Location of Mas Camp: Lower Back Street opposite Randy's Minis Mart and the second building from the Texaco Gas Station.
Band Leader: Elliot 'Prince' Telesford 1-784-532-4200
Tent Manager: Elliot 'King' Douglas- 1-784-454-8975
Assistant Tent Manager: Mrs. Tamara Gumbs- 1-784-526-2997
This year's presentation is dedicated to the memories of Leofrida 'Lee' Howard, Vibert De Shong and Sonny Hazel. They all departed this world last year.
May their souls rest eternally in Peace.
Motto: We are not PERFECT; but we expect PERFECTION
What is known today as the DRAGONS CULTURAL ORGANISATION, or simply DRAGONS, was created in 1966 when Roy 'Dragon' Ralph, Dudley Clarke and Chico Ellis decided to “bring their own band.”
It was Roy's dream to lead a mas band to Victoria Park, having been in the company of Norris 'Moby' Dick (deceased) and Raymond 'