Crop Over - History

Every year Barbados open its arms to visitors and returning Nationals during the largest Festival - " Crop Over. " To be taken in its literal sense, the Crop Over Festival was started

by the Plantation slaves during the 18th Century, as they celebrated the end of the Sugar Cane harvest.

 However, the three- week Entertainment Feast, now Organized by the National Cultural

Foundation/ NCF, wasn't always so neatly prepared and Organized.

 Arriving from the ' African Yam Festival and the Englishman's Harvest Home Festival,' Slaves, and later Freed-men created a unique celebratory blend by,  transforming the Mill -Yards

of the Island ' Five hundred-plus ' Plantations into a hub of activity.

 A procession of decorated farm carts brought in the last day of the sugar crop, with an

elaborately dressed woman leading the way. At the rear was '  Mr Harding ' and effigy made  

of cane trash stuffed into old-trousers, coat and top hat. This figure would later be burnt by

laborers as a symbol of hope for survival during the post-harvest, generally referred to as 

' Hard-Times '

 After the convoy circled the yard a few times, the oldest of the laborers and the host

Plantation owner or Manager reciprocated pleasantries with amusing melodramatic gravity.

The end of this exchange signaled the start of the main festivities - plenty of food, liquor and drinks, friendly contest music and costume.

 All these elements today, still characterize Crop Over, through contests among Costume

Bands, Calypsonians and an abundance of local delicacies. Yesteryear's treats including Pudding and Souse, Roasted Pork, Rice and Peas, Coconut Bread, Salt Bread and Fish Cakes would continue to complete the Crop Over menu.

 Perhaps it is no surprise that a stilt walking contest, during which the performers stripped to

their underwear found its place and copious consumption of alcohol like -Swank, Rum, and

Falernum. Delighted on-lookers also took in the sights of other contest like ' catching the greasy pig ' and climbing a greased pole.

 Without studio recorded music, the masquerading Plantation workers danced the ' chiggoe foot ' to the accompaniment of an acoustic ' Tuk Band ' - I.E. Itinerant percussionists and players of the ' Wooded Flute '

Men were prominent in costumed dance , One filled the role of ' Shaggy Bear ', donned in

Plantation Sheaves, and romped with ' Mother Sally , a woman costumed with an emphasized

Rear-End and Bust. 

After the merriment, the climax of the festivities was signaled with ' Mr Harding ' taking center stage.

Laborers then would set the effigy afire, with hope of ending the hard times; a fate

' Mr Harding ' faced yearly for over 150 years, until the celebrations were discontinued during

 the period  of the Second World War in the 1940's.

 In 1958, a glimmer of hope came when the Junior Chamber Of Commerce ( Jacees ) gave assistance to the Festival. It was then that a Carnival began at Kensington Oval.

 Unfortunately, the Jacee-organized event, which featured Float Parades, Masquerade Bands, Calypso Competitions and Beauty Pageants was short lived, and ceased its operation in 1964.

 During the 1970's, the ' Yoruba Foundation,' a group on the Island, sought to re-establish the

Mill Yard Festival as a National event. An apathetic Government almost discarded the plans, until the Barbados Tourist Board, now ( The Barbados Tourism  Authority ) offered its support to the Crop Over vision. The revived festival proved to be very successful, bringing an influx of Tourists to the Island during a typically slow period.

 Following Crop Over's success, the Ministry of Culture gained control of the National event and transferred its operation to the National Cultural Foundation/ NCF in 1984.

 The NCF was then established as the Official Cultural arm by an Act Of Parliament and has since then developed the Festival to an event of phenomenal standards.