Nine Mornings festivities should be christianised

At four in the wee hours of the chilly morning of Saturday December 16, the gathering for the first 2006 Nine Mornings event at Bay Street was scanty and a heckler bummed around trying to agitate the peaceful countenance of the few that congregated.

But those in attendance were never disquieted and they listened attentively to Fathers Jim and Joseph of the Roman Catholic Cathedral as they evoked God’s blessings over the festivities.{{more}}

In his sermon Father Joseph called on Vincentians to “Christianise the Culture” noting that Nine Mornings was a sacred event where the birth of Jesus Christ was observed.

He preached that the society that recognises Christ would be filled with peace, respect, love and purpose making its citizens law abiding and God fearing.

Minister of Culture Rene Baptiste encouraged the gathering to do their best to make the Christmas season spectacular and noted that Nine Mornings was also an avenue to showcase Vincentian talent.

By this time the scanty assembly had grown into a mammoth crowd that flocked to witness the “Celebration of a Unique Vincentian Tradition” with dynamic performances by New Life Ambassadors, La Gracia Dancers, CP Hall, Avenue Dancers, Sulle, Wendell Clouden, Hairoun Theatre and the Sion Hill Steel Orchestra.

A guest performance by the Tobago Cultural Group also had the audience rocking and singing along to some familiar tunes, while the fun and games segment where the children had to put on their “thinking caps” for the questions that MC Micheal Peters posed was just as entertaining.

One of the most light hearted moments came when visitors were asked to approach the stage and say where they were from so that they could get a Nine Mornings T-shirt and bandana. A man from St Vincent came on the stage and said that he was from South Rivers but was living at Belmont.

Nine Mornings continues on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 from 4 am throughout villages around the country.