SOCANEWS F REE
137/JUNE 2021 ISSN 1464-7087
SOCANEWS.COM
GET YOUR FEATHERS, FLAGS AND FRIENDS. CARNIVAL COMES TO THE WEST END. HAROLD PINTER THEATRE SN JUN 2021 1
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CONTENTS JUNE 2021 | ISSUE 137
REGULAR 07 NEWS 14 HEALTH
Looking after your mental health in lockdown
19 MUSIC
UK Soca Releases
27 EVENTS
Your physical/virtual guide to whats happening when and where
FEATURES
40 CARNIVALS
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.
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16 BARKING & DAGENHAM CARNIVAL 20 REBEKAH MURRELL, IN THE DIRECTOR'S CHAIR, TALKS J'OUVERT 22 UNCERTAIN FORECAST FOR UK'S SUMMER CARNIVALS
31-38 WINDRUSH TALES 31 THE WORLD THE WINDRUSH FOUND. 34 WINDRUSH EVENTS 36 WINDRUSH MYTHS AND REALITY 38 THE HORRIFIC STORY OF EMPIRE WINDRUSH 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. SN JUN 2021 5
EDITORS
LETTER Hello Soca People
I COVER IMAGE -
J'OUVERT
CREDIT: HELEN MURRAY
t feels good sitting down to write this letter, and to resurrect our events section from its 15 month quarantine. Soca events - getting back into the clubs as well as out into the sunshine - will be just great, and precisely what the soca doctor ordered. At the time of writing we are yet to hear from the UK Government on whether or not the fourth step in their road map will be fully realised on the 21 June, but in the meantime you can start marking your calendar by checking out the events on page 27. Just keep in mind that dates and other details are subject to change. With theatres opening up as well, there is no better play for all carnivalists to see than Yasmin Joseph’s J’Ouvert, which is showing at the Harold Pinter Theatre from 16 June; see page 26 for more details. We have also compiled a list of carnivals for your perusal, on page 40; we have tried to be as accurate as possible, but definitive information is hard to source these days. You can always find the latest updates on socanews.com/carnivals. As always, 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 Akorfa Akoto, Alicia Alvarados, Dunstan Creavalle, Joseph Charles, Radeya Osman & Stephen Spark. PICTURES Alamy, Bampson, Chris Boothman, Cris Collins, Helen Murray, 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
NAILAH WINS THIRD PLACE AT INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITING COMPETITION
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ailah Blackman’s video for her song Boujee has placed third at the 2020 International Songwriting Competition (ISC), which was inundated with more than 26,000 entries from 158 countries. The website for the ISC describes the competition as, “An annual song contest whose mission is to provide the opportunity for both aspiring and established songwriters to have their songs heard in a professional, international arena”. The competition, which judges based on creativity, originality, lyrics, melody, arrangement, and overall likeability, announced nominations earlier this year. Boujee and Games earned Blackman and her manager, Soverall, nominations in the music video and world categories, respectively. SN JUN 2021 7
NEWS
HERO LANDS ON AMAZON PRIME AND CINEPLEX
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rinidadian/Canadian film Hero is now available for streaming in Canada on Premium VOD in the Cineplex Store, and on Prime Video in the United States. The film is an adaptation of the true-life story of Trinidadian airman, lawyer and diplomat Ulric Cross, who worked with some of Africa’s most charismatic leaders during the thrilling but turbulent formative years of Ghana's independence and the Pan-African movement. Hero has received tremendously positive reviews at the TIFF Bell Lightbox in Canada. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the film played in UK cinemas on a 40-city tour that covered England, Scotland and Wales. The cast includes Trinidad’s Nickolai Salcedo in the title role, Peter Williams (Stargate SG1), Joseph Marcell (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), Jimmy Akinbola (Holby City) and Ghanaian stars John Dumelo, Adjetey Anang and Prince David Osei. Produced by Frances-Anne Solomon, the film has won multiple awards including the 2019 Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Diaspora Narrative Feature Film category. It was also selected as the opening night feature for the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles. For some insight into the making of the movie, visit: www.socanews.com. 8 SN JUN 2021
THE TABERNACLE REOPENS WITH A NEW LOOK
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he Tabernacle, in the heart of Ladbroke Grove, was built in 1888 as an evangelical Christian church. In recent years serving as a multi-purpose arts and culture venue, and now home to the Notting Hill Carnival, within whose footprint it sits, the building has been closed for over a year due to the pandemic. But doors opened again on Monday 17 May, in line with the Government Covid-19 safety measures. The Tabernacle also houses a restaurant serving a great variety of well-priced snacks and meals. We've only seen pictures, but the Tabernacle has a brand-new look. Get ready to rejoin community activities at the Tabernacle, from Monday to Saturday. Spaces are also available for hire.
NEWS
MIAMI CARNIVAL SET TO OPEN ON COLUMBUS DAY WEEKEND
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iami Carnival is set to return in October this year. After a year of hiatus, Miami-Broward One Carnival Host Committee, in partnership with the South Florida Carnival Band Leaders' Association, are preparing for the carnival’s triumphant return. The festivities comprise four signature events: Junior Carnival, Panorama, J'Ouvert and a costumed parade. For three decades and counting, carnival-lovers from across the globe have thronged the city of Miami in October to celebrate Caribbean culture, soaking up the soca vibes in fetes, revelling in glittery costumes and enjoying the bacchanal of J'Ouvert. Last year’s carnival was, as so many others, a victim of the virus. But as the vaccine rollout continues apace and Covid-19 rates decline, producers are hopeful that, with safety protocols in place, social distancing restrictions may be relaxed. All being well, the 37th edition of Miami-Broward One Carnival will make its comeback on Columbus Day Weekend, 2-10 October.
NOTTINGHAM CARNIVAL 2021 READY, SET, GO!
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rganisers of the much-loved Nottingham Carnival are planning to hold this year's event on Sunday 22 August at the Victoria Embankment. The decision came shortly after the government announced its roadmap towards lifting restrictions from 21 June. Organisers have the help of professional advisers to ensure they can hold the outdoor event in compliance with government Covid-19 regulations and can guarantee carnivalgoers a fun, safe and enjoyable event. Programme schedules will be made available soon. For more information, visit nottinghamcarnival. co.uk, email: carnival@tuntum.co.uk or telephone 0115 916 6066. SN JUN 2021 9
NEWS
A NEW CARIBBEAN CURRENCY: DCASH
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he Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) has launched DCash, created in partnership with Barbados-based fintech company Bitt. This new digital currency is intended to address the high cost of current payment methods and banking services, failure of banking services to meet many customers’ needs, and inefficient methods of settling cheque transactions. ECCB hopes to see the use of physical cash fall by 50% by 2025. DCash is available for a year-long pilot project in Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Saint Lucia and St Kitts and Nevis, four of the eight members of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU). ECCB officials hope to have rolled out DCash in the four remaining countries ‑ Anguilla, Dominica, Montserrat and St Vincent and the Grenadines ‑ by September this year. Central Bank Governor Timothy N J Antoine said, “The future of the EC Dollar is digital, so let’s make history together.” He added that he foresees DCash becoming widely used, especially by farmers, fishermen, small business owners, single mothers and people without bank accounts. DCash is emphatically not a cryptocurrency like Bitcoin. To use DCash to make payments to merchants or person-to-person, you will need to create a digital wallet by downloading the mobile phone app. 10 SN JUN 2021
NATIONAL CHILDREN’S CARNIVAL WEEK RETURNS
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ational Children’s Carnival Week returns, from 12 and 18 July, after a two-year hiatus. Organised by the New Carnival Company, this year's theme is 'Colours of the Rainbow’. Frankie Goldspink, Creative Director of the New Carnival Company, expounded on the importance of the new scheme to its beneficiaries. She said, “After such a phenomenally difficult and challenging year it is more important than ever for children and young people to join together, get creative and express themselves. Carnival is the perfect tool for nurturing the green shoots of recovery, and schools are the perfect conduit to enable this to take place.”
