Words by Mamachel—
The 2013 edition of Bacchanal Jamaica—Jamaica’s ever more popular version of carnival—reached its climax on Sunday, with the road march in Kingston, and the season-ending Big Wall party. Blogger, TV host and LargeUp party correspondent Chelan Smith (aka Mamachel) hit di road with her sidekick Loni Jones and her iPhone on Sunday to give us a full report on Sunday’s carnival runnings.
“Twenty four parties we hit in a row, tonight a di very last show”- Bunji Garlin
Revelers are waking up, fantasy makeup is getting done and everyone is dancing to an upbeat song in their head. It’s the final day of Carnival here in Jamaica and the road march is about to begin. It’s 8:30 a.m. and I’m still in bed, I check my Whatsapp and see that my partner in crime Loni (aka Lonz the MUA) has been hard at work making her clients look road ready. We discuss if we are going to actually see the road march and decide we would save our energy for the real carnival finale and go to Big Wall.
There has been a serious lead up to road march, and only the strong have survived. The list of events for the week leading to Carnival Sunday go something like this (in order) Beach Jouvert, Dusk, Pandemonium, Bachannal Jouvert, Sunrise Breakfast party, Frenchmen’s Bazodee and then everyone gets wild on carnival Sunday. Some Spartans do all events and manage to live to tell the tale. Those who can’t afford all events—or might have use for their body after Carnival Sunday—usually pick and choose, but one thing on everyone’s list is Big Wall.
Loni and I set the time for 3 then 4 then finally leave out by 6, calling a taxi, as the carnival traffic and parking tends to be insane. We enter a party already jumping from 12:00 p.m. but instead of getting tired, patrons seem to be getting more and more energetic. We rub shoulders and dance with the likes of Usain Bolt, Nile and Storm Saulter and Flippa Mafia. Dancing, revelers, rum—you really can’t go wrong with that combination. All in all, Big Wall was the perfect way to end the carnival season. Maybe next year we can actually see the road march.