adminThe seven beauty queens, who have been in camp for the past week or so, take to the ramp this evening, amid expected pomp, fanfare and zest.
The winner of the pageant takes home a Mercedes-Benz courtesy of Nigerian business mogul, Igwe, Chief Jerry Omarachi Okeke, and US$20 000 cash, the highest prize that a beauty queen has ever received in Zimbabwe, since independence in 1980.
The queen thereafter leads the carnival into five days of celebrating Zimbabwe’s political, social, economic and religious diversity ending May 28.
Zimbabweans in their totality are expected to pour into the streets and into the various venues to showcase their culture, traditional dress and expensive plummage while drinking all sorts of beverages from exotic to foreign ones.
At the end, the carnival, which will also be graced by participants from 15 countries including Brazil, will have united Zimbabweans regardless of tribe, colour or creed and social standing.
In the carnival, the rich must showcase their wealth while the poor are equally allowed to showcase their poverty and so are the artistes who are expected to showcase their talent.
Through the carnival, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, the vanguard of tourism marketing, promotion and development in the country, has taken a new trajectory into stamping footprints of the country tourism tapestries on the international tourism map.
A carnival is a festive celebration, which usually occurs in the weeks preceding the onset of Lent, although many carnival celebrations around the world occur throughout the year.
A carnival is a creative art form, aesthetic and dramatic spectacle as well as an entertainment presentation on a mass level usually celebrated annually in many countries across the globe. Carnival usually involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of circus, masked or costume parade and a street party.
Two famous carnivals are the Rio Carnival in Brazil, also known as “The Greatest Show on Earth’” and the Trinidad Carnival, commonly referred to as “The Greatest Party on Earth”. Both these carnivals have grown into international spectacles, bringing in hundreds of thousands of tourists each year. As their tag lines suggest each brings a unique experience to the offering.
A carnival celebration is a great way to showcase a country’s cultural heritage.
It is a festival of colours, which is transformed into costumes (Mas short for Masqurade), calypso, steel band music, dance and an array of different ethnic food and art; which attracts millions of people from around the globe.
This is typically held to parade the country’s culture and at the same time understanding and appreciating other cultures.
The Zimbabwe International Carnival runs from today to May 28 and ZTA has lined up an array of events and activities.
After tonight’s Miss Carnival, all roads tomorrow lead to the Glamis Arena where gospel lovers will be treated to free music under a concert dubbed Carnival Thanks- giving and Gospel Show”.
Musicians expected to take part include South African gospel sensation Benjamin Dube, the Charambas, Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave, Salvation Army Choir and Celebration Choir among others.
Most of the international delegates to the carnival are expected in Harare on Sunday and that will be followed by a carnival reception at the Glamis Arena on Monday.
A mbira music extravaganza dubbed “Carnival Bira” would follow on Tuesday and the toast of the best is the Carnival Samba Night, which is strictly for adults on Wednesday.
There will also be a Carnival Ethiopian Night on Thursday and a Carnival Jazz Night on Friday May 24. In between there will be shopping sprees and music concerts as well as street marches and fashion shows.
The first cut is the deepest, so they say. Let us pour out of our homes and enjoy the first ever Zimbabwe International Carnival and celebrate our diversity.
Online Reporter