURE
CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE IN STEEL PAN
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WORDS | STEPHEN SPARK
wo days after the official Notting Hill Carnival launch on 26 July, steelpan was the focus of an invitation-only function at The Tabernacle organised by Sonny Blacks’ Commonwealth Arts & Cultural Foundation (CACF). In the exhibition area, Sonny had arranged some memorabilia of pan in times past – photographs, biographies of pan pioneers, and early steel pans and tamboo bamboo. Although the stories were familiar to pan aficionados, this historic material was fascinating for many other guests. As well as providing the music, Smokey Joe presided over the presentation of awards for Excellence in Steel Pan Performance. This was a chance to honour those who have contributed to, and continue to elevate, the artform in the UK. CACF director Mark Ringwood recalled a memorable first visit to Port-of-Spain’s panyards, while NHCL CEO Matthew Phillip reminded us that those who had received awards were not just great players but also inspirational teachers. It was an important point, as passing on skills to the next generation is the only way to ensure steelpan’s survival in the UK. No one would have argued with Matthew’s concluding remark: “Long live pan!” 18 SN AUG 2021
The awards were presented with enthusiasm and good humour by the Mayor of Kensington & Chelsea the Hon. Gerard Hargreaves, who had also been present at the NHC launch event. He was accompanied by Deputy Mayor Cllr Sof McVeigh. • • • • • • • •
Stephon Phillip (Phase One Steel Band) Andrew Facey (Mangrove Steel Band) Samuel DuBois Delphina James Leroy Clarke (Real Steel) Eversley Mills (Metro Steel Band) Winston Finlay (awarded posthumously, collected by Annie Finlay) Russell Henderson MBE, “legendary steel pan pioneer” (awarded posthumously, collected by Joan Shenton).
Two awards celebrated significant anniversaries: • Dixieland Steel Orchestra, 1961 2021 (collected by Alfred Totesaut, an original member of the band) • Trinidad All Steel Percussion Orchestra, 1951 2021 (collected by Pepe Francis MBE on behalf of original TASPO member Sterling Betancourt MBE FRSA).
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MUSIC UK SOCA RELEASES
UK SOCA ARTISTS HAVE BEEN BUSY OVER THE PAST MONTHS. HERE IS A SELECTION OF JUST SOME OF THE TRACKS RELEASED.
ABY
FREEDOM
NIKIE B
NIKIE BABY
ONE TIME
SOVEREIGN RIDDIM SUN DIVAS
WAH YUH COME FOR
SOVEREIGN RIDDIM MS DESIRE
WUK IT UP
SOVEREIGN RIDDIM CHENELLE ANDREW
RIDDIMS HONEY POT RIDDIM
K-LEE / MERZY / SIMBAARLEY / PAHJO PRODUCED BY SHAKERHD & ZIGBOI
JUMBIE TWITCH RIDDIM
SHIREENB / ADRIAN DUTCHIN /MERZY SIMBAARLEY/K-LEE / GUFF NUFF / BATCH / PAHJO PRODUCED BY SHAKER HD
FOR MORE MUSIC
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SOCANEWS.COM/MUSIC
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FEATURE
YAM CARNIVAL BRINGS AFRICAN MASQUERADE TO CLAPHAM COMMON
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WORDS | DUNSTAN CREAVALLE
illed as a celebration of black culture from around the world, Yam Carnival makes its debut on Saturday 28 August on Clapham Common. In this African-themed music festival, the biggest sounds in Afrobeats, hip-hop, dance, Afro-swing and R&B will come together across three stages. Organisers claim it will be “a defining cultural moment in the heart of London on the August bank holiday weekend”. The Carnival Stage will feature Beenie Man, Kehlani, Yemi Alade, Patoranking, Darkoo, Midas, The Jagaban, Ms Bank, Omah Lay, Pa Salieu and Rema. African masquerades on the day will include Eyo, Egungun, Igunnuko, Ijjele, Agbogho Mmuo, Dogon and Pende – you can learn more at yamcarnival. com/masquerade. The other two stages are Afrika Shrine Alive and Afrotronic where you’ll find, among others, Ari Lennox, Davido, Kehlani and Yemi Alade. East London rap collective NSG has birthed some of the biggest smash hits in recent years. Representing Ghana and Nigeria via Hackney, the six-strong group melds
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musical cultures with their afro sounds and dancehall beats in songs like OT Bop, Lupita, Options and Grandad. Jamaican singer-songwriter Koffee will be on hand to deliver the reggae vibes. African-influenced food trucks and chefs from around London will bring together a mouth-watering array of food and drink from around the world. Organisers say: “Putting black culture and the African continent at the heart of everything, Yam Carnival is truly a landmark moment where the biggest festival stages finally become one celebrating the vast influence and power of the culture right now. Bringing the street/beach/house party and combining it all in one of London’s most iconic outdoor spaces, Yam Carnival is the festival ready to shake London up.” With no Notting Hill Carnival this year the door is open for Yam Carnival to catch the eye of Londoners. Yam Carnival runs from 11.30am to 10.30pm. Please note that entry is restricted to adults (16+) and you will need to show photo ID. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster. For full details, visit yamcarnival.com.
