Tobago comes alive in Point Fortin

The spirit of the sister isle came alive in the heart of Point Fortin last Tuesday as Borough Day Celebrations continued with Tobago Night. A large contingent of spectators gathered at Victor Chin Kit Park for a night filled with energetic and wonderful performances from a variety of cultural groups. The show started off with a procession beginning at the Frisco Junction with a procession which was followed by a rhythm section revelling down the Southern Main Road. They were cheered on by a group of foreigners who followed the performers through the streets. The band Sweet Fingers kicked off the night with some vintage calypso music which evoked a slow dance session in the audience.

The stage was filled with colour and life as the Bele Dancers’ performance of the traditional dances and replicated scenes of the Tobago Heritage Festival. Hanso Rhythms played the African drums enchantingly as they told stories and sang songs originating from the days of slavery. The performers engaged the audience in some hearty singing, items sung in English and indigenous dialects. A night of Tobago’s heritage would not be completed without a vintage wedding and Moriah Performers, decked in traditional matrimonial wear, re-enacted the long ago wedding. This item included folk dance moves by the couples, and included the “grip” (suitcase)  and pillows carried by a relative of the bride as she moved out her parents’ home. Exciting and daring were the acts performed by the performers from Les Coteaux who engaged in numerous dances, including the Bongo, complete with clapping bamboo poles at their heads and ankles. The audience seemed enthralled during a risky limbo act which involved a flaming bar, negotiated by the dancer at a low height. The crowd applauded vigorously as the performers displayed flexibility and skill in performing their routines.