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NEWS
LA SOUFRIÈRE ERUPTION, ST. VINCENT
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t Vincent’s La Soufrière volcano, which had been dormant since 1979 but started rumbling in December 2020, erupted on Friday 9 April. Molten rock streamed down the mountain as eruptions covered much of the island in grey volcanic dust and rock fragments. These were followed by a near-constant succession of earthquakes and tremors - reminders that the volcanic activity was far from over. At the time residents of neighbouring countries - including Saint Lucia, 76km north of St Vincent – were cautioned to stay indoors and anticipate air pollution resulting from the emission of harmful chemicals during the eruption. NASA reported that the volcanic plume shot 12 miles in the air, affecting air quality in Barbados to the east. The plume of sulphur dioxide is said to have been detected in India. Over 20,000 people out of the island’s 110,000 population were forced to evacuate their homes. The UWI Seismic Research Centre (SRC) reports that seismic activity has been low since a tremor on 22 April associated with explosive eruption and ash venting. In the 24 hours prior to 3 June 2021, the SRC said it had recorded only a few long-period earthquakes. However, the UWI observatory has detected persistent steaming and “thermal anomalies”. It reassured residents that these don’t suggest an explosive event is imminent; it’s more likely that a small body of leftover magma close to the floor of the Summit Crater is generating some heat. The SRC nevertheless warned Vincentians that the volcano is still “in a state of unrest”. Activity can escalate with little or no warning. The current alert level is orange. Today, St Vincent still needs our help. One group that is making a difference is Help SVG UK. The group was brought together by Vincy Alliance Mas, a Notting Hill Carnival mas band and social enterprise. The aim of its Help SVG UK campaign is to offer prompt and appropriate assistance to victims of the disaster and to support the morale of the affected population. To date Vincy Alliance Mas has shipped out four 40 foot containers of essential supplies and are working towards a fifth. If you would like to help or get involved, you can: 1.
Make a monetary donation to the Help SVG UK GoFundMe page: http://bit.ly/HelpSVGUK
2.
Purchase a Help SVG UK relief T-shirt via https://vincyalliancemas.com/product/help-svg-uk-t-shirt/ - 100% of the proceeds go towards supporting families and friends in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
For updates on La Soufrière volcano and St Vincent, follow Help SVG UK on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/472129944235574) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/helpsvguk/).
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HEALTH LOOKING AFTER YOUR MENTAL HEALTH IN LOCKDOWN WORDS | ALICIA ALVARADOS
BA MBACP, INTEGRATIVE PSYCHOTHERAPIST
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uring the Covid-19 pandemic we have found ourselves turning into paranoid hygiene warriors, isolated from our tribes and reliant on social media to keep us afloat.
“We are all in this together,” I keep reminding myself as I reattach my mask over my face. All the same, I cannot help wondering how we are all coping. So many of us are affected by the loss of jobs, business closures and cancellation of festivals; some are risking their lives, others have had to become teachers at home, or innovators or volunteers. Most, myself included, are simply struggling. Naturally, our mental health is being negatively affected. Perhaps for the first time in our lives we are trying to manage multiple feelings, in the face of a physical pandemic that has caused unprecedented levels of anxiety, stress, isolation and loss across the globe. It is unsurprising that many of us are finding it difficult to cope. In the light of this, I have two messages for you. One: you are not alone. How you feel is not just affecting you, because we really are all in this together. Two: you are better equipped to fight these negative feelings than you realise. Here are five ‘hacks’ to support you in dealing with your mental health as we await our own versions of normalcy to return.
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Become mindful, or make a list, of the things you are in control of, then do the same for the things you are not in control of. You cannot control the pandemic, but you can control the things you tell yourself. Get into a healthy routine. Wake up at a reasonable time, get enough sleep, exercise for 10 minutes a day, go for a walk, eat responsibly. Plan something you can look forward to, such as a trip, a holiday or even a garden BBQ. Hopes for the future will give you something to feel excited about.
Talk about it or connect with others. Talking is therapeutic, and it can help to ease the burden of feeling as if you are struggling alone. Teach yourself and your children something new, even if it’s just learning how to steam rice. Creating an enhanced version of yourself or completing a small task is likely to give you a sense of accomplishment, and that can only lead to positive feelings.
AS WE ANTICIPATE THE END OF LOCKDOWN, KEEP REMINDING YOURSELF THAT ALTHOUGH YOU HAVE LIVED THROUGH A TIME OF DEEP FEAR AND LOSS, YOU HAVE EQUALLY BEEN A PART OF THE SOLUTION IN THAT TIME. IT IS ONLY RIGHT THAT YOU RECOGNISE AND APPLAUD YOUR OWN BRAVERY, COMPASSION AND SELF-LOVE. FOR INFORMATION OR HELP WITH MENTAL HEALTH MIND | WWW.MIND.ORG.UK | 0300 123 3393 SAMARITANS | WWW.SAMARITANS.ORG | 116 123 NHS 111 | 111.NHS.UK | 111 SN JUN 2021 15
FEATURE
BARKING & DAGENHAM CARNIVAL
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arking & Dagenham Carnival has been running for seven years, but this year, on Saturday 10 July, it will take a different spin: it’s going virtual. Hosted by UKON Careers, the online festival will be free and open to everyone. As a part of this year's celebrations, revellers are expected to don hats, come with cups, masks and shirts they made during the UKON Creative Week, refresh their dance steps and cook sumptuous Caribbean dishes using the skills gained during the Dancing and Cooking Weeks. Soca News wanted to find out more, and asked the organisers some questions.
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When did the carnival begin, and what was its aim? The carnival started in July 2014, initially as a children’s celebration. The purpose was to bring communities and cultures together, supporting social cohesion and promoting understanding. It was also to celebrate our children, to give them a sense of pride, develop their confidence and support positive parenting. It raised awareness of and grew engagement in the carnival, helping address the negative narrative of Carnival and carnival arts. Last year was tough for carnivals. How did you get through it and what will make 2021 different? As a result of Covid-19, 2020 was our toughest year. Prior to Covid-19 all our services were delivered face to face and all our income was generated via face-to-face activities. Our social media and internet skills were limited. We were not able to apply for our normal funding streams and all confirmed commissions were cancelled. The challenge we faced was to continue to function now that our means of income generation had stopped.