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FEATURE
NOTTING HILL FIRES UP ITS OFF-ROAD
CARNIVAL WORDS | STEPHEN SPARK
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t’s another year in exile for Notting Hill Carnival, deported from the streets that gave it life 55 years ago. Where racist residents, grandstanding politicians, snarling media and thick blue lines of police failed, an invisible bug succeeded for the second year running. But only partly…
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Covid might be feeling pleased with itself, but the irrepressible energy and determination of Carnival can’t be kept locked down. As every masquerader knows, when one way is blocked you just have to find another. And that’s what organiser Notting Hill Carnival Ltd (NHCL) has done.
At the heart of this year’s carnival substitute offering are three sessions at Opera Holland Park called Carnival Culture in the Park (CCP). These outdoor events all run from 6.30pm to 9.30pm and tickets must be bought in advance. CCP kicks off with Classic Calypso at 7.30pm on Thursday 19 August. Giselle Carter, G String, Helena B, Alexander D Great and others will be performing with a sixpiece band. The carnival-lover is spoilt for choice on Friday 20th. Maybe start off at the Chelsea Theatre, just off the King’s Road, where you can find Carnival Comes to Chelsea. Organiser Venture Community Association (VCA) promises it will have “all the culture, all the music, all the costumes, all the steelpan, all the history and family fun” – though we wonder how they’ll fit that lot into a small theatre in just five hours (12 to 5pm). There’ll be food too, we’re told. Walk a mile and a half (and tay lay lay!) to reach the next CCP treat in Holland Park, Pan in the Park for 6.30pm. Expect to be blown away not just by London’s big beasts of steel, Ebony and Mangrove, but also by the wonderful Trinidadian soprano Anne Fridal. It’s sure to be a night to savour - but carnivallovers face a dilemma. Over by Latimer Road at the Maxilla from 8pm there’s the prospect of four hours of calypso and soca. The UK Calypso and Soca Lime Launch will showcase stars of ACASA’s London Calypso Tent including reigning UK Calypso Monarch G String and reigning UK Groovy Soca Monarch Ms Desire, plus previous title-holders and more. Then it’s back to the park on Saturday 21 August for the final CCP show. Be there at 7.30pm for Pan Jazz – an evening of Caribbean jazz from the Engine Room Collective, with steelpan virtuosi Andre White, Leon ‘Foster’ Thomas, Samuel Dubois, Carlene Etienne and Deborah Eden. When it’s over you’ll need to show some Olympic style for a sprint to the Tab to catch the last 90 minutes of the
Ultimate Soca Showcase at The Tabernacle the same evening. Triniboi Juicy, Ms Desire, Batch and SunDivas will be on stage from 9pm to 11.30pm. No pan on the road, but there’s plenty in the park this year, and your next rendezvous with the ring of steel is on Sunday 22nd at Powis Square. Steel the Show celebrates 70 years of this wonderful instrument’s arrival in Britain with youth performances from Mangrove, Endurance, Ebony, New Generation, St Michael & All Angels, Southside Harmonics and Croydon SO from 12pm. Just a few days to wait, and the next free show is waiting for you. The Community Carnival Party at Portobello Green is another VCA event and starts at midday on Thursday 26th, but we had no more details as we went to press. By this stage we’ll be ready for the premier event in the UK steelband calendar, on Carnival Saturday 28 August – Panorama. Yes, it’s happening and not, as was rumoured a few weeks ago, in some distant car park, but in its long-time home, Emslie Horniman’s Pleasance off Kensal Road. Four bands will compete for the ultimate steelband accolade: Ebony Steelband, Metronomes SB, Croydon Steel Orchestra plus reigning champions Mangrove Steelband.
