Articles

Carib Fest: Bringing Caribbean culture to small towns

Published

6 years ago

August 21, 2018

BY: KRISTINA RAMCHARRAN

Sights of colorful art. Live reggae and jazz music to tease the ears. The scent of delicious food in every corner. Music, performances, and vendors filled the streets for the Taste of Orangeville festival.

With over 15 restaurants participating located in downtown Orangeville, guests were treated to an array of cuisine from around the world. and at the center of the entire festival was Soulyve Caribbean Kitchen, a Caribbean fusion eatery, and patio, highlighting the most popular Caribbean foods. The restaurant was in fact not just the center of Taste of Orangeville, but it was also the main attraction of its very own festival held in unison, the third annual CaribFest 2018.

The local Caribbean festival flourished with vendors, music, food, and art, as all those involved in the festival strive to highlight the best in Caribbean culture. Vendors sold a variety of products from cultural clothing and jewelry to hair and skin products.

Vendor Althea Fraser, who has been present at the festival in previous years, says the festival works greatly at incorporating diversity into the developing town of Orangeville. Fraser runs a vegan skin care line, and as a holistic nutritionist, she decided to make a line of products that especially deal with sensitive skin. “CaribFest is great, it’s a nice family oriented event, it offers a lot of exposure and opportunities for people to learn about the brand.”

Fraser also notes, “well I know Orangeville is up and coming, and the population has grown quite a bit, and I think it’s great that there’s so many diverse organizations and businesses that can come out and promote their brands.”

Fellow vendor Aaron Gorge experienced his very first CaribFest this year and notes that he’ll surely be back next year. “This is my first time here for Horizons Insurance, just promoting disability insurance,” said Gorge on the purpose of his booth. He notes that he thought the festival would be an ideal place to inform others of how important disability insurance can be. “In the event that something happens, there’s money still coming into the family, so they can maintain their lifestyle.”

Gorge adds, “so far it’s been good, a lot of people coming through, a lot of friendly people, and we’re looking to sit down with them after and see how we can help them.”

Throughout the day, festival-goers were treated to numerous cuisines inside of the Taste of Orangeville tent, and all the best in Caribbean culture outside of the tent. The event featured live canvas paintings by Kofi’s Art, music from Carib101 Radio’s DJ Rory, Jason Wilson and The Perennials playing all the best in jazz and reggae, the creation of a CaribFest art mural, and a special Soca dance performance by the girls at Carnival Spice.

The main organizer of CaribFest and owner of Soulyve Caribbean Kitchen, Phillip Dewar, says before CaribFest started, “our goal is to bring the Caribbean to Orangeville, a small town.” And the best way to do that was through his restaurant, Soulyve Caribbean Kitchen. “We wanted to find a way to ambassador the Caribbean out here, we had a small restaurant out here.”

From small beginnings to where CaribFest is now, just three years later, Dewar has noticed the impact it has had on the community. “The community has embraced us and we wanted to find a way to continue to push that message. By having this show we found a way to mesh people with food, music, and culture.”

Dewar adds, “We had a very good response and we just wanted to continue to grow as a family. Today we are showcasing the Caribbean heritage, food, and clothing, jewelry, hair, skin care, natural oils. We have all sorts of restaurants from Orangeville to showcase their variety.”

Dewar looks toward expanding CaribFest in the following years, by improving the setup and making it more efficient. He also notes one of their goals is drawing in more involvement from outside the Orangeville community to help build the event to something as large as the Caribbean events more central to Toronto.

The festival’s third year ended with a huge success, with diverse crowds, family fun, and food to awaken the senses. In a time where the community is trying to distract from the everyday troubles of crime and politics, a good light-hearted festival is just what the people needed to bring a smile to their faces. Given in all of the latest happenings around the Greater Toronto Area, Dewar notes, “We found that this was a good time to host our festival.”

The free event is slated to happen again next year, with the date and entertainment unannounced. More information on future CaribFest events can be found on the CaribFest page on Facebook.

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The cost of convenience: how much does delivery really cost?

