THE third edition of the Seychelles Carnival, named “Carnaval International de Victoria”, kicked off successfully in the Indian Ocean island capital yesterday.
Melissa Mpofu IN Victoria, Seychelles
The three-day event of dance, food fairs, animation events, soca parties, open air discos and carnival parades will this year see 26 countries showcasing their different cultures with Sulumani “Sulu” Chimbetu and his Orchestra Dendera Kings band representing Zimbabwe.
Last year, Zimbabwe was represented by traditional dance group Hwamanda and managed to scoop the Best Float award. The award is given to a country which would have showcased its unique cultural display.
This year, Sulu takes over from Hwamanda and he will showcase the country’s culture this afternoon during the Carnival Parade. The Zimbabwean delegation, comprising Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) officials, Chimbetu and the Dendera Kings band, and journalists arrived in Victoria on Thursday afternoon.
In an interview with NewsDay, Sulu said he was enjoying his stay in Seychelles and was ready to showcase his dendera acts to the people there.
“This is a nice place and I am enjoying the meals here, especially the one we had at Ephelia Resort. It should be one of their best cuisines,” he said.
“We will play our dendera music in a way that should leave all people with a clear picture of Zimbabwe’s current showbiz and cultural trends.”
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Seychelles Tourism Board CEO Elsia Grandcourt said because of the success of the first two carnivals, the organisers now had a firm and tested foundation upon which to build and expand the carnival.
“Seychelles has made its mark on the world of carnivals with this spectacular event that brings together the best in the world carnivals, melding them into the ‘carnival of carnivals’ which is unique in the world,” she said.
Meanwhile, ZTA has put in place a colourful float which they are showcasing at the event. The Seychelles Carnival is increasingly becoming a major festival in the region, with more countries taking part in the event each year. The event has a unique concept of showcasing different works of art from across the globe.
ZTA corporate communications manager Sugar Chagonda said this year’s event was special to Zimbabwe as they had partnered with Seychelles to host the event.
“This year, Zimbabwe is co-hosting the event as part of our preparatory initiatives to learn a few concepts since we are planning to host a Zimbabwe Carnival in May,” he said.
The Zimbabwe Carnival will be part of the build up to the United Nations World Tourism Conference set for August this year in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and Livingstone, Zambia.
