Carnival Kaleidoscope, St. Thomas Troupe, Prepares For J’ouvert

DOWNTOWN CHARLOTTE AMALIE, ST. THOMAS — This town is buzzing with activity today. There are four ships berthed at docks here — three at the West Indian Company and one at Crown Bay. A St. Thomian told this publication that the traffic in town is denser than usual; a sign that tourists a leaving the cold confines of their floating rooms to hopefully catch a glimpse of culture at its height.

Residents and diasporas — the latter returning home during this season to participate in activities — are spread about town themselves, giving St. Thomas the kind of aura that calls for fete.

Smack dab in the heart of town is a space housing a group called Carnival Kaleidoscope. Walk too fast and you’ll miss it. Venture inside and you’ll experience a room that’s humming with action as people come in and out, some paying for their j’ouvert morning costumes — including a shirt, wrist band and other feting necessities –as workers ready the costumes on the spot. The carnival fever inside the facility was contagious, as multiple persons could be seen “taking a wine” to Truck On De Road by Bunji Garlin, clearly in the mood to party.

This year, 1,200 revelers joined the group, up from 900 in 2015. The founders of Carnival Kaleidoscope run the group under its parent company called 4 Girls. The nonprofit was formed in 2014 when three friends — Tricia Sealey, Tara Lewis-McFarlane and Colette White-Amaro — traveled to Trinidad in 2013 and experienced j’ouvert in a different way.

“We went Trinidad and the minute that we went to j’ouvert, we knew that that was something we wanted to bring back home to St. Thomas, due to the problems we’ve had in the past with crime, violence and everything being cancelled. But we’re here to have fun and make sure everybody have a safe time. It’s unadulterated fun,” said Ms. Sealey.

For j’ouvert itself, the troupe meets at 3:00 a.m. “You come, get your bottles filled, start loosening up your waist, do your stretches and we start at 4:00 a.m.,” Ms. McFarlane said. The troupe starts at the opposite end of the beginning of j’ouvert — east to west — and stops at Addelita Cancryn Junior High School, where food is catered to troupe members. Carnival Kaleidoscope does not participate as a unit in the carnival’s Adults Parade, but members who wish to join other groups for the culminating event are free to do so.

Carnival Kaleidoscope is one of seven troupes on the road this j’ouvert. The others include: J’ouvertnation (will end across from Windward Passage), SKN Entertainment VI (will end at bridge – Cancryn School), Till Marn’n (will end across from old Scotia Bank – Waterfront), V.I. Feters (will end at bridge – Cancryn School), Supreme Team J’ouvert Troupe  and Wet Feter’z Inc.

J’ouvert bands include the following:

1. Avengers
2. Cool Session Band
3. DFS Entertainment/Nikki Brooks
4. Digital Band
5. Pan In Motion
6. Poizon Band
7. Stylee Band