Published

2 days ago

April 25, 2024

TOCaribNews

BY AMARI SUKHDEO

Have you ever been excited to camp-in and order your favourite meal for delivery, only to be taken aback by that bill? That $18 ramen suddenly balloons to $32. Why the hefty price tag? Here’s what’s happening:

Markup mayhem:

When opposed to ordering straight from the restaurant, ordering through delivery apps frequently entails a surreptitious price increase. The menu items found on these platforms are typically more expensive than those found inside. Remarkably, a recent survey found that the cost of things ordered through delivery apps may be up to 26% more than that of items ordered straight from the restaurant. A lot of customers are caught by surprise by this markup, which turns what could have been a relatively inexpensive dinner into a costly affair.

Fee fiasco:

Not only is there a markup, but there are also significant service costs added to the bill. For instance, Uber Eats determines prices based on the quantity of your order, while DoorDash charges a $3 minimum service fee in addition to a 15% service charge. These extra fees have the potential to significantly raise the overall cost of your meal, giving customers the impression that they have been taken advantage of.

Restaurant shares:

It’s not just diners who are experiencing financial hardship. Restaurants face a big competition from delivery apps, which can take up to 30% of their earnings. This is especially true for smaller businesses that depend significantly on delivery services. Restaurants may find it extremely challenging to generate a profit due to the weight of high commissions, given their already extremely narrow profit margins.

A troubling tendency is shown through data: the cost of using delivery apps is progressively going up. Fees have increased to previously unheard-of heights in recent years, leaving many customers unable to pay more for their favourite dishes. For a few, the price hike has caused them to reconsider their dining options.

At home diners, keep in mind that you have to account for the hidden expenses the next time the convenience of a takeaway menu entices you. It’s a story about: delivery workers’ financial struggles, increased rates, and outrageous surcharges. Bon appétit, with caution.

https://www.vox.com/money/24118201/food-delivery-cost-expensive-doordash-ubereats-grubhub

https://www.foodandwine.com/news/delivery-app-prices-higher-fees-2021-pandemic

Junior Contributors

Beneath the waves: Unveiling the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade in the Bahamas

Published

2 days ago

April 25, 2024

TOCaribNews

BY KAHA G. – 15 YEARS OLD

What is archaeology? Archaeology is the study of human history and prehistory through the excavation: of artifacts, structures, and other physical remains. It helps us understand past cultures, societies, and lifestyles by analyzing material culture left behind by ancient civilizations. In this case, archaeologists in the Bahamas have found underwater wrecks of 14 sailing ships involved in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade between Africa and the Americans.

The Bahamas Lost Ships Project, led by Allen Exploration and the Bahamas Maritime Museum, aims to catalog shipwrecks in the Bahamas. They’ve found 596 wrecks so far, dating back to 1657. Also, these findings were published around Black History Month, emphasizing the importance of preserving the experiences of marginalized communities.

The Bahamas’ history is deeply connected to the transatlantic slave trade, with events like the arrival of the first slaving vessels shaping the islands’ population. The wrecks of ships like the Nancy and the General Oglethorpe remind us of the individuals who suffered and resisted enslavement. This research also highlights the Bahamas’ role in the transatlantic slave trade, connecting: Africa, the American Southeast, Cuba, and the Gulf of Mexico. Making it an important trade route for these places.

According to Livescience, the wrecks included the “Peter Mowell which is an American schooner (sailing vessel) that sank off Lynyard Cay near Great Abaco Island in 1860 with about 400 enslaved Africans on board; as well as smaller vessels that carried slaves to plantations for sugar, coffee, cotton and tobacco in North America and around the Caribbean.”

Alongside that, the team of archaeologists, and Allen Exploration have found three wrecks, but their locations are currently undisclosed. The CEO, emphasized the historical significance of these wrecks, noting their importance in understanding the conditions aboard slave ships and the broader history of the slave trade.

Additionally, the type of living conditions of enslaved Black people were atrocious. They lived in miserable huts, which were said to be “Unfit for the habitation of wild beasts.” They wore iron slave collars and worked seven days a week, with just four hours a day of rest in cane-cutting season. Unfortunately, about 10% of enslaved Africans died on the plantations in Cuba each year during the slave trade, and some were even flogged to death.

In conclusion, the discovery of these shipwrecks in the Bahamas sheds light on a significant, yet often overlooked aspect of human history: the transatlantic slave trade. These findings provide valuable insights into the conditions endured by enslaved individuals and the intricate networks that facilitated this cruel trade. As we continue to explore and preserve these historical sites, we honor the resilience and bravery of those who resisted oppression and strive to ensure that their stories are remembered for generations to come.