Uncontrolled spontaneity

The Notting Hill Street Carnival is an annual event in London and is known as the biggest street carnival in Europe. It is a celebration by the African/Caribbean community of their vibrant culture and traditions. The event lasts for 2 full days with closure of several roads in the borough and where colourful parades roll down the streets and dance parties dotting every road junction and corner last through the nights. Caribbean food stands also line some of the streets. The crowd from local and tourists can be quite unmanageable such that many shops temporarily block their shopfront with timber boards leaving a small window to serve customers. This however lend colour to the festival as many artists display their creativity splashing colours and drawings on them.

I was lucky to be in London last weekend and braved the crowd to join in the fun. There were stalls that sold party horns and whistles and parents bought them for the kids. So there was an ongoing din because the little trumpets were really loud. I remarked to my husband that any whistle blowing by the police would surely be lost in the ongoing whistle sound everywhere.

As part of a crowd control strategy the train operator closed the few train stations closest to the scene. Once the first parade passed the street where we stood to watch, we made our long walk to other train stations that were opened. The shops further away from the seat of action were opened . I went into a convenient store. Not long after a young dark skinned man came running in to announce to the shopkeepers that the restaurant chefs were bringing their cooking into the streets, presumably the first time this had happened. They talked excitedly about the fun descending on the streets.

We walked on and close to Baywater train station, we came across a few Chinese restaurants. Hungry and tired we went inside one of them which had displayed delicious looking roasts at the shop window. A conversation was going on amongst the waiters.  “cao si ren” they said in Cantonese referring to the din in the neighbourhood ( meaning the noise is killing ). Inside were mainly Chinese families having their meals. From discreet eavesdropping I gathered that the middle aged couple and a young man at the next table are Singaporeans with their son who is studying there. Coming in from the streets where groups of youngsters were screaming, laughing and talking at the top of their voices, the great contrast in atmosphere inside seemed to hit me in the face especially when the couple served the son some food urging him to have more.

In the news the next day a man was stabbed at the carnival and more than 300 people arrested for various crimes including possession of arms. Apparently this was a record breaking year for arrests at the annual carnival. The mayor of London was concerned and had raised again a previous suggestion to move the carnival to Hyde Park which had met with much resistance.

I think about Singapore, how this would never have been allowed. Our street parties are organised by government affiliated organisations. It would have been unheard of to close such a big area for 2 full days including the few crucial train stations. Even the whistles would not have been allowed for sale and for use.

Yes that is why you need to go to London to see the splash, the spontaneity, the fun, the madness (even if it means having your light coloured jacket spoilt by paints when you ventured too near the participants’ painted bodies); and then fly back home where there is order and controlled sanity. You would have missed something if you didn’t experience it though.