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It’s not ‘just’ steelpan – there’s mas too! For those of us who somehow missed the Mas Mus Play events at The Tab on 25 July and 1 August there’ll be a chance to catch some costume action at the Pleasance from 6pm, along with Brazilian bands, food stalls, bars and a big screen. After the results are announced, DJs will play and keep things moving until midnight. As the off-road version of Notting Hill Carnival approaches the chequered flag, there are two final pit-stops, and where better than at The Tabernacle in Powis Square. We finish our Notting Hill journey where we began: with calypso. There will be two nights of the London Calypso Tent on Thursday 26 and Friday 27 August, running from 7.30pm to 11pm. Other exciting activities in prospect encompass soca (don’t forget Soca Fridays each week at the Tab, 6-10pm), food and drink, Afrobeats, sound systems and mas-making workshops. If you’ve missed out on tickets or can’t reach West London, don’t worry – you’ll be able to watch livestreams of Panorama and the Holland Park shows on NHCL’s new TikTok platform at @NHCarnivalLDN. The Carnival vibe won’t end at midnight on Monday 30 August, though. From 1 to 3 October there’ll be live steelpan and calypso performances at The Tabernacle as part of the International Conference in Carnival Arts, and later in Black History Month we’ve been promised a second round of the Calypso Tent. One thing is for sure, Covid can’t kill the Carnival spirit. We will rise… 26 SN AUG 2021
please note
All information was believed correct as Soca News went to press, but events are being altered and added almost hourly. Many organisers are not answering phones or responding to texts or emails, so check their social media platforms for updates. Most events require tickets to be obtained in advance. Prices range from £5 to £15. Some are free but may still require a ticket. For NHCL events, go to www.ticketsource.co.uk, but hurry because shows are selling out fast. Although we are not aware of any requirement to show a vaccine ‘passport’ for these events, it might be wise to carry proof of Covid vaccination with you, especially when going to indoor shows. After its 18-month slumber, the soca scene is waking up and raring to go. To keep yourself vaccinated against boredom we recommend a daily injection of www. socanews.com!
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EVENTS
NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL POWERED BY
DON’T KNOW WHERE TO GO, OR WHAT TO DO?
Our events listing is all you need to keep you in the know. We cover predominately London, but whenever or wherever we hear about a soca fete or Caribbean related event, we’ll list it. If you’re a promoter, then to ensure you get listed please send us your event details and a print copy of your flyer to events@socanews.co.uk. FOR OUR FULL EVENT LISTINGS, VISIT SOCANEWS.COM/EVENTS
AUG 2021 FRI 13 AUG SOCA FRENZY
SOCA FRENZY
@ Scala, 275 Pentonville Road, Kings Cross, N1 9NL. Time 11pm5am. Price £1-£15.
SAT 14 AUG FREEDOM FETE
ISLAND DJ CLASH
@ Cargo, 83 Rivington Street, EC2A 3AY. Time 1-9pm. Price £10-£20. TRINIDAD & TOBAGO ASSOCIATION UK
CARIBBEAN CREOLE FOOD FEST
@ Trinidad & Tobago Association UK, 380 Green Lanes, Finsbury Park, N4 1DW. Time 1pm. REBEL INTERNATIONAL
REBEL - THE UK J’OUVERT REBELLION
@ The SOE (South of England) Showground. Selsfield Road, Haywards Health RH17 6TH. Music By DJ Larni, DJ Tate, English Fire, Shep Beats, Sir Influential & Trini Gladiator. Time 3-10pm. Price £30-£35.
SUN 15 AUG ECLIPSE
INFUZED
@ Temple Pier, Victoria Embankment, WC2R 2PN. Time 12-5pm. Price £30-£55 SN AUG 2021 29
EVENTS
THE PROMOTERS GUILD
SUMMER WINE
@ The Silver Building, 60 Dock Road, E16 1YZ. Time 3-10pm. Price £25 PARTY LIT UK
PARTY LIT DAY FETE
@ Loves Company, Unit 1 Imperial Hall, 104-122 City Road, Old Street, EC1V 2NR. Music By DJ Armani, DJ Dingo, DJ Nako & Lex Lion. Time 4-11pm. Price £6-£10 NO BEHAVIOUR
NO BEHAVIOUR BRUNCH
@The Gable, 25 Moorgate, EC2R 6AY. Time 2-8pm. Price £35-£50
THU 19 AUG CARNIVAL VILLAGE TRUST
CARNIVAL CULTURE IN THE PARK – CLASSIC CALYPSO @ Opera Holland Park Theatre, Ilchester Place, W8 6LU. Info Featuring Giselle Carter, G String, Helena B and Alexander D Great with a six-piece acoustic band of keyboards, guitar, congas, bass, drums and clarinet, classic Calypso celebrates the wit, humour and soul of the UK calypso scene. Time 6:30pm. Price £10
FRI 20 AUG CARNIVAL VILLAGE TRUST
CARNIVAL CULTURE IN THE PARK – PAN IN THE PARK @ Opera Holland Park Theatre, Ilchester Place, W8 6LU. Info The celebrated Mangrove and Ebony Steelbands trace a journey from classic to contemporary steelpan music. During this cultureenriched event, they will also join forces to accompany the Trinidadian soprano Anna Fridal as she performs surprise pieces. Time 6:30pm. Price £10.