We decided to transfer all our services online and developed the skills we needed to support our carnival arts project. This consisted of a full sixweek schedule of carnival arts workshops, tutorials and presentations culminating with Barking Carnival, which we had to reschedule from July to September 2020. Do you accept volunteers? Yes, we do accept volunteers, throughout the year and especially the summer period. How can I get involved as a mas band? We are keen to have mas bands on board. For more information, please contact Roselle at info@ukoncareers.com. What parts of east London do you serve? We are based in Barking and Dagenham, and engage with all boroughs that are interested in working with us, particularly our neighbouring boroughs such as Havering, Redbridge, Newham and Waltham Forest.
What will people be able to see on the day? There will be carnival arts workshops in which the audience can participate, such as steel pan, African drumming, tamboo bamboo, samba and carnival craft making, plus performances from carnival artists and bands, a mini carnival parade and opportunities for audience participation. Due to Covid-19 we will not be able to deliver the Barking & Dagenham Carnival in the full-blown way we have in the past – we have to follow borough and government guidelines on social distancing and ensure performers and spectators are kept safe. Nevertheless, this event brings carnival in its entirety to the community, with elements of ole mas, traditional mas and contemporary mas. Barking & Dagenham Carnival takes place on Saturday 10 July and will be live streamed on the day via the Carnival's Youtube Channel. Keep up to date with the carnivals by following @ Ukoncareers on all social media platforms.
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MUSIC
SUNDIVAS
LATEST UK SOCA RELEASES UK SOCA ARTISTS HAVE BEEN BUSY OVER THE PAST MONTHS HERE IS A SELECTION OF JUST SOME OF THE TRACKS RELEASED
1. Djèn Djèn | SUN DIVAS 2. Show It Off BP SOCA RIDDIM | MS DESIRE 3. Dah You BP SOCA RIDDIM | TERRAH DAN 4. Dig It BP SOCA RIDDIM | MERZY 5. Nyeen' Ekiwato | PAHJO 6. Back In The Day | TRINIBOI JOOCIE 7. Body Contact LA VEAN RIDDIM | PAHJO 8. Hold On Tight | BATCH 9. No Other Lover | BATCH 10. Bad and Wassy | NIKIE BABY 11. L'Amour | DEEVINE FOR MORE MUSIC
SOCANEWS.COM/MUSIC
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FEATURE
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REBEKAH MURRELL IN THE DIRECTOR’S CHAIR, TALKS J'OUVERT
’Ouvert first came to our attention when it played at Theatre 503, Battersea, in June 2019 - and it makes a return this year for a limited run at the Harold Pinter Theatre. From Wednesday 16 June to Saturday 3 July 2021 you can immerse yourself in Yasmin Joseph’s wonderful play J’Ouvert, which offers many moments of recognition to anyone who’s ever played mas at Notting Hill, felt the frustration of a queue for overpriced, gentrified food, or encountered a swagger of youths trying to play the big man. We got in touch with Rebekah Murrell, the director, and put forward the following questions. 20 SN JUN 2021
Who are you? I’m an actor and director from London. I’ve worked with writer Yasmin Joseph on various projects over the last four years, all joyful and thought-provoking pieces of work centring Black British and Caribbean women’s perspectives - Do You Pray, about a grandmother and her granddaughter attempting to connect; First Winter, about the lives and contributions of Windrush-era citizens to the NHS; and J’Ouvert, about our beloved Notting Hill Carnival, and all the joys and trials that come with taking up space there as a young woman.
Where are you from (your roots)? My mum’s side of the family is from Barbados. My dad’s family are Jewish via Manchester. Yasmin’s family are from Dominica and Jamaica. Where did the idea for the play come from? Well, first and foremost, J’Ouvert is born from a deep, lifelong love of Carnival and what it represents for people with Caribbean heritage in particular. Then the story developed when, a few years ago, Yasmin was in New York doing an internship. Early on in her time there she was delighted to hear soca coming through her window in Brooklyn - it was the Labor Day Parade (New York’s Carnival equivalent). She spent an amazing day there, and felt at home away from home. But her cousins were shocked to hear she had gone alone, and she heard later that a woman named Tiarah Poyau had been shot there, point blank, by a man whose sexual advances she had refused. Another woman, Asami Nagakiya, was found murdered at Trinidad Carnival after she had played mas - and the mayor of Port of Spain stated that it happened because of what she was wearing. Yasmin was inspired to write into that knot - what it means for women to celebrate ourselves and our culture, to uphold the traditions and liberation of Carnival spaces, when our bodies are frequently put under threat for doing so. Yasmin sent me a first draft in summer 2018 and I completely fell in love. I remember sitting on a train to Edinburgh and laughing my head off just from reading it. It was the play I had always dreamed of directing – a hilarious, heartfelt, epic story about three young London women tackling sisterhood, sexuality, spirituality, heritage and more. We workshopped it with the support of Theatre503 and some brilliant actors and creatives, and eventually put on a full production in the summer of 2019. And now - we’re back. What message/memory do you hope to impart to anyone who has seen the play? I hope people are left with a huge sense of pride for Carnival spaces the world over and with a sense of determination to uphold them and fill them with the joy they were founded for, and leave any bad energy behind. I hope people take away a reminder of how precious a thing Carnival is, and how precious are the young women at the heart of it. I hope people remember where Carnival came from and are inspired to find out more about its roots. I hope people are dazzled by the incredible performances they have witnessed from our spectacular cast, and by the intricate, powerful design work. And, maybe most of all, I hope people have a great night out, hearing their favourite tunes tun up LOUD, and enjoying being together in the dark with strangers for the first time in over a year.
