Scheduled for Tuesday, starting at 6 p.m. at the Dorsch Center in Frederiksted, St. Croix, the roundtable promises to be a deep exploration of both the fading and surviving forms of masquerade. The discussion will breathe life into traditions ranging from Raffia, Baby Dolls, Mother Hubbards, and the Bull, to the now rarely seen Pitchy Patchy and the Clowns of St. Thomas.
This event will feature a remarkable gathering of local culture bearers, including Willard John, Amy Petersen, Asta Williams, Dembaya Arts Conservatory, and the Ay Ay Cultural Dancers. Presenters will share their knowledge and personal connections to these cultural traditions.
Adding a unique dimension to the conversation is special guest Baba Onifade, a marine scientist and Babalawo, internationally recognized for integrating science with Africana spirituality. His work often centers on Olokun, the divinity who guards the deep ocean. In a landmark 1986 expedition, Baba Onifade helped explore the ocean floor, bringing back artifacts now housed in the Museum of Natural History in New York. His presence will bridge the masquerading practices of the Virgin Islands with their West African roots, exploring themes of water, movement, and ancestral memory.
The timing of this round table is significant, held on the eve of Contract Day, also known as Fireburn, a day that commemorates the 1878 labor uprising. Stephanie Chalana Brown, the cultural steward and coordinator of this project, believes in the lasting impacts of this initiative. “Masquerading is a form of movement, memory, and survival. It carries the spiritual and ethical weight of our ancestors while giving our youth a chance to move in that same rhythm. This project ensures that masquerade is not only remembered, but lived,” Brown said.
This roundtable is a key part of a broader, ongoing initiative to keep masquerading traditions vibrant. This project offers free weekly masquerade community dance and drum classes for adults and children, held most Thursdays at the Caribbean Boys and Girls Club in Frederiksted. These sessions are designed as an intergenerational bridge, connecting the wisdom of the elders with the energy of the youth.
“The Keeping Masquerading Traditions Alive” initiative is supported by grant funding through the St. Croix Foundation’s Healing Humanities Grant, ensuring all events are free to the public. Its mission is to strengthen community identity through the powerful, embodied practice of cultural tradition.
For the most current schedule and updates, please follow the official Virgin Islands Masquerading Traditions Facebook page.
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