Folklore, Fashion, and Fête: Caribbean Fest Brings Traditional Tales to the Stage

The show centered around a family’s journey from country to country, where they learn about dance, history, and spiritual traditions. *Photo: Leah Portnoy*

By ISABELLA MASON

Isabella Mason was a performer in Caribbean Fest.

The audience roared as the curtains fell on the dancers waving their flags to the vibrant soca beat, marking the end of Midwood’s Third Annual Caribbean Fest on March 27.

Junior Willine Saget led the stage as commissioner and host, alongside advisors Ms. Princessa Dominique and Ms. Natifa Griffith. Not only did this year’s rendition showcase the traditional aspects of the region’s folklore, it also brought the audience into the classroom with a history lesson on the Caribbean.

“It isn't just about dancing and waving a flag. There’s a story,” said Ms. Griffith. “Caribbean culture has a lot of folklore, and some of these stories are not always passed down.”

Set in Flatbush, Brooklyn – home to the Little Caribbean – the story followed a family overcome by a spirit, or “jumbie,” and called to dance. This year’s fest highlighted even more countries than before, from St. Vincent to Panama to Belize.

“The festival takes into account the variety of cultures such as Indo-Caribbean and Afro-Latina,” said performer Giomaris Hill ’25. “It shows that the Caribbean is diverse, with so many cultures intertwined within it.”

With every country the family visited, the audience learned about a new spirit or historical figure unique to that island. The journey began in Haiti, where the family encountered the jumbie spirit Celestine, accompanied by dancers moving to “Madan Chef” by Tony Mix and kompa rhythms in “4 Kampé” by Joé Dwèt Filé.

“There’s a lot of Haitian music and it just allowed me to build a love for kompa,” said senior sound director Andre LaRochelle IV. “I love music and I love sound, and [the show] just allows me to enjoy it.”

In Guyana, the “Land of Six Peoples,” the family learned about Chutney music – a fusion of Indian folk, Caribbean calypso, and soca. “Guyana’s rivers sing de same songs as de islands,” says Uncle Winston, as played by senior Nathaniel Cajuste. “De food, de festivals, de way we mix African, Indian, and Indigenous traditions… Dat ain’t just South America, dat’s Caribbean.”

“Caribbean Fest this year has definitely done a lot to make me more proud of where I'm from,” said senior performer Amaya Williams. “It's been a great experience for me to meet so many other Guyanese students and see how they interpret Guyanese culture.”

“It really acknowledges all countries without changing the culture in any way – it embraces it,” added sophomore dancer and choreographer Cielo Espinal.

Besides its diverse musical selections, the show featured traditional and modern modeling and poetry highlighting the region’s beauty.

“Having poems is important because of the way people often perceive Caribbean culture,” said Williams. “It’s often associated with music and dance, but poems are a big art form that expresses our culture with an artistic lens.”

Following Guyana, the family danced their way to Jamaica alongside performances to “Rum Behavior” by Kraff Gad and “Tun Di Ada Way” by Iwaata & DethWrld. Grandma Yvette, played by senior Kamora Monroe, schools the grandchildren, played by seniors Zachary Ishibashi and Muaz Ahmed, along with Dashawn Davis ‘26 and Adrienne Mendoza ‘28, on the Maroon people – African descendants who escaped captivity during the transatlantic slave trade and established free societies.

The family then found themselves in Grenada, the “Spice Isle,” home of the jab jab tradition — a satirical masquerade where mas players (masquerade goers) embrace the spirit of Black resistance by covering themselves in oil and moving through the streets in chains. A symbol of resistance and liberation, jab jab is “revolution in motion,” said Cajuste.

Performers left the stage with valuable experience. “You have to learn how to adapt and take on any challenges that come your way,” said model director and poem reader Amaya Aneke ‘26.

“Caribbean Fest fulfills my passion for dancing but also makes me more confident because I’m modeling in the show,” added junior Gabby Okeneye.

The festival wasn’t just fun and fête, however. The biggest hurdle for the ensemble was the ongoing construction in the auditorium. Despite this, they put on a truly memorable production. “The school was very helpful, and we were able to put on the show in a short amount of time,” said Ms. Griffith.

More than just giving students an outlet to explore their culture, Caribbean Fest has served as a breeding ground for new bonds. “Participating is such an easy way to make friends,” said model director Leontay Payne ‘25.

“I made some of the best friends I have today,” said Monroe. “These people are very near and dear to me, and I have a lot of respect for them and their talent.”

In a school as diverse as Midwood, many value the fest as a place to explore who they are. “[The show] gives a sense of identity to Caribbean students. Yes, we are all Black, but there is nuance in the Black community,” said Ms. Dominique. “It gives an opportunity to create unity and also teach students who have not been exposed to Caribbean culture that Black is not just one shade, it’s not just one thing.”

“We're such a diverse people,” said Monroe. “You can find every shade, every color, and every dialect in the Caribbean, and that is genuinely represented on stage. Everybody has a chance to showcase their culture.”

Accompanied by Bajan music like “Bang Bim” by Marzville and "Maintenance Man" by Stiffy, the family eventually made their last stop in the island of Barbados. Grandma Yvette’s final lesson for the night was on soca royalty, like Bajan singer Alison Hinds (“The Queen of Soca”) and Bajan artist Rupee.

Ending their adventure, the family reflected on the islands’ shared history, with culture, music, dance and art rooted in both African and Indigenous traditions.

“It was just a beautiful history lesson,” said audience member and parent Latoya Lee. “It showed us how the entire Caribbean is connected through music and aspects of the culture.”

Spirited and passionate, this year’s Caribbean Fest was a beautiful celebration of the diversity, traditions, and energy you see when you walk down Eastern Parkway, Church Avenue, or even Midwood’s hallways.