Mas Domnik 2024 commences in Dominica

Dominica has a blend of cultures, some from the soil, some from cultural evolutions and the rest from its colonial past. Now add to that the fact that Dominicans are known to celebrate a festival for a wild number of animals, person, place and even food. When people add all of those factors together they get one of the most original carnivals in the world, Mas Domnik. The carnival takes place on the two days preceding Ash Wednesday which marks the beginning of lent. The months leading up to the show are full of pageantry’s, calypso shows, local festivals and so on. The French are said to have celebrated this before entering Lenten season in the 4^th century, and the Africans had their annual celebration post emancipation in 1838. There’s uncertainty whether this festival is based in religion on history, but it is still true to claim that it has influences rooted in both.

The festival the Commonwealth of Dominica has today is what has been formed from centuries of cultural disruption, cultural integration, along with weakened & restrictive legislation put in place for security concerns.

As it stands today, the carnival has an emphasis on African and French traditions, held together by loud street parades, dramatic art, calypso & drum music, cheerleaders, masquerades, costume and T-shirt bands, flamboyance and dance.

With more than thirty participating groups the festival has something for everyone, the tourists can also expect a heap of talent shows, improv and tourists if they are fortunate enough to be there. The nation-wide rager started at 4am February 12^th AST, with some negligible intervals the carnival of social solidarity comes to an end at 10pm on the 13^th of February, that is if they don’t consider the three day after party where things simmer down with the help of some good old fashion reggae music.

As brilliant as this festival is, here’s a quick reminder for everyone present not to get trampled on by a crowd of culturally overexcited enthusiasts.