After producing “Rebirth” last Labor Day, D’Midas International New York. Inc., is emerging “Out of Africa” for this year’s West Indian American Day Carnival Parade.
“(In) last year’s presentation, we honored people dealing with cancer and love ones lost to cancer; so, the next stop on this journey is to celebrate and honor the ancestor of humanity,” said Glenn A. Fahie Turnbull, band leader, president and co-founder, in a Caribbean Life interview.
Fahie Turnbull – who claims Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and the Virgins Islands nationalities – said “Out of Africa” comprises “tribes of Africa.”
He said eight sections will be of ancient history and two from Hollywood. The sections are: Zulu, Masi, Bantu, Tutsi, Yoruba, Kandi, Aja, Togo, Milaje and Zumunda.
Male masqueraders will perform in Zulu, Bantu, Yoruba, Milaje and Zumunda; while females will portray Zulu, Masi, Bantu, Yoruba, Kandi, Aja, Togo, Milaje and Zumunda.
Fahie Turnbull, who has been participating in mas for over 40 years, said he anticipates 15 to 25 masqueraders in each section, accounting for a total of over 150 masqueraders in the medium size band.
“We are a melting pot of the world, so we have masqueraders from the Caribbean and around the world,” said Fahie Turnbull, describing D’Midas International New York, Inc. as “where mas lives.”
“We are just a happy family, out for a day of socializing, reveling and a good time,” he added.
“With the presentation of the theme, ‘Out of Africa,’ the construction and color of the production, we hope to place in the top three in our category,” he continued, stating that, for many years, the band placed in the top three in its category. In the last two years, it placed second.
Fahie Turnbull said masqueraders can expect “a family atmosphere, with a day of fun, clean, safe fun,” adding that preparations are on schedule.
He said masqueraders will sway to “Queens’ largest sound system, Kamakaze Sounds, and Brooklyn’s #1, DJ Excellence and DJ Justin.”
In addition, Fahie Turnbull said there will be several “guess DJs.”
He said D’Midas International New York, Inc. was formed in the 1990’s by “a group of concerned parents and friends from several Caribbean islands to teach and carry on the mas artform and cultural aspects of Caribbean culture by teaching young people the art form.”
The mas camp is located at 1619 Nostrand Ave., between Tilden Avenue and Beverley Road, in Brooklyn.
Fahie Turnbull can be reached at (718) 809-1017 or (718) 462-6137.
