Kaleidoscope of Flag Colors Glistened for ‘Parade of Countries’ at Opening of Carifta Games 2024 in Grenada -

About Carifta

Founded by the Caribbean Free Trade Association (“CARIFTA”), the CARIFTA Games is a track and field events competition that takes place every year. The year 1972 was the year in which the CARIFTA Games were first held, and the featured events included sprint races, hurdles, and middle distance events, jumping, throwing events, and relay races. The Games has two age categories: under-17 and under-20. Only countries associated with CARIFTA may participate in the competition.

Carifta Games 2024 – Kirani James Stadium (St. George, Grenada)

This year, participating countries included: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominica, Guadeloupe, French Guyana/Cayenne, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands, US Virgin Islands, and last but surely not least—Grenada.

About Grenada

Gredana, aka ‘the Spice Isle’, and its dependencies are situated in the eastern Caribbean, roughly 100 miles north of Venezuela in South America. Caribbean islands close-by Grenada include St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago.

Carifta Games 2024 – (St. George, Grenada)

In 1974, Grenada became independent from Britain and, this year proudly celebrated 50 years of Independence under the theme, ‘One People, One Journey, One Future. What’s more, this year CARIFTA celebrated its 51st edition after marking a half-century last year in the Bahamas.

Jab Jab Culture in Grenada

To Grenada, ‘Jab Jab’ is tantamount to national heirloom if you will. In fact, ‘Jab Jab’ is a unique aspect of Grenada’s rich history an cultural heritage. Moreover, Grenada as “The land of 100,000 Jab Jab” and has been marketed in that spirit during the island’s annual Carnival season—which draws umpteen thousands of foreign-based Grenadians and tourists to this beautiful sun-kissed island.

‘Jab Jab’ Carifta Games 2024 – (St. George, Grenada)

In regard to its origin, ‘Jab Jab’ originates from historic times harkening back to the era of slavery. As such, ‘Jab Jab’ later emerged as a freedom celebration from the hardships endured by the mass of the African slaves on the sugar plantation during those times.

Typically, ‘Jab Jab’ can be seen most prominently in Grenada for its annual Carnival season, especially for Jouvert—which represents the festival for the ‘Jab Jab’ to parade through the streets of parishes througout the Spice Isle. The dress of ‘Jab Jab’ festival-goers is unmistakable in that the ‘Jab Jab’ is almost always adorned in black oil or molasses for the appearance of black and shiny skin.