If movies like Pirates of the Caribbean and Hook spoke to your soul, then the quirky British festival, Pirates Week, will get you ahoy-ing.
The Caribbean islands of Cayman, with jurisdiction under the British Territory, are testament to the celebrated island culture and with the Pirates Week Festival, they revel in an eleven day long celebration of their mystical Piratian history. Bringing out the underbelly of the Elizabethan era in all its glory, the festival comprises of participants playing dress up for parades, pageantry, dances and parties across the three islands of Cayman. From November 12 to 22Β this year, the festival is all set to return for its annual dose of piracy.
In the last several years, the notorious era of Pirates has grown increasingly infamous due to pop culture representations, especially Jack Sparrowβs rapscallion turn as Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. This has catapulted the cultural Pirates Week Festival to a new level of enthusiasm, not as much witnessed earlier. The festival, which was conceived in 1977 to boost tourism to the islands which had once encountered the Pirates, has now grown into one of the largest national celebrations, witnessing participation from fans from all around the world.
The festival begins with a mock pirate invasion, as men and women don their choicest garb in an attempt to stake claim to the islands; and as you may have guessed it, there roam around several Jack Sparrow clones for entertainment. The βpiratesβ arrive in several ships, marching into the land with hopes of claiming it, all in jest of course.
The 11-day festival then descends into a space of revelry as events like fireworks display, underwater treasure hunts, Pirate pooch parades, and costume competitions take lead. But among all this, the festival also attempts to bring to fore traditional Cayman island culture, that is oft ignored. During the festival, seven days are reserved for Heritage Days, dedicated to the several regions across the country, with a particular regionβs culture, art and food being celebrated on its Heritage Day. In addition to that several sport competitions, such as the 10km run are organised for those wishing to get their limbs moving.
For seekers of the highly decorated Pirate lifestyle, the Pirates Week Festival proves an immersive experience into all aspects of Caribbean culture, right from the local tastes and sounds, to their fables and myths, proving to be quite the odyssey.
(All images via :Β http://www.pirate3.mobicayman.com/ and Cayman Pirates Week Festival Facebook)