Students, faculty and staff, along with the Wichita Falls community, came to watch the festivities as part of Caribfest 2012 on Friday, Oct. 5.
With the theme of “Under de Coconut Tree Is Where You Should Be,” the Caribbean Student Organization brought a slice of home to campus.
CSO showed everyone why under the coconut tree is really where we all should be.
Caribfest, which originates from the Caribbean Carnival celebrations, has been held every year in the fall semester for 12 years.
The Caribfest committee began planning for the festivities back at the beginning of summer.
More than 150 students volunteered their time to prepare costumes, food, decorate, organize and participate in the various cultural events.
CSO President Lance Auguste explained that the purpose of Caribfest is to let people know about the Caribbean culture.
“We want to bring back to Wichita Falls this international experience so they [the students and community] can have a taste of what it’s like,” Auguste said.
In addition to bringing an authentic cultural experience to the campus, CSO aims to use Caribfest as a way to give back to the Wichita Falls community.
CSO has specific local charities, including the Wichita Falls Boys and Girls Club and Disaster Helping Hands, that it donates to annually. The funds raised from the Caribfest events will go directly to these charities.
“We just want to raise as much money as possible,” CSO Second Vice President Wendy Frederick said. “The more money we raise, the more we give back to our charities.”
To maximize the amount of money the organization gives to the charities, CSO held fundraisers, used organizational funds outside sponsorships to finance the Caribfest activities. Frederick listed The Grove, Colony Park Apartments, Wells Fargo Bank, Johnny Carinos and On the Border as some of the Caribfest sponsors this year.
With these sponsors, CSO ensured that all profits would go back into the community.
The series of Caribfest events began with the Official Caribfest Launch on Sept. 15 at Sikes Lake Center and ended with a Last Lap Party at The Grove Clubhouse starting at 9 p.m. on Oct. 6.
Friday, however, was the biggest day of celebration.
It was kicked off with an exuberant cultural parade around campus, led by University President Jesse Rogers and Keith Lamb, vice president of student affairs and enrollment management. Auguste said he was excited about securing Rogers and Lamb to head the parade.
Rogers said dancing was a possibility for him during the parade. “You know, I may feel it,” Rogers said with an amused smile. “We will see.”
Behind Rogers and Lamb were flag bearers for each country being represented in the parade. One flag was even for the state of Texas, each dancing to the music blaring from behind them in three large trucks. Two of these vehicles carried enormous speakers and had their own DJ playing a lively Caribbean dance mix.
The first music truck was trailed by another purple truck carrying Adrie Letang, the winner of the first Ms. Caribfest Pageant Sept. 30.
Letang wore a sleek blue dress, a sparkling domed tiara and a pearl-white sash for the parade.
Throngs of dancers separated the trucks, each of different organizations and regional Caribbean groups dressed in a variety of extravagant, vibrantly colored costumes.
One group, called the Blue Devils, wore blue paint on their faces and arms and would dance in and out through the other parade participants.
There was also a traditional Caribbean clown decked out in an exotic robe of a mixture of colors who danced and cracked his whip to the rhythmic beat of the music.
Junior Marqui Hodges and the women’s basketball team were excited to dress up in flashy pink costumes and dance in the parade despite the cold.
“We’re happy to have some fun,” Hodges said. “Who doesn’t want to look pretty and walk around the school and show everything off.”
The majority of the costumes worn in the parade were hand-made by Caribbean students, including the costumes worn by other organizations like the women’s basketball team.
Auguste praised his fellow Caribbean students on spending the time and effort to make the costumes, noting that “we have quite a bit of talent” at MSU.
Sororities such as Kappa Delta Chi, Chi Omega and Alpha Kappa Alpha supported the event.
The Chi Omega sorority marched in the parade after hearing about the festivities.
“I’ve always heard of the good food, the music and the parade,” said Krissy Boxell, senior Chi Omega member. “We’re excited to come out.”
CSO received help from other international organizations, like the African Student Organization, who saw Caribfest as an opportunity to get in costume to support spreading cultural awareness for the Caribbeans and their own countries.
ASO sophomore Kweku Larbi was one such participant, clad in brown traditional garb, who came out to spread awareness of his culture.
“I want to show African culture through the Caribbean events,” Larbi said. “It feels good to represent your country and continent.”
The parade started on Nocona Drive, between the Prothro-Yeager and football field parking lots, and made its way through campus passing by Moffett Library, the Dillard School of Business and the McCullough Trigg Dorms before stopping at the Clark Student Center. Freshman Emily Baudot said she enjoyed the parade, citing the music, dancing and said the costumes were memorable.
“It was pretty cool they had the music and dance party in the back of parade,” Baudot said. “The costumes were really neat as well.”
Following the parade, guests and students were given time to grab some Caribbean food for $5 and find a seat surrounding the concrete stage in Sunwatcher Plaza. The stage was flanked on each side with crafted coconut trees and the Caribbean students performed traditional dances full of energy, songs and poetry in the Caribfest Culture Show.
Honors Program Coordinator Hillary Sommerhauser-Coenen expressed enthusiasm for the food.
“It smells fantastic,” she said with a wide smile.
Sophomore Tori Shores said, though she came out to experience Caribfest, the best part, up to the culture show, was the food.
“Food,” Shores stated without any hesitation. “The food is the best part so far!”
After a three-hour break, the festivities kicked back into gear with the Glow Party at the OEC/Sikes Lake Center.
According to Auguste, the theme of the party is popular in the Caribbean.
“You dress in white, come out to have a good time and you glow,” Auguste said.
The Sikes Lake Center was decorated for the occasion with balloons, streamers and glossy pearl cloths hanging from the ceiling.
For $7, guests could dance to Caribbean music provided by students and non-local DJs, including DJ Altitude, DJ Stulla and DJ Jime. Refreshments were also provided. According to Frederick, the first 50 people through the door would be given masquerade masks.
For Auguste, Frederick and the Caribbean students, the months of hard work and countless late nights preparing for these three weeks is ultimately about providing a unique international experience.
“We want people to experience something different,” Auguste said. “We want them to get a feel of the Caribbean without being there, you know. Seeing the people come out to experience a new culture is the greatest satisfaction for me.”
The effort on behalf of CSO and all the organizations involved was not unnoticed by campus authority figures.
Rogers said he applauded the hard work and dedication shown by CSO in putting together Caribfest.
He also expressed a great appreciation for the Caribbean students and large international presence on campus.
“I love it!” Rogers exclaimed. “The Caribbean program adds so much culture to our campus and our school. If our students can’t go away for school, we sure can bring other cultures here.”