30 SN AUG 2021
CARNIVAL VILLAGE TRUST
CARNIVAL COMES TO CHELSEA
@ Chelsea Theatre, 7 World’s End Place, SW10 0DR. Time 12-5pm. Price Free. ASSOCIATION OF CALYPSONIANS & SOCA ARTISTS UK (ACASA)
THE UK CALYPSO & SOCA LIME LAUNCH @ Maxilla Social Club, 2 Maxilla Walk, W10 6SW. Time 8-12pm.
SAT 21 AUG JUST VIBEZ
SOCA SATURDAY
@ Peninsula, North Greenwich. Info Outdoors and covered spaces. Time 12-6pm. Price Free. SNG ENTERTAINMENT
BIKINI ‘N’ HORN DAY CRUISE
@ Festival Pier, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XZ. Time 1-6pm. Price £25. CARNIVAL VILLAGE TRUST
CARNIVAL CULTURE IN THE PARK – PAN JAZZ @ Opera Holland Park Theatre, Ilchester Place, W8 6LU. Info An evening of Caribbean jazz from the Engine Room Collective, with steelpan virtuosi Andre White, Leon ‘Foster’ Thomas, Samuel Dubois, Carlene Etienne and Deborah Eden. Time 6:30pm. Price £10. BACCHANAL JUNCTION
ARMY FETE
@ Greenwich, 10 Minutes from o2. Time 10pm-3am. Price £15£20.
SUN 22 AUG
POP UP SHOP
@ 13a Heybridge Way, E10 7NQ. Time 2-7pm.
LEEDS WEST INDIAN CARNIVAL
LEEDS WEST INDIAN CARNIVAL 2021 – PRINCE & PRINCESS SHOW @ Leeds Playhouse, Playhouse Square, Quarry Hill, Leeds, LS2 7UP. Time 3pm. Price £10. CARNIVAL VILLAGE TRUST
STEEL THE SHOW – CELEBRATING 70 YEARS OF STEELPAN IN THE UK @ The Tabernacle, 34-35 Powis Square, W11 2AY. Time 12-5pm. Price Free. NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL
THU 26 AUG REMEDY EVENTS
AMNESIA CARNIVAL CRUISE
@ Festival Pier, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XZ. Music By Cameron James, DJ Armani, DJ Tate, DJ Triple M, Prince Vern & Sir Influential. Time 8pm-12am. Price £25-£35. RELEASE D RIDDIM
GLOW UK
@ Fire, 39 Parry Street, SW8 1RT. Time 11pm-5am. Price £10-£15. SPECIALIST ENTERTAINMENT
SOCALICIOUS
@ The Hatch Club, 23 Lewisham Way, SE14 6PP. Time 11pm-5am. Price £8-£10. CARNIVAL VILLAGE TRUST
COMMUNITY CARNIVAL PARTY
@ Portobella Canopy, Green W10 5TD. Time 12-5pm. Price Free. FOR MORE EVENTS
SOCANEWS.COM/EVENTS
SN AUG 2021 31
EVENTS
FRI 27 AUG LEEDS WEST INDIAN CARNIVAL
LEEDS WEST INDIAN CARNIVAL 2021 – LEGACY KING & QUEEN SHOW @ Leeds Playhouse, Playhouse Square, Quarry Hill, Leeds, LS2 7UP. Time 7.30pm. Price £15. DA FAMALAY
SOCA RAMA
@ Festival Pier, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XZ. Music By Credable (Release D Riddim), Digga D, DJ Bajie, Martin Jay, Prince Vern & Vinny Ranks (Soca Mafia). Time 7-11:30pm. Price £25. BUSSPEPPER PROMOTIONS
BACCHANAL FRIDAY
@ Electric Brixton, SW2 1RJ. Time 11pm-4am. Price £15-£25. VINCY ALLIANCE MAS BAND
FIRE
@The Jazz Park, Shooters Way Reading, RG2 0FL. Featuring live Fireman Hooper & Wetty Beatz. Time 7pm-1am. Price £15-£20.
