Halloween hype sweeps Jamaica
Published:Saturday | October 26, 2019 | 12:06 AMStephanie Lyew/Gleaner Writer
Straddling the line between a celebration of cultish practices and a fun way for children (or children at heart) to play dress-up, Halloween has evolved over the past five years on local playgrounds. Wide interest in Halloween has led to the growth of events such as Boo at the Zoo, which will be held a sixth time at the Hope Zoo, Fête Republic Halloween, Haunted Mansion on the island’s West End, and numerous private horror-house parties.
According to party promoter Francis ‘DJ Franco’ Asiedu, with the advent of social media, the Halloween hype has grown beyond its Celtic origins.
“We are no longer totally confined by geographic boundaries limiting our experiences. Globalisation has brought cultures from distant parts of the world together, and as Jamaicans, we just have to put our own spin on everything and make it better,” DJ Franco told The Gleaner.
The disc jockey is one of the organisers of Fête Republic Halloween, being held on Saturday, October 26, which is believed to be one of Jamaica’s well-supported Halloween-themed parties since its inception in 2017. Instead of trick-or-treating, the idea is to fête non-stop. Music and alcohol replace sweet treats for those who are of legal drinking age.
“Fête Republic prides itself on offering new and unique event concepts and experiences to our patrons, like Night Carnival, where we aim to give patrons a chance to relive the carnival experience, carnival costumes and all. Halloween is designed for patrons to be someone else for a night while partying to the best of soca as well as dancehall,” he said.
There are no incentives for the patron with the best costume, but many are going above and beyond to stand out, purchasing ready-made novelties or customised designs. Sheryl Chin, manager of The Party Experience, said that she expects an influx of customers at the last minute when it comes to Halloween purchases.
“So far, we are doing okay, but sales usually depend on the types and numbers of events. This year, Halloween falls on a weekday, so events are stretched across the calendar from this weekend into next weekend,” Chin said.
Comparing the store’s sales from last year, Chin is fearful that stock will be left over but said it does not necessarily reflect a decline or increase in interest.
“Halloween is not a Jamaican holiday, so that is also a factor, but there are families and friends that still see the value in dressing up and coming together for the fun of it,” she explained.
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS
For aspiring costume designer-business owner D’Andra Haynes, sales have been unpredictable this year “because people are experimenting with making their own costumes. Designs with fabric only can run a bill up to $8,000, and with any type of armour, can cost anywhere from $15,000 or more.”
“The culture is very much alive, among all age groups and ranks in society who see it as a unique way to interact and show off creativity,” she continued.
Another entity hosting a Halloween-themed event is the Jamaica Cosplay Club, to which the words ‘fête’ and ‘fantasy’ are not strangers to one another.
Ricardo Carter, president of Jamaica Cosplay Club, said that their Hallow Palooza is focused on promoting the arts, and the entertainment is to indulge in an alter ego, where costume play is widely expected.
“We use costumes as a means to bring the attention to the animation and film industry, as well as the creatives in our society. As Halloween is about dressing up as scary or fictional characters, we are trying it from the perspective of individuals expressing their creativity,” Carter said.
He added: “Halloween is not limited to the type of party, and while Jamaica has not completely outgrown the stereotypes associated with the celebration, it has surpassed expectations, with persons now spending time to construct their costumes.”
Carter noted that there are cultural celebrations adopted from Africa involving the making of costumes.
“If we take a look back at our history, we are just playing our part in taking back what is ours. It’s for us now to create content related to our culture and go beyond characters of foreign animation,” he said.
In addition to a wide range of music that will be played at Hallow Palooza, which includes Jamaica’s popular music to electronic dance music and heavy metal, the organisers will be showing a Jamaican-made horror film.