A SCENE FROM J'OUVERT CREDIT: HELEN MURRAY
If you've never been to the theatre and are thinking of going, then start with J’Ouvert. It shows at The Harold Pinter Theatre, 4 Panton St, London SW1Y 4SW (buses 14, 19, 24, 29, 38, 176; Tube Charing Cross, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus) from Wednesday 16 June to Saturday 3 July 2021. Tickets are £5-£10. For more information and to book your tickets visit www.haroldpintertheatre. co.uk/jouvert
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FEATURE
UNCERTAIN FORECAST FOR UK’S SUMMER CARNIVALS
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WORDS | STEPHEN SPARK
fter a year in which almost every carnival, music festival and village fete was cancelled, it was hoped that the successful vaccine rollout would allow festive life to return to Britain’s streets in 2021. Yet, despite the massive reduction in Covid cases, hospitalisations and deaths, the virus has found a powerful ally that may yet rain on our parade: the insurance industry. Already, more than a quarter of this year’s festivals have been cancelled (or reduced to online Zoomathons) and most of the remainder could go the same way unless the government introduces an insurance scheme of the kind that’s already in place for the film and TV industries, industry experts warn. Festival organisers – including carnival organisers – are reluctant to commit to live events on the street or in a park without Covid-19 cancellation insurance, in case a third wave of the virus forces another lockdown. But reports suggest that insurers are unlikely to offer this type of cover before 2022 at the earliest. The Prime Minister’s announcement on 21 June is meant to mark the final turning point on the Covid recovery roadmap. However, the spread of the Delta (aka Indian) variant may prevent a return to normality on Midsummer’s Day. Even if restrictions are 22 SN JUN 2021
lifted by then, the announcement will be too late to save many of this year’s events. Soca News’s Carnival Calendar shows that most UK carnivals are expected to be virtual events for a second year running. After providing £1.57 billion for the Cultural Recovery Fund (£34 million of which went to festivals), the Treasury is unwilling to offer further support for the events industry. Without it, the future looks bleak for Britain’s street park-based festivals. Notting Hill Carnival Ltd’s chief executive, Matthew Phillip, was among event organisers who gave evidence to a cross-party committee of MPs, warning that a second year in the cold could destroy many summer events for good. Committee chair Julian Knight MP said: “The vast majority of music festivals do not have the financial resilience to cover the costs of another year of late-notice cancellations.” Smaller events such as carnivals could collapse, and struggling festivals are likely to be swallowed up by the two major players, Live Nation and AEG Presents. Phillip and his team at NHCL will be listening intently on 21 June. Given the impossibility of regulating the size of crowds at a street-based carnival, never mind the behaviour of those crowds, it’s clear that a return to reality for Notting Hill Carnival in 2021 remains an uncertain prospect.
LEEDS CARNIVAL 2019 CREDIT: CRIS COLLINS
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EVENTS
ONE FAMALAY CONCERT, AUG 2019 CREDIT: BAMPSON
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 full event listings, please visit socanews.com/events
EC2A 3AY. Music by DJ Larni. Time 12.30-4.30pm. Price £15.
DJ Shyboy, Stevie Q, SharkyDJ, Shoe Doctor, Lucian Rebel, DJ LT, Mosty Gee, Jon JE & DJ Toxic. Time 7pm-12am. Price Free. Big raffle prizes to be won on the night plus much more. Info 07967 387 594
SUN 6 JUNE
SUN 13 JUNE
SAT 5 JUNE WHAT’S THE MOTIVE UK
SOCA NATION @ Cargo, 83 Rivington Street,
UK 758 - ST. LUCIANS IN THE UK LENDING A HELPING HAND
ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES FUND RAISING ZOOM EVENT @ Virtual Online Zoom. Featuring Leee John, Seanie T & Victor Romero Evans. Music by DJ VJ,
REMEDY EVENTS
REMEDY 6TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY @ Costa Del Tottenham, 1
Ashley Road, N17 9LZ. Music By Deejay Dee, DJ Armani, DJ Nate, DJ Tate, Prince Vern & Triple M. Time 2-10pm. Price £22.
WED 16 JUNE SAT 3 JULY SONIA FRIEDMAN PRODUCTIONS
J’OUVERT @ Harold Pinter Theatre, 4
Panton Street, SW1Y 4SW. Read more on pg 20.Time 7:308:45pm. Price £5-£10
SAT 19 JUNE RADIATE FESTIVAL
RADIATE WINDRUSH FESTIVAL 2021 @ Crystal Palace Park, SE19 2GA. Time 12-9pm. Price £5-£15.
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EVENTS
SUN 20 JUNE
SUN 04 JULY
RADIATE FESTIVAL
DE FAMALAY
RADIATE WINDRUSH FESTIVAL 2021 @ Crystal Palace Park, SE19
2GA. Time 12-9pm. Price £5-£15.
SAT 26 JUNE REAL JAB EVENTS
POWDER FETE @ TBC. Music By Deejay Dee, Guff Nuff, Majikal, QT 2Hype, Ricco & Triple M. Time 2-9pm. Price £29.
SUN 27 JUNE THE OLD SCHOOL YARD
CARNIVAL TABANCA @ The Old School Yard 111
Long Lane, SE1 4PH. Music By DJ Shep Beats. Time 3-10pm. Price £16–£27. CRAVING SOCA
CRAVING SOCA @ Loves Company, Unit 1
Imperial Hall, 1041-22 City Road, Old Street, EC1V 2NR. Music By D.T.T.P, DJ Ambz, DJ Armani, DJ Nako, DJ Scarfz, Lex Lion & QT 2Hype. Time 4-11pm. Price £12.
JULY 2021
SOCA RAMA @ Festival Pier, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XZ. Music By Digga D, DJ Bajie, Martin Jay, Prince Vern, DJ Credable & Vinny Ranks. Time 2:30-6:30pm. Price £25. RAGS AN FLAGS
RAGS AN FLAGS BIRTHDAY PARTY @ The RnR Lounge, 221-223
Mount Road, Chingford, E4 8LP. Music By Big Business (Cappachino & DJ Dukes), Daze, DJ Rolexx, Gee Whizz, Guff Nuff, Lex Lion, Nino Browne, QT 2Hype, Ricky Ricardo & Rocky Boss. Time 4-11pm. Price £5-£10.
MIDNIGHT FETE @ Protocol Room, 6a South
Lambeth Place, SW8 1SP. Music By Deejay Dee, DJ Guff Nuff, DJ Marvin, DJ Triple Threat & Lex Lion. Time 11pm- 3:30am. Price £11.37 – £22.15
SAT 24 JULY SHIPWRECKED EVENTS AND SOCA ADDICT EVENTS
B.O.S (BRUNCH ON SATURDAY) @ Pitch Stratford, 2 Bridge
Road, E15 3FF. Time 12-5pm. Price £50.
SAT 31 JULY WESTSIDE ENTERTAINMENT
WE ARE LUXE EVENTS
JAM J’OUVERT ‘21 THE RESURRECTION @ Cranford Community Col-
bankment, WC2R 2PN. Music By DJ Chris Vee, DJ CJay, DJ Paulie & Dr Roach. Time 11:30am-5pm. Price £40-£50.
AUG 2021
SAT 10 JULY SAIL AWAY, THE RESORT WEAR EDITION @ Temple Pier, Victoria Em-
BUSSPEPPER PROMOTIONS
CARNIVAL TABANCA THE FREEDOM FETE @ Electric Brixton, SW2 1RJ.
Time 10pm-4am. Price £20-£25.
SAT 03 JULY
SAT 17 JULY
JUST VIBEZ
PARTY LIT UK
Embankment, WC2R 2PN. Time 11-5pm. Price £30.
SE1 8XZ. Music By DJ Guff Nuff, DJ Majikal, DJ Nate & DJ Triple M. Time 1-6pm. Price £22-£27.