FRI 27-MON 30 AUG RADIATE FESTIVAL
CARNIVAL CITY
@ Guildhall Yard, EC2V. Info An ode to Carnival, a city has been born. Celebrating the life & love for Carnival culture with Art, Live Music, DJs, Markets & Food. Time 10am-11pm. Price £10. NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL
SAT 28 AUG JUST VIBEZ
CARNIVAL DAY VIBEZ – PT. 2 @ Snoozebox Stratford London, Pudding Mill Lane, E15 2NQ. Time 12-5pm. Price £20.
32 SN AUG 2021
BRITISH ASSOCIATION OF STEELBAND (BAS)
UK NATIONAL PANORAMA STEELBAND COMPETITION
@ Horniman's Pleasance Park Kensal Road, W10 5EH. Info Four bands will take part: Mangrove, Ebony Metronomes & Croydon Steel Orchestra. Time see website. Price see website. EVENT HORIZON, SMADE AND FESTIVAL REPUBLIC
NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL
MON 30 AUG
TOUCHDOWN SECTION
ISSA SNACK – JAB CARNIVAL MONDAY
@ The Spot, Streatham, SW19. Music By DJ Bones, DJ Courtz, DJ Shiney, Genesis, Keety General, QT 2Hype & T-Bone. Time 2-8pm. Price £15.
YAM CARNIVAL
SEPT 2021
DJ TATE & DJ BONES
INTENSITY EVENTS & AFRO SOCA LOVE
@ Clapham Common. Time 12pm. Price £35-£50
DREAMLAND JOUVERT
@ Colesdale Farm, Narthaw Road West, EN6 4QZ. Time 12pm. Price £30-£40. CLUB ZOUK
THE CLUB ZOUK CREOLE CARNIVAL PARTY
@ The RnR Lounge, 221-223 Mount Road, Chingford, E4 8LP. Music By Ninjaman Lloyd, DJ Matthew, Mickey Afrique & Val VJ. Time 10pm-late. Price £20. NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL
SUN 29 AUG
DJ TATE & DJ BONES
WONDERLAND FETE
@ Colesdale Farm, Narthaw Road West, EN6 4QZ. Time 12pm. Price £35-£50 DJ SHAKER HD
WOW – BOAT PARTY
@ Tower Millennium Pier, EC3N 4DT. Time 12:30-6pm. Price £33.
SOCANEWS.COM /EVENTS
SAT 04 SEPT SOCA DRIVE INN
@ Firs Farm School, Edmonton, N13 5QP. Hosted By Martin Jay. Music By Armani, Deejay Dee, DJ Bones, DJ Cinderella, DJ Guff Nuff, DJ Majikal, DJ Triple M & Lo London. Time 2-9pm. Price £25.
SUN 05 SEPT DUCK & DRAKE PROMOTIONS
WAVES BOAT PARTY
@ Festival Pier, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XZ. Time 1:30-6pm. Price £25-£35
AFTER CARNIVAL LIME
@ The Courtyard WC1, 38-51 Bedford Way, WC1H 0DG. Time 4-8pm. Price Free Info info@ socanews.com
SAT 11 SEPT REMEDY EVENTS
ONE MORE JAM
@ Metropolitan Bushey, Watford, WD23 2TR. Music By Credable, Deejay Dee, DJ Armani, DJ Bones, DJ Nate, DJ Shay, DJ Tate, DJ Triple M & Price Vern. Time 1-9pm. Price £25.
EVERY THURSDAY TRINI THURSDAYS
@ RnR Lounge, 221-223 Chingford Mount Road, E4 8LP. Time 5 - 11:59pm.
EVERY FRIDAY CARNIVAL VILLAGE TRUST
SOCA FRIDAYS
@ The Tabernacle, 34-35 Powis Square, London, W11 2AY. Music by Credable (Released Riddim), DJ Bostman, DJ Fats, DJ Tate, DJ Triple M, DJ Vern, Flagz Sound, Nassen, Prince Vern, QT 2HYPE, Urban Touch & Waynes James. Time 6-10pm. KING KEVAN & DJ LOKDWN
SOCA FRIDAYZZ
@ Trude Restaurant & Bar, 91 High Street, South Norwood, London, SE25 6EA. Music By DJ Guff Nuff, DJ Lokdwn & DJ Paulie. Time 7pm-2am. Price Free
EVERY SUNDAY (until 5th Sept)
CARNIVAL CONCIERGE & RELEASE D RIDDIM
BACKYARD JAM – THE WEEKLY SOCA LIME
@ Cabby’s Jerk, Arch 411, Street. Paul’s Way, Bow, E3 4AG. Time 3-10pm. Price £5
YOU ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO CHECK WITH THE EVENT PROMOTER, AS DETAILS SOMETIMES CHANGE AND CANCELLATIONS MAY OCCUR ESPECIALLY DURING COVID TIMES. ALL INFORMATION WAS CORRECT AT THE TIME OF GOING TO PRINT.
