Close-minded Carnival
The Cuba Street Carnival has once again foisted its political views onto the event with the banning of alternative viewpoints from the parade and street theatre from the Carnival itself. The organisers have invited anti-bypass activists to join the parade but with the caveat that placards, chanting and other political views cannot be expressed.
The carnival organisers took a similar attitude last year when anti-bypass floats and theatre were banned from the parade and activists under a ‘by-pass monster’ were dragged from the parade by security guards. Activists were told that a confidential written agreement entered into between the Carnival and the Wellington City Council expressly prohibited “signage or activity of a political or offensive nature”. The Carnival organisers refused to release this document, citing ‘commercial sensitivity.’
The Cuba Street Carnival began in the 1980s as the Upper Cuba Street Carnival, a community celebration with a strong spirit of resistance to the inner city ‘bypass’ and other attacks on the community. However the current organisers seem to be kowtowing to the City Council’s policy of running a ‘non-political’ event, a policy that in effect pushes a deliberate political agenda. In doing this they are turning their backs on the history and community of Te Aro.
Comments
Re: Close-minded Carnival
Hello SNAP
Have you people ever thought of becoming involved in a campaign to make corporal punishment in the family environment illegal?
Corporal punishment is an act of violence and violence begets so when it becomes illegal society will become less violent. This means that people will have better pay rates and this will lead to better health statistics. This means that people will stop travelling to Wellington Public hospital and that means that there is no need to build the 'bypass.'
Carnival 101
The organisers don't seem to have understood what carnival is all about... Carnival, by nature, is political and 'offensive'. Traditionally, it questions and lampoons all kinds of authority, be it political or moral. Although it's often regulated in all sorts of ways, there is always an element of subversiveness, as carnival is inherently anti-hierarchical. (In some place, where authorities have tried to 'over-regulate' the 'official' carnival too much, alternative carnival organisations have sprung up. This, too, is in the nature of carnival.) Read Mikhail Bakhtin, or simply visit a country with a strong carnival tradition. It is often customary, for example, that the city mayor symbolically hands over the authority over the city to the carnivalists, for the duration of the carnival. Someone should propose that to the Wellington City Council...
Carnival 101
... well, ok, maybe it's not so 'simple' to visit another country. But you can always check out some websites...
Re: Closed-minded Carnival
The Kerry Prendergast impersonator has been personally banned from appearing in the carnival parade, after she caused a sensation last year gatecrashing the parade with a band of muzzled clowns.
Carnivals have traditionally been forums for political satire. It is an extremely narrow minded view to exclude anything from the carnival that is even slightly controversial.
I have been advised that the aforementioned Kerry Prendergast impersonator will be appearing in Cuba Street during the day to inform the public about her corporate-friendly policies.
Carnival 101
Bush lawyer writes: "Carnivals have traditionally been forums for political satire. It is an extremely narrow minded view to exclude anything from the carnival that is even slightly controversial."
Absolutely. A parade that pleases, or even flatters, the authorities does not deserve the name 'carnival'.
Sad are those who are either so insecure in their position, or so egocentric, or both, that they cannot laugh about themselves every once in a while.
Kerry Prendergast
Welcome to Kerry Country!
It’s my great privilege to be Mayor of this wonderful city.
The Cuba Carnival will be Wellington’s opportunity to market itself to multinational corporations who are eager to invest in the Cuba Precinct. My vision: a more sophisticated Cuba Street with top-tier international chain stores and a high-rise car parking building – the ‘Shopping Quarter’ of Wellington!