Roseau, Dominica – (January 8th 2018) The Official Media Launch of Dominica’s Carnival – Mas Domnik 2018, which took place last Friday, placed the minds of Dominican patrons and visitors alike, to comfort, as details of what is expected to be one of the most traditionally spontaneous Carnivals were made available to the public. Post Hurricane Maria, many Dominicans have set out to rebuild and reaffirm relationships with a determination that demonstrates Dominica’s event and cultural tourism product is alive and well. While the devastation suffered has caused us to make adjustments to the scale of the celebration, the need to continually embrace our cultural heritage is ever present. This enabled a captivating and exciting tagline for the 2018 edition – ‘Celebrating Our Traditions’!
Attendees at the Launch included Senator Robert Tonge, Minister for Tourism and Urban Renewal who presented the Feature Address, further expanding on the way forward for Dominica’s Carnival. Senator Tonge stressed the importance of Carnival by describing it as one of the most creative and imaginative aspects of the Dominican life. Senator Robert Tonge reminded the public of the economic benefits of hosting such a national event, “Mas Domnik provides a unique opportunity for our creative community – costume builders, song writers, music producers, seamstresses, tailors and performers of varying kinds to rise to the occasion and present their craft in a unique and distinct manner”.
Colin Piper, CEO of Discover Dominica Authority and Director of Tourism made a solid call to Dominicans both here and abroad to visit Dominica and experience a unique and spontaneous Carnival, the reasoning for it being dubbed ‘The Real Mas.’ Mr. Piper further strengthened the need to celebrate tradition, “Tradition means a lot to us and we intend on celebrating it honorably and safely.”
The launch of Mas Domnik 2018 came alive with other invited guests which included Mr. Raymond Lawrence – Chief Cultural Officer of the Cultural Division and Mr. Kareem Guiste – Regional Marketing Manager – Business and Government, FLOW, both of whom expressed assertiveness, commitment and just cause in working assiduously to ensure materialization of this national product.
The 2018 Carnival Calendar, though scaled down tremendously, still boasts six weeks of calypso shows, celebrations, parades and fetes for every age group.
Mas Domnik, The Real Mas, is considered the last remaining fortress of true authentic masquerade in the Caribbean, and will run right through Carnival Monday and Tuesday on February 12th and 13th, culminating on Wednesday February 14th 2018 with the Taway Vaval in the Kalinago Territory, home to the largest indigenous population of Caribbean peoples in the region.
For further information, please contact the Dominica Festivals Committee at 767 448 4833. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, or watch us on YouTube and www.discoverdominica.com
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About Mas Domnik: Dominica’s Carnival, dubbed Mas Domnik “The Real Mas” is s a pre-Lenten festival which takes place in February or March each year. It is one of the most festive seasons in Dominica with pageantry, calypso shows, street jump ups, village festivals and revelry. Key elements of Mas Domnik include the sensay costumes, Lapeau Kabwit drumming, BwaBwa (stilts walking) and the melodious sounds of Dominica’s indigenous music – cadence and bouyon. Join us for MasDomnik.
