It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Nine Mornings

With four more mornings to go before the culmination of the 2011 Nine Mornings celebrations, Chairman of the National Nine Mornings Committee Michael Peters is calling for persons to visit as many hot spots as possible around the island.{{more}}

Peters, speaking to SEARCHLIGHT on Monday, December 19, said that the best way to enjoy the Nine Mornings activities, is by attempting to go to a different rural community each morning, since each has an individuality that can only be experienced when persons visit the areas.

“That’s how you get the real feel of it; a lot of the rural areas have their own character.

“For instance, Point Village up above the Dry River is pretty strong with their programs and you’re talking about Manicou and Manish Water up there…. Carierre in the Mesopotamia Valley is about bush tea…..In Barrouallie, it’s about Black Fish, and in Rose Bank it’s about fish and doughboy.

“They all have very strong programs, and in between the others also are pretty good as well…..

“So, you don’t have to go to the same village every morning; pick a different village every morning or take in a couple of them per morning.”

Peters said that the turnout at the events both in Kingstown and the rural areas has been large, and has been building daily.

He noted that he was surprised, especially on the first morning of activities in Kingstown, when the crowd was especially huge and continues to be that way.

He credited the turnout to the fact that there has been good weather on mornings so far, and that there is not the added ‘distraction’ of a General Elections, as was the case last year.

According to Peters, there is always a surprise in store for audiences, where they are the main attraction and the performing acts are merely the fillers in the show.

“The artistes on stage are not the stars of the show… it’s the audience that really makes Nine Mornings what it is when they come out and enjoy themselves.

“They come to see and hear themselves on stage and taking part in whatever activities, because there’s no telling what’s going to happen on stage, but the crowd is very accommodating and people enjoy that.”

Peters commended the persons who make it out of their beds at the early hours of the morning, a local tradition that has been taking place since the early 1800’s, and said he hopes that the tradition will continue to grow from strength to strength.

“It takes a lot to get up at four o’clock in the morning and we are really encouraged by the turnout.”

Last Friday’s official opening saw various performances, including gospel music, pan, dance and skits.

The Bowman Family, synonymous with Nine Mornings, also performed at the opening, which also saw an impromptu performance by Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves.

The celebrations come to an end on Christmas Eve morning, December 24.