By Jamal Sharpe
For 2.5 million people the August bank holiday
is more than a day off from work. It is a time to celebrate London’s diverse culture and join the festivities of Notting Hill Carnival.
The weekend-long event contributes £100
million to London’s economy, creating
around 3,000 jobs. However, with a lack of funding and rising property prices,
Europe’s largest carnival
could cease to exist.
“It would be sad to
see the Notting Hill Carnival go. It’s part of the fabric of the area — part of its history and sets us apart from other areas” laments Marie, a Notting Hill resident of 20 years. Locals fear “the
area is loosing it’s Caribbean feel”, says Louise Aiken of local boutique Sub Couture. The loss of
Carnival would be another thick coat of gentrification to the area, masking
Carnival’s history which spans
55 years — 49 on the streets of
W11.
CONCEPTION
Carnival’s conception began in 1959, when a BBC-televised showcase of
Caribbean talent was organised by Trinidadian journalist and activist Claudia
Jones. In a time when racial tensions manifested into riots, the indoor event
at St. Pancras Town Hall aimed to ease tensions and promote positivity. The
event was rhapsodised by Jones with “a
people’s art is the genesis
of their freedom”.
Although corralled to a town hall, the carnival
was successful. The following years saw Seymour Hall, Kensington Town Hall and
The Lyceum host Jones’ Caribbean Carnival.
Calypso-singer The Mighty Sparrow and the Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra
were some of the internationally-renowned acts who performed. However in 1964,
when Claudia Jones died, her carnival shows were brought to a halt.
CONVERGENCE
In 1965 Rhaune Laslett, a community activist
and former social worker, succeeded Jones — incorporating elements of Jones’ carnival into Laslett’s
own Notting Hill festival. Laslett and her community took to the streets “using song and dance to ventilate all the pent-up frustrations born
out of the slum conditions”. Performers, once
involved in Jones’ carnival,
participated in Laslett’s street festival.
Trinidadian steel bands and Jamaican Reggae-playing sound systems soundtracked
the festivities from the traditional starting point of Powis Square. In
subsequent years, the event attracted non-locals and press coverage with its
party atmosphere which mirrored Port-of-Spain and Rio de Janeiro during their
historic carnivals.
CONFLICT
1976 was the year in which the party atmosphere
soured. Animosity between carnival-goers and police —which had been pent up for some time— erupted into violence, resulting in over 100 people needing medical
attention. Carnival has been peaceful subsequent to the riot of 1976.
Notting Hill Carnival has stood resilient in a
valley of setbacks, but a creatively-stifling lack of funding is the latest
threat to its existence. Although the annual event injects £100 million into London’s
economy, former carnival director Chris Boothman notes that the government fail
to reinvest revenue into carnival projects. Also Carnival is not a copyrighted
brand, like the Olympics, so “anyone can come along
and say they’re doing Notting Hill
this and Notting Hill that” notes Boothman. The
event’s name is vulnerable to exploitation by
unofficial carnival bands and parties, who independently pocket revenue gained.
CONSERVATION
In November 2013, a King’s Cultural Institute project was established, releasing the Carnival
Futures: Notting Hill Carnival 2020 report. The report offered scenarios
for the future of Carnival with an aim “to develop and strengthen Carnival in years to come”, as its preface states. The
report inspires a new generation of carnival conservationists who, like the
community of Notting Hill, seem resilient in their stance to preserve Carnival’s
heritage.
Experience the kaleidoscopic colours and
infectious party atmosphere of Notting Hill Carnival on 24th and 25th of August
2014.
