Tony Burke was looking for a way to bring the Caribbean and African-American communities together.
Burke, who was born in Jamaica, came to the United States in 1969 to pursue a degree. He settled in the Capital District after graduating from Brooklyn College, and found himself wanting to connect with other people who shared his culture.
He and some Caribbean buddies got together and formed a loosely knit group, but they didn’t have a lot of success getting other people to join. So, for a while, Burke stepped back, but he was always thinking of how he could create some unity.
Then, on a trip to Canada, it hit him.
I know what would bring people together: a carnival, he said.
Burke knew that Caribbean carnivals were big draws ` that was actually the reason behind his trip to Canada. So when he got back to the U.S., he started planning his own carnival in earnest, even if he faced some skepticism.
`One of my friends said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding. That’s a lot of work,’` Burke said.
But that didn’t deter Burke. He held the first carnival in 1999, and it’s turned into an annual event. This year, the carnival, called Carama, is Saturday, Aug. 8, at Central Park in Schenectady.
Burke’s friend was right ` putting together a carnival was hard work. The biggest obstacle was getting the money for the festival. Burke’s group, the Capital District Caribbean Cultural Alliance, Inc. wasn’t a registered nonprofit, which meant it wasn’t eligible for a lot of grants, and some people balked at making donations.
`We would get a hundred dollars here and there,` he said. `But a lot of times I would take money from my own pocket. You really have to want to do something in the community to do what I’m doing.`
That first carnival had five bands and a costume parade, featuring people dancing behind trucks that were playing music. About 1,500 spectators came out to Troy for the carnival.
The next year’s carnival drew about 3,000 people, Burke said. In recent years, it has been held in Schenectady, and the crowd has reached as many as 10,000 people.
Although carnivals are big in the Caribbean, and especially in Trinidad, Burke didn’t grow up with this kind of carnival. Jamaica is a little different than other Caribbean countries, he noted, because of the African influence there. But he still felt a sense of connection at the carnival.
`We are one. We are the same people,` he said. `We just speak different languages.`
He believes that sense of community is the primary reason people come to the carnival from all over the Northeast ` he’s seen people from Baltimore, Boston, Hartford and even Canada at the carnival.
`It’s a cultural connection,` he said. `It’s a way to express yourself and let your hair down. You meet people and make friends.`
The carnival strives to be family friendly, with no alcohol allowed. There is plenty of dancing, food and of course, the costume parade. This year’s event will also feature the Chosen Few Reggae Band, raffles and Calypsonian from the Virgin Islands.
Burke thinks this year’s carnival will be the best yet. The group recently received its 501c-3 status, which opens the door for more funding. It recently started a Web site, www.carama.org, to promote the carnival.
He encourages people to come and enjoy some good food and camaraderie ` and to be prepared to dance.
The festival runs from noon to 8:30 p.m. Admission is free.“
