Barbadians celebrate culture and fun in the sun

By Christopher Tobutt

Have you ever played Barbadian Road Tennis? Or sampled real Bajan fishcakes? These and many other aspects of Bajan Culture were being enjoyed by everyone who came to the Barbadian Overseas Association’s great big Family Fun and Culture Day at the Pedro Castle playground which was also being reopened. Juliette Gooding, the Honorary Consulate to Barbados, explained the day’s purpose. “This park has not been in use for a while so we decided as a community that we would take it on as a project. We will restore the park, get it up and running so the community will have a place to come and bring their families. We are going to make donations of playground equipment, so the kids have swings and so on to play with and bring the park back to life.” The renovation of the park was also being undertaken with lots of help from clients in the Department of Community Rehabilitation as part of their community service.

It was a hot afternoon and there was a lot happening. Over in one corner people in swimsuits were being dunked into a big tub of water as children threw balls at the dunking trigger. There were all kinds of other throwing games, and some were throwing darts to burst balloons stuck to a board. Oh yes, and there was also Barbadian Road Tennis which was like a giant –sized table tennis but played on the ground not on a table. The DJ played Barbadian love-songs, and everyone had lots of fun, and enjoyed a display of praise and worship dance, too.

What was a big black tent all about? That was where Matrix, Cayman’s new Virtual Reality sensation, was letting kids try walking with Lions or dinosaurs in their own 3D world, and outside, their sister company, Big Boy Toys was letting kids, (as well as their dads) try out really great remote-control cars and trucks.

Like many Barbadians living here, Nicole Emmanuel has made Cayman her home, and she wanted to help give something back. “I am cooking Bajan fishcakes, conkies, and cassava cone sweetbread. Then we also have gunga rice, macaroni pie some beef stew, baked and barbequed chicken and some fried snapper served with salads,” she said as she put some more codfish batter into a fryer.

 Parliamentary Secretary Heather Bodden and Minister of Health, Wellness and Home Affairs Hon. Sabrina Turner were both there.  Minister Turner said, “Community builds country and that’s why the Ministry of Health Wellness and Home Affairs is here representing today. No barriers abound when it comes to communities and different nationalities coming together for the common good. I’ve tasted your coconut cooler and if that is what today is all about, learning more about Barbados, well what a treat!”