“One Caribbean, One Purpose, Our Culture, Our Life” is the theme of this year’s festival.

The fun is not over yet… CARIFESTA X 2008 runs from August 22 - August 31st!

CARIFESTA stands for the Caribbean Festival of Arts. It is the region’s roving, multidisciplinary, mega arts festival which attracts a wide range of creative artists from various Caribbean and Latin American Countries.

CARIFESTA was the culmination of the idea that started in 1970 when participants at an Artists and Writers Convention in Guyana complained about the absence of an outlet to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Region and at the same time give recognition to its outstanding artists and art forms.

Check out the awesome Carifesta X website to learn more about this Caribbean uniting festival… See the Guyana Photos and Guyana Videos as well.

When the Caribbean Festival of Arts ,CARIFESTA kicked off in Guyana on Thursday, a contingent of young masqueraders from Nevis are taking part in forming a part of the celebration.

Minister with responsibility for Culture in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), Hensley Daniel said there was a distinct effort placed on masquerades and assured that the group of young persons selected, would make Nevis proud.

“I think the folklore group will form the focus of attention during the CARIFESTA exposition and so we have put together a team of masquerades. Anybody who knows Nevis’ culture would know that the masquerade is at the top of our folklore list and so we have sent a group of young masquerades from across the island.”

“We have put a group of them together and I think I should say to the public they have been practicing over the last six weeks preparing for this and so we expect them to do quite well… and I think that our young people who have been selected to participate in the Caribbean Festival of Arts in Guyana, will do Nevis proud and I look forward to hearing great things about their performance he said.”

Read more here at caribbeannetnews.com

CARIFESTA has traveled throughout the Caribbean for the past 36 years, of which the Island of Nevis has been a part. Since the inaugural festival took place in Guyana in 1972, it moved to Jamaica in 1976; Cuba in ‘79; Barbados in 81.Trinidad and Tobago led a revival in 1992 and followed up in 1995 (and again in 2006); St. Kitts and Nevis in 2000 and Suriname in 2003.

The aim of the Caribbean Festival of Arts is to depict the life of the people of the Region, their heroes, morale, myth, traditions, beliefs, creativeness and way of expression; to show the similarities and differences of the people of the Caribbean generally; to create a climate in which art can flourish so that artists would be encouraged to return to their homeland; and to awaken a regional identity in Literature.

Let the good times roll, Nevis Island Style Becca Briley

The PLAYBOYJAZZCLUB.COM is announcing the inaugural sailing of the Playboy Jazz Cruise! And YES, it will be stopping by Nevis Island…

There is no more important name in jazz than “Playboy”. From the early days of the groundbreaking Playboy After Dark television show to the annual jazz poll in the magazine to the now 30 year old Playboy Jazz Festival, no one has done jazz better than Playboy.

Hosted by Marcus Miller from January 25th to February 1st of 2009, there will be many GREAT JAZZ ARTISTS. These include:

Marcus Miller
Herbie Hancock
Dianne Reeves
Keb’ Mo’
Poncho Sanchez
James Moody
Roy Hargrove
James Carter
Eldar
Roberta Gambarini
New Birth Brass Band
Alonzo Bodden

Thinking about taking a Nevis Vacation or taking a funfilled cruise!!!???

Well what better way to get to NEVIS West Indies than by joining the First Ever Playboy Jazz Cruise!?

Allaboutjazz.com gives some exellent insight on the Playboy Cruise travels to Nevis…

There’s something about this small, sombrero-shaped island that grabs you. The charm and tranquility takes you back to a time when things were simpler, when life was more peaceful, when stress was just a word, not a way of life. Just listen to the monkeys chattering in the trees, the doves cooing in the distance. There is excellent snorkeling just offshore and scuba diving around wrecks and natural reefs. For those more interested in man-made exploration, try your hand at archaeology, or exploring the ruins of old sugar plantations, a lime kiln, or Amerindian sites. These are the rainforests, reefs, and ruins of Nevis, a fascinating destination for people who enjoy the natural side of the tropics.

This 36-square-mile island lies near the top of the Lesser Antilles archipelago, about 200 miles south of Puerto Rico, and just west of Antigua. This island jewel is approximately 7 miles long and 5 miles wide, with natural vegetation that is un-paralleled. Green and serene, Nevis is truly one of the remaining un-spoilt places and proudly carries the name, “Queen of the Caribees.” From the top of the 3,232-foot Nevis Peak to the depths of the clear waters offshore, there is a world of flora and fauna to be explored. In the hills, the comical green vervet monkeys chatter and scamper; in the sea, the whales cruise by. Stroll around and see the architecture of eras gone by: churches, windmills, and refurbished Great Houses.

