On Saturday, March 2, thousands of carnival lovers – among them a great number of young people – participated in the 22th edition of the Mas Maten-Kongo Karayib (Morning Mas-Congo Carib) parade, organized by the carnival group “Point d’Interrogation”, between the cities of Les Abymes and Le Gosier via Pointe-à-Pitre.
A few years ago, in the morning of “Samedi Gras”, members of the carnival group called “Point d’Interrogation” paraded in the streets of Pointe-à-Pitre, we thought it was just for the tourists. Suddenly, this event increased in scale and, last year, some 4 000 people took part.
On Saturday, March 2, the number of participants – especially young people – was greater. Some had chosen the Congo’s costume and had covered their body with black “gwo siwo” (fat syrup) produced with sugar cane; others had opted for the Carib’s costume and had covered themselves with roucou oil. This carnival meeting to have fun takes us back to the history of Guadeloupe and the other Caribbean islands when the Europeans berthed with Black African slaves to supplant the Carib Indians who were decimated by wars against colonists, diceases or suicide and were considered not very tough for works in the fields or the mines…
This huge parade of Mas Maten-Kongo Karayib started in the city of Les Abymes at 10:00 am, went through the city centre of Pointe-à-Pitre where terraces were put for the public between 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm and arrived at the Bas-du-Fort beach in Le Gosier around 3:30 pm.
