Caribbean studnets host 10th Annual CaribFest

Caribbean students at Midwestern State University showed off their culture to appreciative Texans as over 2000 onlookers enjoyed the 10th annual CaribFest. The carnival like atmosphere featured steel band, a street parade, jab jab, shortknee, sensay, masquerade, and all the favorites of the OECS territories.

CaribFest is the brain child of former CSO president Neil Cochrane of Antigua, created in 1997. Cochrane served as carnival committee chair in Antigua for the past two years since returning to his homeland six years ago after graduation. It has become the biggest cultural festival on Midwestern’s campus attracting news coverage from local television and radio stations.

The festival featured foods from all the Caribbean islands as well as cultural presentations, flag wavers and a calypso show. For the second year in a row, Debbie Neckles, a social work senior from Grenada was names calypso monarch. She triumphed well ahead of the field with runner up Che Phillip, political science graduate student, also of Grenada. Past winners include Esther Braithwaite of St. Lucia and Dwight Berridge of St. Kitts.

Over 250 Caribbean students currently attend Midwestern State University as part of a program that began in 1993. Almost 800 students have enrolled in the program. CaribFest is one of several cultural and social activities hosted by the Caribbean Students Organization, according to PRO Nefer McIntyre. The funds garnered from this program have provided equipment and support for charitable ventures in the Caribbean and throughout the world. Recently, the group adopted and funded amenities for an orphanage that houses 30 abandoned children.

Regional governments have supported the program with contributions and logistical support.