SN AUG 2021 33
FEATURE
JAMBOULAY WORKSHOP AT BETTY LAYWARD SCHOOL CREDIT: HACKNEY CARNIVAL
SOCA CHALLENGE FOR HACKNEY CARNIVAL AT HOME
H
WORDS | DUNSTAN CREAVALLE
ackney Carnival at Home returns this year, in a summer-long community engagement programme. This will be followed by an online gala event filmed at the Hackney Empire in September, and then a Virtual Carnival weekend of live-streamed fun. Although Hackney Carnival 2021 is an online-only event for the second year running, some creative innovations have been introduced that will allow people to enjoy the spirit of carnival in an interactive way. The Hackney Carnival team - Pax Nindi, Deborah Mullins, Manuela Benini and Marva Antoine – are giving residents the opportunity to participate in a range of online and at-home activities hosted by Hackney’s carnival groups. Residents can get involved in two ways. The Hackney Soca Challenge is a chance to show off your dance moves or to express yourself by writing lyrics to a soca song. The challenge is based on a specially made soca track, Tamba Carnival. You can take part in the challenge by submitting a film of 34 SN AUG 2021
your dance moves or audio of your singing along to the track. To hear Tamba Carnival and for full details of how to enter, visit lovehackney.uk/soca-challenge - you will discover that Tamba Carnival is not your typical soca tune, as it features a variety of musical influences and styles, including Latin percussion, soca vocals from Martinique-born Scrappy, and Zimbabwean lyrics by carnival producer Pax Nindi. And there’s another way to express your love for Hackney Carnival. Pick up a free Carnival Craft Kit from one of Hackney’s libraries (available from midAugust) and make your own carnival flag to display outside your home. Each kit comes with full instructions and is suitable for beginners. Share pictures of your flags on the Hackney Carnival Instagram account for all to see. For more information visit: lovehackney. uk/carnival or Follow Hackney Carnival on Instagram: @hackney_carnival and Facebook: facebook.com/hackneycarnival
SN AUG 2021 35
CARNIVALS INTRODUCTION
Covid has taken a severe toll on carnivals around the globe, but Soca News has compiled this quick guide to what’s happening with some of the main carnivals this year. We’ve saved you the trouble of having to go and look for them yourself, and pulled together a list on our website, at socanews.com/carnivals (WHERE RELEVANT, WE’VE USED THE DATE OF THE MAIN EVENT AS AN INDICATOR, ALTHOUGH THE CARNIVAL/FESTIVAL SEASON MAY RUN FOR LONGER.)
KEY
CANCELLED - THERE IS NO PHYSICAL CARNIVAL. VIRTUAL - EXPECT TO SEE VIRTUAL EVENTS. TBC - TO BE CONFIRMED; NO INFORMATION AVAILABLE YET. ALTERED - CARNIVAL IS TAKING IN A DIFFERENT FORMAT. UPCOMING - THE CARNIVAL HAS CONFIRMED THERE WILL BE A PHYSICAL EVENT
SAT 21 AUG
HANWELL CARNIVAL ELTHORNE PARK, W7 2AD STATUS: UPCOMING
Believed to be the oldest carnival in London, it started in 1898 and has offered financial support to the Ealing Hospital, formerly known as the Cottage Hospital. It features a parade, Beating the Bounds; a walk that has evolved with the carnival, music, costumes and other carnival goodies.
MON 30 AUG
LEEDS WEST INDIAN CARNIVAL ELTHORNE PARK, W7 2AD STATUS: VIRTUAL
This carnival was started as a homesickness cure for new Caribbean migrants to the UK. Billed as the premier carnival in England, it draws a crowd of more than 150,000 people each year. For 2021 the main Carnival will stay virtual but there are some events which will be held in a physical form.
SUN 29 - MON 30 AUG
SAT 4 SEPT
NOTTING HILL, LONDON STATUS: CANCELLED/ALTERED
ALEXANDRA PARK, MANCHESTER STATUS: ALTERED
NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL
Starting as a small community event more 50 years ago, this has grown to become one of the largest street festivals in the world. In a statement issued on 18 June, the board at London's Notting Hill Carnival announced that this year's event, which was scheduled for the 29th and 30th August, will no longer take place amid concerns surrounding the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Traditionally, it includes a calypso monarch contest (Thur), steelbands panorama (Sat), J’Ouvert (Sun), Children’s Carnival (Sun) and Adult Carnival (Mon), as well as a hot of fetes and associated event. Please see our article and events listing for descriptions of the various events being held.
