Caribbean Corner

The Brooklyn-based West Indian-American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA), organizer of Caribbean Carnival Week in New York, has announced the winners of this year’s carnival. Sherzel Production emerged as the top band in the large bands category. WIADCA also said that Pan Evolution Steel Orchestra (PESO) took the Panorama title among eight competing bands. Sherzell Production copped the Band of the Year title with its portrayal of “Kaleidoscope: Festival of Colors” with 264 points.  “I’ve been winning for the last seven years, but I came second last year because there were no categories because of COVID,” Band leader Trinidadian Sherzel Snell told Caribbean Life on Tuesday.  Masqueraders from Sherzel Production. Photo by Nelson A. King Stronjeh International, portraying “Tropical Bliss,” took the second spot, with 255 points. In the Medium Bands category, Kaisokah Moko Jumbies USA, Inc. emerged winners with “Watch Meh,...

Shelley V. Worrell, the Trinidadian-American founder, chief vibes officer and band leader of I AM CARIBBEING and Little Caribbean in East Flatbush and Flatbush in Brooklyn, says she’s “honored” to portray “Sailing Di Parkway” for the massive West Indian American Day Carnival Parade on Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, for Labor Day Monday. “Sailing Di Parkway’ is our interpretation of Sailor Mas, which originated in Trinidad and Tobago,” Worrell told Caribbean Life in an interview at the mas camp, at Little Caribbean’s headquarters, on Nostrand Avenue, between Linden Boulevard and Martense Street, in Brooklyn. “But there are iterations in Guadeloupe. I imagine that’s because people were sailing in the Caribbean.” Worrell said the portrayal stemmed from a conversation she had with her Trinidadian-born aunt, Anna Worrell (her father’s sister). “But this is a Brooklyn version,” she said about “Sailing Di Parkway,” adding that while I AM CARIBBEING will be playing mas on Eastern Parkway for ...