Festival Kreol swings into action |25 October 2004

Setting out from the College of the Arts at 5.00 p.m. the parade danced, shuffled and swayed from Mont Fleuri, through Victoria, past the Clock Tower, before sweeping up Independence Avenue and making its way into Stad Popiler.

Twelve district groups took part in the parade, wearing a variety of traditional, themed and comic costumes, as sega, moutya and kanmtole beats blared out from the trucks in the convoy.

Representing Anse Aux Pins, Glacis, Anse Etoile, Mt. Buxton, Beau Vallon, Grand Anse Mahé, Cascade, St. Louis, Bel Ombre, Plaisance, Au Cap and Mt. Fleuri, the groups were decked out as chefs, sword fighting pirates, ghosts, washer women, fruit and vegetables, drinks cartons and other more bizarre creations.

The entire procession slowed on its way through the town centre, taking 20 minutes to pass the Clock Tower, where the largest crowds had gathered to cheer it on.

"I think it's wonderful. It 's so colourful," said one American soldier ashore from the visiting USS Seattle, watching Laserenad from in front of the Supreme Court.

Despite the presence of large, low rain clouds, threatening to burst at any moment, activities inside Stad Popiler got underway shortly after seven o'clock.

Watched by President James Michel, former President Albert René, the secretary general of the Indian Ocean Commission, Monique Andreas Esoavelomandroso, Speaker Francis MacGregor, MNAs, ministers, foreign diplomats and a near capacity 5,000 strong crowd Laserenad paraded through the stadium, before each group performed its own routine.

The rain finally fell thirty minutes later, but only for a five minutes and this proved insufficient to dampen the spirits of the 2,200 district participants, dancers, singers and entertainers.

Following the district displays, entertainers Jenny de Letourdie, Marcel Rosalie, Michael Sinon and dancers from the School of Dance kept the crowd amused ahead of the closing moutya.

Speaking after the opening night, event organiser Patrick Victor hailed it as a successful start to the week long festival, that will see events taking place on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue.

"I think it was very successful, especially bearing in mind that we were called in to handle the project only a couple of weeks ago," said the singer, drafted in along with John Etienne, by the Ministry of Local Government, Sports and Culture, after a last minute change in the organisers.

"We took it on reluctantly , but we've worked together before and it was thanks to the teamwork and cooperation from the district groups and the technicians involved that it was so successful. It is because of the good spirit behind it that we were able to put it on."

Mr Victor described the displays by the district groups as the highlight of the show, due to the creativity that had gone into them.

However, with the stage set in the centre of the field and the groups performing their routines in front of the west stand, the crowds on the eastern side missed out on a number of the performances.

"We had hoped to shift some of the scenes to the eastern side of Stad Popiler, but problems with light availability, to let people at the far ends of the stadium see what was happening, meant that it was not possible," said Mr Victor.