FOR MORE
MANCHESTER CARNIVAL
Although the main Carnival event has been postponed this year, the new Manchester Carnival Together committee will be delivering a smaller scale event on Saturday 4 September. The family day will be the kickstarter on the road to Carnival 50, and they will endeavour to bring back Manchester Carnival full scale in 2022.
SUN 19 SEPT
HACKNEY CARNIVAL HACKNEY, LONDON STATUS: VIRTUAL
Scheduled to be held on Sunday 19 September, Hackney Carnival will once again go virtual. This year will be the second consecutive time that the eagerly anticipated event will be held in cyberspace rather than on the streets.
SOCANEWS.COM/CARNIVALS 36 SN AUG 2021
SN AUG 2021 37
FOOD
BECOME A ROTI MAKING MASTER
L
oved by many, but not well-crafted by all, roti is a very popular dish in the Caribbean, especially in the twin island Republic of Trinidad & Tobago. For those based in London, it can be difficult to source a good roti, so there's your other option: to make it yourself. We searched the world wide web and found a recipe, courtesy of Chef Jason Peru at www.chefjasonperu.com. If you would like to try and make it yourself and become a roti master, here’s the ingredient list and recipe. Otherwise, see our list of roti shops dotted around London, and let them do the hard work. 38 SN AUG 2021
DHALPURIE ROTI INGREDIENTS
• • • •
4 ½ cups flour 2 tbsp baking powder 3 cups water 1/3 cup vegetable oil for brushing roti
DHALPURIE FILLING INGREDIENTS
• 6 oz split peas • 2 tsp Chief turmeric powder • 2 whole pimento peppers • 5 cloves of garlic • 3 tbsp of vegetable oil • 4 leaves of chadon beni • 1 ½ tbsp of Chief geera powder • salt and black pepper, to taste
METHOD 1.
Place a medium sauce pan over high heat. Add the split peas, 2 whole cloves garlic, turmeric, whole pimento peppers and enough water to cover the split peas and boil for 20 minutes, while still retaining a slight crunch.
2. Meanwhile,to make the dough, add the flour and baking powder to a large mixing bowl and combine. Add the water in three installments, and mix until the dough has absorbed the water. Then begin to knead with your hands for about two minutes, until the dough comes together.
ROTI SHOPS If you don't wish to make it yourself then here are a selection of places you can pick up a roti - and maybe a red Solo, too.
3. Divide dough into three balls. Let rest for 15 minutes. 4. After the split peas have boiled, strain properly, retaining the garlic and pepper, and place into a food processor or mill to mince. It should resemble a course breadcrumb texture. 5. Place a sauté pan over high heat. Meanwhile, mince the remaining three cloves of garlic and the chadon beni with a knife until very fine. Add the vegetable oil to the hot pan and swirl, followed by the geera powder garlic and chandon beni. Stir for 30 seconds, then add the ground split pea mixture. Reduce heat to medium and stir mixture in the pan to cook evenly and combine all ingredients until it looks powdery. Cook for about two minutes, seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside. 6. Dust your counter with flour and roll out each dough ball into circles 5 inches in diameter. Spoon two tablespoons powdered split pea mixture into the centre of the dough. Gently cusp the dough in your palm, bringing together the edges so as to encompass the mixture within a ball. 7. Rest dough for five minutes. 8. Preheat a tawa over medium to high heat. If you don't have a tawa you could use the inside of a large, flat cast iron pan or a flat top iron griddle - like the one you cook burgers on. 9. Dust your counter with flour and roll out each dough ball carefully into circles nine inches in diameter. Brush rotis with vegetable oil and place on the hot tawa or equivalent. Cook for about 20 seconds, then flip and brush the other side with oil. Cook for 45 seconds and brush with oil again. The dhalpurie roti should swell gently now; when this occurs, remove it and place in a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
Note: no roti exchanged hands for inclusion in this article.
ROTI STOP
36B Stamford Hill London N16 6XZ Tel: +44 20 8815 4433 www.rotistop.com
ROTI MASTERS Our roti recipe is courtesy of chef Jason Peru.
282a High Street Sutton SM1 1PQ
Tel: +44 20 8643 4399 www.rotimasters.com
Check out his new book the Impregnation Of Flavour.
