Spicemas 2022! Grenada celebrated its first carnival since Covid-19 enveloped the world and continues to trap us in its gloom. But masqueraders and spectators alike gave Covid the metaphorical finger and took to the road!  From the parties and shows leading up to the big days, August 8th and 9th, Grenadians made the best of it despite the silent chants of “the vibe is not there”.

Since its launch on April 29th, there was nothing but pace till the much craved and WELL anticipated two days on the road. Across the island, in the weeks leading up to Carnival Monday and Carnival Tuesday, Grenadians and foreigners patronized the different events of the season. Such events included those advertised on the Carnival calendar and other well-anticipated events such as Beach Bum, Ultra, Rum Boat, House Party, and J’ouvert In July and the White shows, Pure White and Biggest White, to name a few.

On the Saturday before Carnival, women were seen with focused looks walking through town with their just collected headpieces in one hand and a bag in the other no doubt housing the rest of their costume. We’ve been here before, the last time being exactly three years ago. In little shops across the island, seen in person and on the many Facebook and Instagram Lives that were streamed, people can be heard and seen pounding tables with anything they can grab – dominoes, sticks, their hands even! With the favorites for the season pumping on what sounded like the max volume on the shop’s speakers as they chanted the lyrics of chain-dragging songs as a unit.

And on August 5th, Bacchanal Friday came the crowning of both the Groovy Monarch and Power Soca Monarch. This year, Rashid “Cryave” Julien took home the Groovy Monarch crown with his song “Unbothered”, and Shem “Terra D Governor” Bernard, seized the crown with his entry “Ultra Instinct”. Pantastic Saturday saw the steelpan bands showdown and in the end, Commancheros was crowned 2022’s Senior Panorama Champions.

Then on the dawn of Carnival Monday, the streets of Grenada were soaked with oil and paint. All dripping off the skin and clothes of Jab Jab revelers wearing cow horns, dragging chains, beating biscuit tins, anything that gave one the feeling they had lost control of their faculties and were under the influence of something; alcohol, the infectious Jab Jab music or maybe just the euphoria of invoking Jab. Pig heads being pushed in strollers, dogs being held in arms and bounced to the beat of the music, and smoke herring hanging out of mouths; this is Jab Grenada’s style.

And as the sun went down and before the day was done another set of revelers would command the street of Grenada as Monday Night Mas returned. The cool sea breeze that blows across the island could not cool down the heat of bodies jamming and whining their way through familiar routes all to songs like David “Jab King” Connel’s “High” which went on to win the Road March title.

In striking contrast to the day before, from the ‘Stink and Dutty’  Jouvert mas, ‘Pretty Mas’ emerged in all its glory. Like the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly, the Jab Jabs that roamed the streets 24 hours before were now replaced by beautiful winged creatures. Pretty costumes worn by pretty women what a sight to behold, and thus many spectators armed with cellphones and cameras lined the routes to see and capture the spectacle that was Grenada’s Carnival Tuesday.

 

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