CARNIVAL ON THE THAMES @ Temple Pier, Victoria
MAS MUST PLAY
PARTY LIT BIKINI CRUISE @ Festival Pier, Belvedere Road,
lege, High Street, Hounslow, TW5 9PD. Time 2-5pm. Price £32.
SUN 01 AUG MAWNIN BREAKFAST
MAWNIN BREAKFAST PARTY @ TBC, 60 Dock Road, London, E16 1YZ. Time 9am-3pm. Price £22.
SAT 07 AUG REAL JAB EVENTS
GET WET @ Pollards Hill Park, CR4 1XB. Time 1-8pm. Price £30.
FOR MORE EVENTS
SOCANEWS.COM/EVENTS 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.
28 SN JUN 2021
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SN JUN 2021 29
30 SN JUN 2021
FEATURE WINDRUSH TALES
JAMAICAN IMMIGRANTS WELCOMED BY RAF OFFICIALS FROM THE COLONIAL OFFICE AFTER THE EX-TROOPSHIP HMT 'EMPIRE WINDRUSH' LANDED THEM AT TILBURY CREDIT: ALAMY
THE WORLD THE WINDRUSH FOUND
“The past is another country”, they say. A traveller from 2021 who stepped down the gangplank and found themselves in 1948 – the year Empire Windrush and its contingent of Caribbean passengers arrived - is unlikely to share calypsonian Lord Kitchener’s sentiment that “London is the place for me”.
T
WORDS | STEPHEN SPARK
he London experienced by Kitchener and his fellow travellers from the islands was a very different place from today’s city of steel and glass tower blocks, unaffordable ‘luxury’ flats, designer clothes stores, chic restaurants and boutique hotels. It was a city that had been merci-
lessly pummelled by German bombs and rockets and had the burnt-out ruins and bomb craters to prove it. Some of the scars were still to be seen 25 years later. Britain was all but bankrupt after the war, and everything was in short supply – food, clothes, money, heating, building materials, energy and style. SN JUN 2021 31
BANK IN THE 1940'S WHICH LATER BECAME THE FESTIVAL HALL SITE CREDIT: COUNTY OF LONDON
FOG, FLOODS AND FREEZES
It was fortunate the Windrush arrived in June. At least the ship’s Caribbean passengers had a few months to try to acclimatise and perhaps – if they could afford it – buy a warm jumper or coat (many had come completely unprepared for the cold). They were fortunate, too, to have missed the bitter freeze of January 1947 when temperatures reached -21°C and cross-Channel ferry services were stopped by ice floes! Thick snow was followed by a thaw that caused destructive flooding. The harsh winter crippled British industry, worsening an already dire economic and social situation. A further blow – certainly to Britain’s prestige - was the loss of the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the British Empire, after India gained independence in August 1947. The visitor from 2021 (and from the Caribbean) would have been struck by the sheer monochrome drabness of 1948 London. It was a city of black and white – the buildings were black from soot and the people were overwhelmingly white. In autumn especially, the coal fires ensured the city was suffocated in an acrid yellow-green smog that penetrated the lungs. Trains ran to slowed-down ‘fog timetables’. 32 SN JUN 2021
Because drivers couldn’t see the signals through the gloom, ‘fogmen’ placed detonators on the rails to tell them where to stop. The murk was so dense that people got lost as they tried to cross their own street and couldn’t watch a film because fog had drifted into the cinema and obscured the screen.
RATIONING
And then there was the food. Or perhaps not, because so much of it was still rationed, and continued to be so until 1954. In a long parliamentary debate, Robin Turton MP complained: “Our people are now living on a very drab diet.” In Sussex, he said, a medical study found that 77% of housewives were undernourished. Manual workers were so poorly fed that they were no longer able to do a full day’s work. The British population was literally sick and tired; after five years of war and deprivation, the country was exhausted. The diet can hardly have helped: lots of salt, lots of starch (though even potatoes were rationed at one time) and precious little nutrition. There was certainly very little variety, colour or flavour (spice? You must be joking!). Forget about mangoes and sweet potato,
don’t bother looking for okra or yam, and abandon hope of finding soursop or guava or ackees. Bananas, a hugely popular fruit before the war, were still unobtainable; when they did arrive, some years later, children had to be taught how to peel them because they’d never seen them before. Even oranges, rice, avocados and pasta were considered exotic.
GRUESOME FOOD
In a restaurant or canteen you might be served Lord Woolton Pie, a wartime concoction of diced potatoes, cauliflower, swedes and carrots, covered with a crust of… more potato. The newly nationalised railways continued the tradition of serving Brown Windsor Soup – “a watery, tasteless gruel” made from leftover scraps of meat drowned in gravy browning and starch thickener. ‘Brown Windsor’ achieved almost mythic status as the very nadir of dreadful British cooking. It was found in every café and canteen, so any Windrush migrant who managed to avoid contact with it was clearly blessed with good fortune. Photographs prove that the West Indian men were snappy dressers, and they managed to maintain a sense of style, as we can see in later pictures of dances and social events. It can’t have been easy, as clothing was rationed until 1949; even soap was rationed! You also needed your ration book to buy flour, bread, tinned fruit, mincemeat, syrup, treacle, chocolate biscuits, sliced bread, tea, sweets, sugar, cheese and meat.
THE ART OF QUEUING
Shopping was a time-consuming daily task, as you needed to visit several shops, each of which sold only a limited range of goods. Queuing was a way of life – and without your ration book you’d get nothing. Most dry goods, like tea, were sold loose rather than pre-packed. There was no self-service, so you stood at the counter and asked the shop assistant for half a pound of sugar and six ounces of bacon – which would be cut to order on a big slicing machine. There were no carrier bags; you brought your own basket. Larger households would have their meat and other items delivered by a boy on a bicycle. Fresh fruit and vegetables were available only when they were in season. That meant cherries, strawberries and even fresh peas were rare treats that could be enjoyed for just two or three weeks a year. Refrigerators were only for the wealthy and domestic freezers did not exist, so it was impossible to keep food (including milk) for any time before it went off. Tinned fruit was hard to find, and anyway was rationed and expensive; other tinned goods, such as peas, were barely edible.