ROTI JOUPA CLAPHAM
You can order online at www.chefjasonperu.com
Tel: +44 20 7627 8637
12 Clapham High Street London SW4 7UT
TRINIDAD ROTI SHOP 27 Craven Park Road London NW10 8SE
Tel: +44 20 8838 4800 www.trinidadrotishop.co.uk
UPTOWN CUISINE 161 Park Lane London N17 0HJ
Tel: +44 208 801 1169 www.uptowncuisine.co.uk SN AUG 2021 39
40 SN AUG 2021
FEATURE
FASHION
One Paradise
ONE PARADISE IS A LIFESTYLE, FASHION AND MERCHANDISE COMPANY, THAT FOCUSES ON THE CONFIDENCE TO EXPRESS YOUR CARIBBEAN INDIVIDUALITY. One Paradise, born in Barbados, now living in London, focuses on highlighting the vibes, people, history and culture of the Caribbean Islands. We strive to provide quality goods and services to help our customers look and feel their best. There are endless ways to be you and express your Caribbean ways. Be a part of the One Paradise experience. ONE CARIBBEAN - ONE MISSION - ONE WORLD - ONE PARADISE
SN AUG 2021 41
FEATURE
FASHION
Summer ready We are here for all your Caribbean paradise OUT-OUT needs.
www.oneparadise.co.uk
QU E E N CO L L EC T I O N T-Sh ir t Pe ndan t N e c k l a c e s
42 SN AUG 2021
SOCA F EED S MY SOUL COLLECTION
@weareoneparadise
NE W - CULT UR E IS LIFE COLLECT ION
CA RIB B EA N ISLAND P END A N T N ECKL ACES: T he p er fect wa y to r em em b er hom e and r ep r es ent your cu lture.
OUR SIGNAT UR E PALM T R EE PENDANT NECK LACES
NE W - T R O P I C A L RES O R T W EA R CO L L E CT I O N : T i e B ra T o p & M at c h in g T ro u s e r
NEW - P ERSONALISED CA RIBB EA N ISLAND SUITCA SES: Pic k yo ur islan d a nd c r ea t e a b i t of airpo rt envy wit h our c u stomised lug g a g e r a ng e.
SN AUG 2021 43
Junkanew A NOVEL APPROACH TO SUSTAINABILITY IN CARNIVAL
T
here is much talk about saving the environment, yet action is often lacking. Junkanew is a project that aims to bridge that gap in the arts through creativity, sharing and networking. Junkanew is the brainchild of carnival consultant and Global Carnivalz CEO Pax Nindi, who broadcasts each week covering carnival events and Junkanoo. Every week on Junkanew TV, Pax interviews a wide variety of carnival creatives and organisers. Past interviewees have included Mexican artists Laura Barbata and Francisco Carrasco (All Things Latin), Clary Salandy (Mahogany Carnival Design), Carl Gabriel (artist), Matthew Phillip (CEO Notting Hill Carnival Ltd) and Bahamian Junkanoo designer Dino (Bob de Builder). 44 SN AUG 2021
Pax says, “I spend a lot of time researching the right content as well as the right artists to interview so we can inspire more people as encouragement to do the right thing for Mother Earth.” “The project borrows its structure from various artistic and cultural practices that have been going on for generations, in particular Junkanoo traditions in the Bahamas, carnival traditions from around the world, and masquerade, music and dance from Africa,” Pax explained. Started as a lockdown project, Junkanew’s arts challenge will take some of the ideas that emerge from the TV programme and roll them out to carnivals in the UK, Ghana and the Bahamas. Already there have been some positive outcomes: interaction between artists from Ghana and the Bahamas prompted plans for a visit by Bahamas Junkanoo to the Ghana masquerade groups next March. Junkanew aims to benefit both artists and the environment. Two recent episodes were presented in
a forest to remind viewers of the beauty of the jungle which we need to protect. Global Carnivalz board director Sherrel Davenport said: “We are very keen on the outdoor arts community to create and present their work in a way that respects the environment. We will be using Junkanew to set an example to others.” Artists who respect the environment and use sustainable materials are encouraged to participate in the weekly programmes. Thanks to Arts Council funding and Global Carnivalz sponsorship, Junkanew will broadcast throughout the summer every Sunday afternoon on Facebook and YouTube. The project has strong support from, among others, Soca News, University of Ghana, Junkanoo Commandos, Nostalgia Steel Band, Kinetika Bloco, CAMF, Taru Arts and Hackney Carnival. For more information visit: junkanew.uk. For a link to the live stream on Sundays at 4pm, visit facebook. com/paxnindi.
SN AUG 2021 45
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46 SN AUG 2021
COCOYEA
Forty T H E E X H I B I T I O N 15-21 NOV 2021 AT THE TABERNACLE - W11
COCOYEA.COM
SN AUG 2021 47
48 SN AUG 2021
