Follow St. Kitts Investment Immigration to enjoy life in St. Kitts: Among the cultural traditions of St. Kitts, the most significant is the Christmas Carnival. This grand festive celebration has a cultural evolution spanning 300 years, featuring scenes of joy including clowns, Moko Jumbies, masquerades, bullfights, and parades. Carnival dances incorporate both European and African styles, including the Wild Mas, waltz, quadrille, rumba, fertility dances, spirit dances, jigs, and polkas.
For centuries, clowns have been a major component of Christmas in St. Kitts. There can be up to 50 clowns, dressed in loose, colorful costumes adorned with small bells that make cheerful jingling sounds. The performers crack whips, which helps them keep time with the accompanying string bands. In all local folk dances, the clowns hide behind pink wire-mesh masks, allowing them to move through the crowds and perform freely without fear of being recognized. The lively scenes displayed by the fun-loving people of St. Kitts are truly worth seeing.
During the carnival, many Moko Jumbies wear long, colorful robes and dance along the parade route on 6 to 8-foot stilts, as if they were part of African mythology. There are many theories regarding their costumes and dances; one suggests that Moko is an African god of vengeance, while another believes that Moko evolved from the American palm tree, as their helmets resemble the flower core of a blooming American palm. The masquerade, as an art form, is a popular local tradition. Parade participants wear tall headdresses adorned with peacock feathers, masks, and aprons that sway above the knees, with the entire costume decorated with bracelets, mirrors, and ribbons. The parade performances are spectacular, and visitors to St. Kitts who witness this grand event will surely be reluctant to leave.