RACISM AND RACHMANISM
Finding somewhere to live was a major challenge. Around 200 of the Windrush’s passengers spent their first nights underground, in a deep-level shelter (once intended to be an express Tube line) at Clapham South. The one bright spot was that the urgent need to rebuild the country and run the transport and health systems while so many British men were still serving in the Forces meant that there was no shortage of work. The nearest labour exchange to the Clapham shelter was in Coldharbour Lane, which was why the West Indian community quickly coalesced in Brixton. However, when they tried to look for longer-term accommodation, the new arrivals often had the door slammed in their face by racist landlords. One who was happy to rent to ‘coloured’ tenants was Perec (Peter) Rachman, who became known as the Lord of the Slums. He was also an immigrant, who became a British resident in 1948 and amassed a portfolio of decaying, damp, leaking, rat-infested properties in Notting Hill – along with profitable sidelines in clubs and prostitution rackets. Those who fell behind with the rent (which was invariably excessive) were dealt with in summary fashion by Rachman’s enforcer, the would-be Black Power revolutionary Michael X (Michael De Freitas), who was later executed for murder in Trinidad. But even ‘respectable’ properties were spartan. Houses were poorly insulated and lacked central heating; in a rented property there might be a single small coal fire or electric heater. In 1948, a quarter of British homes had no electricity. Fitted carpets were a luxury; more often you would have a thin rug or linoleum over wooden floorboards. Many homes lacked indoor toilets or bathrooms – baths were taken in a tub in the kitchen or living room. Few homes had telephones, and televisions were all but unheard of. SN JUN 2021 33
You could, of course, escape the city and head for fresh air in the Surrey Hills or the breezy seaside at Southend – but only if you could afford the train fare. There were no travelcards, so unless you were a commuter with a season ticket, you had to buy a separate ticket for each journey. Petrol was rationed and cars were beyond the reach of most working people in the late 1940s and early 50s, so most people travelled by bicycle, bus and tram.
TURNING THE CORNER
MONA BAPTISE BLUES SINGER JUNE 1948 EMPIRE WINDRUSH ARRIVES IN BRITAIN WITH 409 WEST INDIANS SEEKING JOBSCREDIT: ALAMY
LEISURE TIME
Outside the house the options for amusement were limited, though dances, clubs, jazz and big band concerts – at places that decades later hosted soca shows, such as the Hammersmith Palais – and films at cinemas were all good options as they were relatively cheap, especially for nurses and servicemen in uniform. A wind-up gramophone and a stock of the latest 78s imported from the States and perhaps an old valve radio set (or you could make your own from a kit) would form the basis for a good party – along with a bottle of something, of course! If you wanted a change of scene in central London you could walk along the river, but much of the riverside was occupied by warehouses, docks and various noxious-smelling industrial premises – all out of bounds to casual strollers. The river itself was full of activity, with cargo ships, tugs and ferries bustling to and fro, and liners down in what is now Docklands, but the water was poisonous with pollution. Parks offered some respite, but there was a shortage of clean, green spaces and few safe places for children to play. In the East End and areas like North Kensington, children played in the street or in bombsites and ruined buildings. Indeed, the mid-60s community campaign for safe playspace was a major part of the movement that led to the founding of Notting Hill Carnival. 34 SN JUN 2021
It was an uncomfortable, grey and rather depressed period in which to be arriving in Britain. Arguably, 1948 was the lowest point in Britain’s 20th-century history. From this point on, though, things did begin to look up. Change was already in the air, even it was hard to spot through the fog. Just two weeks after Empire Windrush docked, the National Health Service – in which so many Caribbean migrants were to work – was founded. A week after that, the first postwar Olympic Games was held in London. Also in 1948, Britain’s first supermarket opened, and the school leaving age was raised to 15. On 14 November, Prince Charles was born - and he’s still waiting to start the job he was promised! In 1951 there was general jollity on the South Bank of the Thames as vast crowds visited the fairs and exhibitions of the Festival of Britain. The programme of entertainment included – for the first time ever in Britain - live performances by a steelband. In July we will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Trinidad All Steel Percussion Orchestra playing in London. Internationally, the scene was being set for an optimistic new postwar world. The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, and the World Health Organization was set up. There were some exciting technological advances too: Bell Laboratories produced the transistor radio, George de Mestral invented Velcro, the vinyl long-playing record was first spun at 33rpm (which must have seemed weirdly slow compared with chunky discs whizzing round at 78rpm) and a random access storage device was developed for computers, the first of which, ENIAC, had started work as recently as December 1945. Those Windrush arrivals, and the thousands of migrants from the Caribbean who followed on afterwards, played a huge part in Britain’s postwar recovery and changed the country’s culture for ever. But that’s another story…
EVENTS
WINDRUSH TALES FRI 11 JUNE 2021
WED 16 JUNE 2021
SAT 26 JUNE 2021
Out Risbygate, Bury Street, Edmunds, IP33 3RL. Time 11am Price Free
BLACK LENS FESTIVAL OPENING NIGHT - UK PREMIERE: HOW TO STOP A RECURRING DREAM @ Virtual Event. Time 7-9pm
WINDRUSH FAMILY EVENT @ Black Cultural Archives,
WINDRUSH EVENT @ West Suffolk College,
BLACK CULTURAL ARCHIVES
Price £12-£15. Tickets blackculturalarchives.org
SUN 13 JUNE 2021
WINDRUSH ARTS SCREENING SERIES: SOCARIBBEAN @ Online. Films Late Night
Lime: Byron Lee & Ras Shorty I (Christopher Laird, T&T, 1990 ); 54m. Late Night Lime: Gordon Rohlehr and David Rudder, (Christopher Laird, T&T, 1990 ); 54m. Time 4pm. Tickets http:// bit.ly/So-Caribbean-WCFF2021
THU 17 JUNE 2021
BLACK CULTURAL ARCHIVES
UPRISINGS! 40 YEARS ON: LITERATURE, ART AND CULTURE @ Virtual Event. Time
6-7:30pm Price Free. Online registration eventbrite.co.uk
SAT 19 JUNE TUE 15 - FRI 18 JUNE 2021
UNTOLD HEROES @ West Suffolk College, Out
Risbygate, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3RL. Time 10am. Tickets ellisha.soanes@wsc.ac.uk
RADIATE FESTIVAL
RADIATE WINDRUSH FESTIVAL 2021 @ Crystal Palace Park, SE19 2GA. Time 12-9pm. Price £5-£15.
SUN 20 JUNE
BLACK CULTURAL ARCHIVES
1 Windrush Square, Brixton, SW2 1EF. Time 11am-4pm. Tickets eventbrite.co.uk/e/ windrush-family-event-tickets-156654540949
TUE 22 JUNE - SUN 29 AUG WINDRUSH CARIBBEAN FILM FESTIVAL
2ND ANNUAL WINDRUSH CARIBBEAN FILM FESTIVAL Price £25, festival pass. Tickets caribbeantales-tv.com/orders/ customer_info?o=52948
WINDRUSH DAY ONLINE LECTURE 2021 WITH DR BEVERLEY BRYAN @ Online Virtual Event. Time
6pm, Lecture will be streamed via zoom (UK/BST) and will then be available online for 48 hours. Price £10, and can be purchased at www.serendipityuk.com.
RADIATE FESTIVAL
RADIATE WINDRUSH FESTIVAL 2021 @ Crystal Palace Park, SE19 2GA. Time 12-9pm. Price £5-£15.
FOR MORE EVENTS
SOCANEWS.COM/EVENTS SN JUN 2021 35
FEATURE WINDRUSH TALES
WINDRUSH MYTHS AND REALITY Lots of stories have grown up about the Empire Windrush and its passengers, the so-called ‘Windrush Generation’, and sometimes it can be hard to sift the myths from the facts. Soca News takes a look below the waterline…
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THE WINDRUSH BROUGHT THE FIRST BLACK PEOPLE TO BRITAIN
People of African origin were living in Britain hundreds of years before the Windrush docked at Tilbury in 1948. There are records of Black people marrying in England in the 16th century and by the late 18th century at least 10,000 lived in London and 5,000 in other parts of the UK, many of them in ports such as Southampton and Portsmouth. We now know that a lady in her early 20s with sub-Saharan ancestry was living in Sussex around 200-250AD - one of many who came to these islands with the Romans.
THE FIRST IMMIGRANTS FROM THE CARIBBEAN CAME ON THE WINDRUSH
If we don’t count the slaves, sailors and servants of African Caribbean ancestry who had been reaching these shores for 200 years or more, people came over from the Caribbean well before the Windrush. Some came to work, especially in the entertainment industry – the first calypsos were being sung in London during the First World War! Nor was the Windrush the first ship to arrive after the Second World War ended: SS Ormonde arrived in March 1947 and SS Almanzora docked at Southampton on 21 December 1947, both bringing small numbers of Caribbean migrants.
ALL THE PASSENGERS ON EMPIRE WINDRUSH WERE BLACK PEOPLE MIGRATING FROM THE CARIBBEAN
Far from it: out of the 1,027 passengers on board, only 492 were West Indian migrants. The remainder were British servicemen returning home, residents of Gibraltar, Burma (Myanmar) and Mexico. The latter were not Mexicans but refugees who had fled Poland to escape both Nazi persecution and Russian murder squads. In an epic four-year journey, the Poles had travelled to Iran, Uzbekistan, India, Los Angeles and eventually Tampico (Mexico) before boarding Empire Windrush and reaching London.
THE ARRIVAL OF EMPIRE WINDRUSH BEGAN MASS MIGRATION TO THE UK FROM THE CARIBBEAN.
It was hardly a stampede - only about 1,000 people arrived in the five years after Windrush, even though the 1948 British Nationality Act gave citizenship, and the right of entry and settlement, to all people living in British colonies. Most West Indians seeking a better life preferred to emigrate to the USA, because it was nearer and offered more opportunities. But in 1952, Congress passed the McCarran-Walter Act, which aimed to safeguard the States from Communism, “Jewish interests” and undesirables. As immigration into America got harder, Britain became the obvious alternative and the pace of Caribbean immigration to the UK increased.
Find out more: www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/portchester-castle/history-and-stories/black-people-in-late-18th-century-britain; www.history.co.uk/article/the-history-of-black-britain-roman-africans; www.thehistorypress.co.uk/articles/windrush-a-landmark-in-thehistory-of-modern-britain
1
WORDS | STEPHEN SPARK
SN JUN 2021 37
FEATURE WINDRUSH TALES
HMT WINDRUSH, ORIGINALLY MV MONTE ROSA, PASSENGER LINER AND CRUISE SHIP CREDIT: ALAMY
THE HORRIFIC STORY OF EMPIRE WINDRUSH WORDS | STEPHEN SPARK
38 SN JUN 2021
T
hese days, the arrival of Empire Windrush at Tilbury on 22 June 1948 is seen as a positive moment in Britain’s history. If it hadn’t been so tarnished by the Windrush Scandal, the name might seem almost benign, evoking the start of a new multicultural era to the strains of Lord Kitchener’s London is the Place for Me. Few of the passengers walking down the gangplank that day could have had any idea about the ship’s appalling past life, however. The Windrush was built to carry migrants – but definitely not from the Caribbean to England. It was launched in 1930 as German passenger ship Monte Rosa, built to be a symbol of national pride. In the early 1930s it carried migrants from Depression-era Germany to a better life in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. The ship also had a more sinister purpose: spreading the racist and anti-Semitic ideology of Nazism throughout South America. Monte Rosa was a floating fascist state: Nazi rallies were held on
board and crew members were all expected to be Nazi Party members. It even played a part in turning Argentina into a fascist nation that after the war welcomed Nazi war criminals with open arms. It then moved to Nordic waters, where Monte Rosa functioned as a cruise ship, taking groups of holidaymakers from Hamburg up the coast of Norway to the majestic fjords. Except that these were not ordinary leisure travellers: they had signed up to the ‘Strength Through Joy’ programme of Nazi indoctrination. On more than 20 occasions in the late 1930s, the fascist pleasure palace, proudly flying the swastika flag, sailed up the Thames to London. When war broke out in 1939, it was converted into a troopship. Worse was to follow. In 1942, the Norwegian government of Vidkun Quisling agreed to Germany’s demand to round up the country’s small Jewish population. Monte Rosa was refitted with giant cages below deck so that it could serve as a slave ship, carrying men, women and children to
German ports. From there they were transported in cattle trucks to the labour camps, to be worked until they were exterminated in the gas chambers. After this darkest of all the episodes in Monte Rosa/Windrush’s career, it was employed as a supply vessel for Hitler’s treasured battleship, Tirpitz, which spent most of the war skulking in Norwegian fjords trying, unsuccessfully, to avoid being attacked. Eventually, its luck ran out and Tirpitz was sunk by British bombers. Monte Rosa, meanwhile, had been damaged by torpedoes and then sabotaged with limpet mines by resistance fighter Max Manus. After being patched up, the ship’s final task under the Hitler regime was to evacuate German soldiers and their despised Norwegian girlfriends on their retreat from Norway. As the war ended in 1945 Monte Rosa was seized as enemy property, and in 1947 was refitted as a British troopship with the name Empire Windrush. For years after the war ended, huge numbers of servicemen and their families needed to be moved around the world – those overseas needed to be brought home and others were to be sent out for new peacekeeping missions or conflicts, such as those in Palestine, Malaya and Korea. Empire Windrush was kept busy, but regularly struggled with defective engines – perhaps Max Manus’s sabotage had done more damage than was recognised at the time. After the May-June 1948 trip that made Windrush synonymous with emigration from the Caribbean, the ship continued its ocean-crossing voyages. Eventually, in March 1954 its mechanical failings caught up with it. Windrush had collected homeward-bound troops from Korea and was on its way back to Southampton when a fire broke out in the engine room. It wasn’t the first – but it was to be the last, and the ship sank in the Mediterranean with the loss of four lives; remarkably, 1,493 passengers and crew were rescued. In the official accident inquiry, the ship’s condition was hushed up, but later it emerged that Empire Windrush was unseaworthy and should never have left port. Hushing up unpalatable truths has been something of a recurring theme in Windrush’s curious and mostly inglorious history…
Anyone keen to know more about Empire Windrush’s backstory should read Windrush: A Ship Through Time by Paul Arnott (The History Press, 2019, ISBN 978 0 7509 8986 2).
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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 ON A DIFFERENT FORMAT. UPCOMING - THE CARNIVAL HAS CONFIRMED THERE WILL BE A PHYSICAL EVENT
JUNE 2021
JULY 2021
NORTHAMPTON CARNIVAL
COWLEY ROAD CARNIVAL
SAT 12 JUNE
NORTHAMPTON, UK STATUS: VIRTUAL
Plans are underway for Northampton Carnival 2021 despite being in the second year of the Covid-19 pandemic, the show must go on! Their theme for this year is 'Let’s celebrate One Love, One World, One Summer'.
