Two decades ago, Bob Marley made Jamaica famous for its reggae music. Now, thanks to another talented musician, Jamaican soca ambassador Byron Lee, the country is fast gaining a reputation for its annual carnival.
In 1990, years after his active participation in Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival, Byron Lee, musician and leader of the soca band Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, decided to bring Carnival to the people of Jamaica. Since then this event has grown extensively, attracting thousands of visitors to the island's shores and is now one of the foremost events on the country's calendar.
Jamaica's Carnival is influenced strongly by Trinidad's world famous street party. Top soca acts, steelband ensembles and mas (costume) designers from Trinidad contribute to the Jamaican pageantry. The concept of J'ouvert (French for opening of the day), when revellers chip (shuffle feet) under the cover of early morning darkness to pulsating soca, was also borrowed from Jamaica's Caribbean counterpart. Despite this, Jamaica's Carnival has a distinct Jamaican flavour as reggae and dancehall play alongside soca in a demonstration of true Caribbean unity.
A new aspect that was only recently introduced is the Jamaica Soca Monarch competition, where aspiring soca artistes from different parishes compete for soca supremacy, thousands of dollars in prizes and a chance to compete at a regional level.
The event is celebrated in parishes including Negril, Mandeville, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios, with each of these areas organising their own costumed street parades, blowout fetes (parties) and, of course, Las Lap (the final jump up before the end of carnival).
Kingston, Jamaica's capital is the focus of attention however, and it is here that people converge for the children's and adult's costumed parade. The Adult Road Parade marks the climax of the Carnival, following a pre-determined route through Kingston to Liguanea Park, where the bands are judged for the Band of the Year title.