Its 10,000 residents are friendly and helpful, ready to make new friends and welcome back regular visitors. The genuine charm and hospitality radiate into the unspoken, “Welcome,” “Be my guest,” and “Do come again.” Nevis is special, a place that will seduce you, and tug at your heart strings after you leave.

This Sexy Caribbean Itinerary is as follows…

Sunday, January 25
Departing from Fort Lauderdale
5:00pm

Monday, January 26
At Sea

Tuesday, January 27
San Juan, Puerto Rico
3:00pm - 11:00pm

Wednesday, January 28
Nevis, West Indies
10:30am - 10:00pm

Thursday, January 29
St. Barths, French West Indies
7:00am - 5:00pm

Friday, January 30
At Sea

Saturday, January 31
Half Moon Cay, Bahamas
10:00am - 4:00pm

Sunday, February 1
Arrive at Fort Lauderdale
7:00am
Disembarkation 9:00am

Hope I could help! Your Nevis Lover ~ Becca Briley

Listen to 2008 St Kitts Nevis Soca Music

Socafreak.com gives the lowdown on SOCA…

Soca music is music to jump, wave, and “wine” to, amongst other ways of dancing. Most soca songs are written to generate crowd response and therefore a soca song which fails to give rise to these particular ways of dancing (jump, wave, wine, etc.) is usually not a good one. Such a song won’t be given much radio airplay. “Wine” is derived from the word “wind” and “wining” is a type of dance consisting of hip movements. Usually there’s bodily contact.

Here are a few fun Soca Videos from Youtube…

Mr Dale - Soca Junkie

Machel Montano and Patrice Roberts (2008) - Rollin / Blazin D Trail

Alison Hinds - Roll It Gal

Biggie Irie - Nah Going Home

Fireball - What I Want

Here are some pictures from Soca Celebrating Caribbean Festivals…

Do you have any opinions on 2008 soca music from St Kitts and Nevis??? Click HERE to make your comments

While there are many Caribbean music stations online very few play soca music 24/7. They usually play all other genres of music. This is why I love to listen to soca91.9 FM. See the Soca Radio Stations - Top Picks HERE.

Book Your Amazing Trip to Nevis Island and have the TIME OF YOUR LIFE while you Soca your Heart out on one of the gorgeous Nevis Beaches!!!

Nevis Lover ~ Becca Briley

New news to me! A possible FISHING COMPLEX in Charlestown, NEVIS is said to be in the process of being funded by the government of Japan!

MOVIN’ ON UP! Thought I’d share this exciting NEVIS NEWS…

Minister for Lands and Housing, Agriculture, Fisheries and Cooperatives Hon. Robelto Hector and Federal colleague Minister Hon. Cedric Liburd have been discussing such exciting Nevis Fishing matters…

So what I want to know is how this proposed fishing complex will benefit the precious Nevis Island… HERE’S HOW

Mr. Hector said We [Nevis] have worked close particularly on this project. We know the benefits of the project to Nevis in terms of enhancing the fishing industry in terms of making sure that our resources are managed in that sustainable way.

With regard to the overall satisfaction of the project, it is important for all of us in terms of the consumption of fish as a protein in our diet…For the fishermen themselves it is an opportunity for them to increase their catch, it is an opportunity for them to make more money from fishing, it is an opportunity for them to expand their business,” he said.

The Minister explained that the proposed complex would entail a main two storey building which would be outfitted with lockers and storage space for implements and fish and a cistern system which would provide an adequate water supply to support the complex.

With this proposition put into motion, it could give the fishermen in the Federation the opportunity to benefit from the tourism industry…. The future looks even brighter for the Nevis Economy. They will not have to depend so much on other surrounding islands.

Mr. Liburd said that as the economy of St. Kitts and Nevis grew in particular the area of tourism that both the Federal government and the Nevis Island Administration wanted to see fishermen benefit from the industry.

He said that he had been receiving telephone calls from other Caribbean islands (St. Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana) who had indicated their interest in supplying St. Kitts and Nevis with fish.

“I plan to discuss the possibility of how we in St. Kitts and Nevis can use larger boats in order to have them on lease for our fishermen to use them to go out to sea for a much longer time, in order to bring quantity and at the same time quality fish to have fish for various hotels and restaurants in St. Kitts and for our own people,” he said.

Cast Away Nevis

Check out this sight to book a deep sea adventure in Nevis, West Indies

A funny fishing video for other Nevis Lover’s…

~ Becca Briley ~