FRI 18 JUNE
BERMUDA CARNIVAL HAMILTON, BERMUDA STATUS: TBC
The Bermuda Carnival, previously known as Bermuda Heroes Weekend, is a string of events organised by the BHW Ltd to celebrate the Caribbean heritage with soca music and dance performances.
SAT 19 JUNE
MANCHESTER CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL MANCHESTER, UK STATUS: TBC
Paying homage to the Caribbean heritage, this annual carnival allows guests of all ages to enjoy music from genres like reggae, calypso and soca by handpicked local and international artists.
SUN 4 JULY OXFORD STATUS: ALTERED
Normally up to 50,000 people squeeze themselves into Cowley Road, but this year the event will – unless government guidelines change – be held ‘at home’ with people across the city encouraged to decorate the outside of their houses on the theme ‘Mother Earth’.
MON 5 - TUE 6 JULY
VINCY MAS
KINGSTOWN, SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES STATUS: TBC
In light of the recent volcanic eruption and Covid it is uncertain if it will be held this year.
SAT 10 JULY
BARKING & DAGENHAM CARNIVAL BARKING, UK STATUS: UPCOMING
The Barking & Dagenham Carnival will take on a different spin this year_ the organisers are going virtual for the first time since its inception in 2014. SN JUN 2021 41
CROP OVER 2016
CREDIT: SHUTTER IN MOTION
SAT 17 JULY
ACTON CARNIVAL ACTON STATUS: VIRTUAL
In an annual communal celebration of history and culture, the revellers don various costumes and indulge in musical and dance performances whilst enjoying Caribbean delicacies.
SUN 18 JULY
DERBY CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL DERBY CITY STATUS: VIRTUAL
Starting as a small festival in 1975, the Derby Caribbean festival has grown to become an annual arts event organised by Derby West Indian Community Association. This will be its second consecutive online carnival.
MON 19 - TUE 20 JULY
SAINT LUCIA CARNIVAL
CASTRIES, SAINT LUCIA STATUS: CANCELLED
Carnival follows competitions such as the Power and Groovy 42 SN JUN 2021
Monarch, Senior and Junior Panoramas and the Inter-Commercial House Calypso. It’s a two-day street parade that delivers one of the most extraordinary Caribbean experiences to revellers.
SAT 31 JUL
ZOMERCARNAVAL
ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS STATUS: CANCELLED, VIRTUAL EVENTS
With over 30 floats, 2000 participants and a crowd of almost a million, the Rotterdam Summer Carnival (Zomercarnaval) is the largest in the Netherlands, and one of the biggest in Europe. Originating in 1984 with a group of students from the Dutch Caribbean, the carnival is now part of Rotterdam Unlimited, a five-day festival that takes place at the end of July.
FOR MORE
SOCANEWS.COM /CARNIVALS
AUG 2021 SUN 1 AUG
PRESTON CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL PRESTON, UK STATUS: TBC
Arts Council funding has been granted to Preston Caribbean carnival, and with government guidance the carnival will take place in a physical format.
SUN 1 AUG
TORONTO CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL TORONTO, CANADA STATUS: CANCELLED
Since its inception in 1967, the carnival has grown to become the largest of its kind in North America. Due to travel restrictions in this Covid-19 period, it's highly likely the carnival and other scheduled events will be cancelled.
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SN JUN 2021 43
NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL 2017 CREDIT: PETER HOGAN
MON 2 AUG
BARBADOS CROP OVER BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS STATUS: CANCELLED
This is a contender for the carnival with the longest duration, as the festivities carry on for three months. As the name suggests, originally it was originally a celebration for the end of the sugar cane season. It culminates in a carnival parade called Kadooment Day.
MON 2 - TUE 3 AUG
ANTIGUA CARNIVAL ST JOHNS, ANTIGUA STATUS: TBC
The festival is a ten-day-long carnival filled with different genres of Caribbean music, pageants, colourful costumes to celebrate freedom from slavery.
SAT 7 AUG
CAYMAS
CAYMAN ISLANDS STATUS: UPCOMING
44 SN JUN 2021
CayMas will go ahead this year but anyone taking part will have to have been vaccinated.
SAT 7 AUG
LEICESTER CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL VICTORIA PARK, LEICESTER STATUS: VIRTUAL
From its onset in 1985, the carnival has grown to showcase a variety of music, street foods, costumes and parties that draw tens of thousands every year. As in 2020, it will be a virtual (online) event this year.
MON 09 - TUE 10 AUG
GRENADA SPICE MAS GRENADA STATUS: CANCELLED
It is a salutation to the end of slavery and consists of processions, competitions, parades, music and Grenada’s famous rum. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the Grenada Carnival, known also as Spice Mas, will not take place this year.
SUN 15 AUG
BERLIN CARNIVAL OF CULTURES BERLIN STATUS: ALTERED
This year, the carnival will take on another look. In place of its centralised version, several smaller events will take place in Berlin during the summer in order to comply with Covid-19 safety protocols.
SAT 21 AUGUST
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.
SN JUN 2021 45
ANTIGUA CARNIVAL
SUN 22 AUG
SUN 29 - MON 30 AUG
NOTTINGHAM, UK STATUS: UPCOMING
WEST LONDON STATUS: TBC
NOTTINGHAM CARNIVAL It is a multicultural carnival that takes place annually with a beautiful display of costumes. There are also performances from local and international artists. This year's festival will take place if Covid restrictions are fully lifted.
SUN 29 AUG
LEEDS WEST INDIAN CARNIVAL CITY CENTRE, LEEDS STATUS: CANCELLED, VIRTUAL EVENTS
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. If it can be held, this year’s event will be the 54th edition. 46 SN JUN 2021
NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL
Starting as a small community event more than 50 years ago, this has grown to become one of the largest street festivals in the world. Organisers are expected to confirm later this month whether it will take place on the streets, be held virtually (as in 2020) or take shape in some hybrid form. 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 host of fetes and associated events.
MON 6 SEPT
LABOR DAY
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK STATUS: TBC
This carnival took on a virtual format in 2020 and at the time
of going to print there were no obvious updates confirming what will happen in 2021.
SUN 12 SEPT
HACKNEY CARNIVAL HACKNEY, UK STATUS: VIRTUAL
Scheduled to be held on Sunday 12 September, Hackney Carnival will once again go virtual. This year will be the second in a row that the eagerly anticipated event will be held in cyberspace rather than on the streets.
SUN 10 OCT
MIAMI CARNIVAL MIAMI, USA STATUS: UPCOMING
Miami Carnival is set to return in October this year. After a year of hiatus, Miami-Broward One Carnival Host Committee in partnership with the South Florida Carnival Band Leaders' Association are preparing for the carnival’s triumphant return.
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SN JUN 2021 47
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