Red sky at night - showcase of Cayman culture

By Christopher Tobutt

Red Sky at Night, put on every year by the Cayman National Cultural Foundation, simply brings every single aspect of Cayman’s culture, from artists, musicians, poets, dancers, to cooks and people who know how to bake the very best conch fritters, heavy cakes and culinary Cayman treats and puts it all into a huge simmering culture-stew. First of all you walk through the broadwalk, where all kinds of artisans sell their wears, from locally made hot sauces, to painters with unique pictures and designs and drawings.

Kevin Rolle, the artist with Ramah art studio, brings beautiful photos, printed on canvas, to life by overpainting them. These two boys are brothers, and when i did it, it would remind me of my childhood, and i wanted to show the play and fun that island boys would have, he said, as he pointed to an amazingly vivid picture of two young boys, waiste deep in Cayman’s sea.  

Charlotte Designz are all made by Akinita Thomas, a young artist with a unique perspoective on the world. Pictures  of all kinds of beautiful things, from flowers to turtles, are made into beautiful abstract designs bursting with colour,  so that the whole world becomes a giant jigsaw-puzzle. Carley Jackson is an artist and craftsman whose art reflects his background of growing up in the islands of the Nicaraguan Coast. They are paintings that feel like a beautiful dream. Artist Donovan Sewell loves painting magificently realistic, big canvasess of Cayman’s scenic beauty. His paintings  are so vivid and realistic you think you can step right inside one and find yourself in another world.

The air was filled with the scent of gorgeous Caymanian cooking. At the Food Vault there was Cayman Style Lobster, Beef, Stew Conch, stew Turtle, pulled pork and Barbequed Chicken. In the next booth was Exquisite Edibles, a mixture of Cayman cakes like Cassava Cakes and Coconut Tarts, along with more international treats like cupcakes donuts and brownies.

Leron Leron Sinta - a dance group in traditional dress gave a wonderul, impromptu display. there were many different artists on the stage around the front of the Theatre. Reggae Artist Militant was there, just as the sun was going down, dreadlocks flying as he put out his own brand of contemporary roots reggae. They were followed by a full band, Fifth division who were full of first division musicians and a really top vocalist, playing a mixture of soulful  funk and reaggae  classics.

There were queens from several different beauty pageants. Vanessa Burke was a title holder in Our Little Miss which encourages girls and women of all ages to be the best they can be. “it goes from one to 99 years old. Anyone can do this,” she said, as she modelled her crown beside a much younger girl, Mekia Whetherford.