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Each Year, as part of the Crop Over Festival, there is the Bridgetown Market, a 3day Craft fair, located on Spring Garden Highway, on the outskirts of Bridgetown.
Every year, thousands of Barbadians and visitors alike come to 'Spring Garden', to meet friends, eat fishcakes and fries and watch the arrival of the parading Kadooment costume bands to the rythms of the latest Calypsos and Crop-Over party songs.
And in all this, ...where is the Bridgetown Market?
Well hidden!... behind wired fencing,.... behind an intimidating wall made of the Craft Booths' back side! It looks pretty dead there on the booths bordered Bridgetown Market's designated pasture!
Once inside, one notices a 2 side division.
One side is for the "100% Bajan" Craft booths and the other, for the "Traders" who is anyone Barbadian, Caricom National, or Foreigner who underwent the required procedures.
In their booths, they exhibit and sell craft, clothing, furniture or Jewellery originating from anywhere in the world, Caricom countries, included.
One can easily recognize the "100% Bajan " booths, because they are all identical looking 10'X10' white wooden Huts, slightly reminiscent of the Barbadian Chattel House in Design.
You have as well, some roof covered 8'X8' tables with some fretwork bordering.
There, barbadian crafters, artists and artisans, display their ware.
One can find, jewellery, original paintings and prints, mahogany sculpture, hand-painted garments and fashion accessories, pottery, staw baskets made of local grass, calabash art, mosaic work, wire-craft and much much more...
At the Bridgetown Market, one can acquire quality work at bargain prices as most vendors are reducing their profit margin sometimes by 50 and 60%, in order to sell and entice Barbadians and others to surround themselves with home made artefacts.
There is for all tastes, one has just to come by and look and eventually buy.
If one wants to meet friendly Barbadians?
-Come and talk to one of the booth vendors!
One can learn a lot about the Island, as most vendors are more than happy to share about their work and materials they are using.
If you want to hide from the crowds, come to the "Bridgetown Market", apart from the vendors and artisans, hardly anyone is there!
Somehow, Barbadian Crafters and Artisans have complained that they made hardly any sales, some had none at all!
Now!... Every one knows about the Bridgetown Market!
It is just as old as the Crop-Over Festival!
So!...Why should this be?
Would this be due to an uninviting lay- out?
Markets researches have shown that an inviting floor plan lay-out with business conductive alleys are of crucial importance for attracting crowds and business.
Did we have this?
Was it poor PR?
Louis XIV, the "Sun King" of France claimed that what made the greatness and glamour of his reign were the Artists, Sculptors, Musicians, Designers, Artisans, Writers, Architects, Dancers and Choreograpers of his time.
Today, several centuries later, the French Government is still reapping Billions annually by the work of the Artists and creators of Louis' Era.
Now, back in Barbados, what's a Craft person's the mirror image?
What do Barbadians think about the Craft and Art produced in their country?
Is it, that what is produced isn't relevant to Barbadians' culture and life-style?
Is it that, whatever, as long as it's'non-bajan' it's better?..Or maybe cheaper?
Where is the dialogue?
Or is it, like this pamphlet from the NCF claims, 'Dey dun buy Bajan, because dem dun use dem head'?
********************* The Bridgetown Market? ....Wait, they had one this year?
Where was it?
