100 days to 100th celebration of Nine Mornings

One of this country’s largest and most anticipated festivals will celebrate its 100th anniversary in December.{{more}}

The countdown of 100 days to the 100th celebration of the Nine Mornings festivities in St Vincent and the Grenadines officially began yesterday.

During a press conference yesterday, Nine Mornings Committee member Michael Peters, bestowed high praises on the one-of-a-kind festival and stated that it was an important part of the tourism product and culture.

Peters noted that Nine Mornings festivities were said to have started between 1913 and 1919. However, upon closer examination, records suggest that 1913 was the most probable start-up date.

“As far as we can determine, based on our accounts, that is the closest as we can come to the approximation and its starting date, hence this year is a special year for us,” Peters said.

Minister of Tourism Cecil Mckie congratulated the committee for not only keeping the Nine Mornings Festival alive, but also ensuring that it has grown and acquired a greater value in society.

McKie, who is also the defending champion for having the Best Lit Garden, noted that the countdown is a good way of engaging the public.

“The countdown is going to allow us to engage our population, at home and abroad, as to the significance of Nine Mornings to St Vincent and the Grenadines,” the Minister said.

“It would also allow us to educate our population of what it means to the country and it will also allow persons to get involved, whether at the community or at the national level in the further advancement of our Nine Mornings activities”.

In addition, the Minister encouraged business places to play an active part in the festivities.

“The committee has committed to ensure that as we celebrate 100 years, that we go an extra yard, an extra mile in ensuring that the activity is bigger this year than it would have been before,” he said. “We will be engaging…in speaking to as many business houses as possible, throughout the length and breadth of St Vincent and the Grenadines. The intention is to have each business place at least, beginning with the Kingstown area, put up a string of lights, 100 lights in their show window”.

As part of the promotional tactics, an official theme song for 2013 was developed.

The song was done through the collaboration of Lennox Bowman, who is the deputy chairman of the Nine Mornings Committee, and Carlton “CP” Hall.

“We are looking…to ensure that the celebration of Nine Mornings is substantive in every population centre in St Vincent and the Grenadines,” Bowman said.

“To expose all forms of traditional music, dance, culinary arts and to promote our traditional culture, values and inspire national pride”.

Bowman also stated that the committee was pleased with the support they have received from the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines, as well as corporations.

He, however, urged them to assist a little bit more with the festivities, especially the ones that take place in the rural areas.

Several rural areas have already begun planning for the festivities and shared their plans with the audience at the press conference.

Included in the celebrations for this year is the creation of the Nine Mornings Facebook page, where persons can track the countdown to the 100th year of the festivities.

Persons can visit the page at http://www.facebook.com/ninemorningsfestival.

The theme for this year’s celebration is “Celebrating 100 years of a unique Vincentian tradition” and the festival is scheduled to begin on the morning of December 16.(BK)