A Carnival Arts Pageant in the Faena Procession
SIREN SONG is a story about the battle between cultural wealth and consumer wealth. A beautiful siren (mermaid) is carried on a boat at the head of the parade, followed by dancers and singers performing Bel Kongo (Beautiful Kongo), as passed down from ancestors in the Congo to Haiti to us. The Scavengers, who only care about money, try to capture Bel Kongo, but the Guerreiros (Brazilian Warriors) won’t let them. The Scavengers are defeated and the Siren Queen triumphs, leading the whole procession in the song, “Oh, Child, Cherish Your Light.”
WHAT? Faena Procession is a fancy carnival to celebrate the opening of the Faena Forum on Sunday, November 27 from 4-6pm. Carnival Arts has been invited to join 4 internationally famous artists in this procession. Students and youth will be picked up at 1pm, get in costumes, perform in the procession, celebrate at a party, and back by 9pm.
WHERE? Faena District consists of 4 blocks along Collins Avenue in Miami Beach including Faena House, a “billionaire’s beach bunker” (CNBC) where a single condominium sold for $60m; Faena Hotel, a hotel where rooms run from $700 to $3500 a night; and the Faena Forum, a new performance space.
WHO? Carnival Arts is an artistic collaboration among Miami-based artists with expertise in the dance, drumming, and masquerade traditions of Caribbean and Latin American carnivals and Barry University faculty, students, and staff; Miami Bridge youth and staff; Gang Alternative youth and stuff; North Miami youth and staff of the North Miami Library and MOCA; PACE Center for Girls, Miami; St. Mary’s Cathedral School; family, friends, and community members.
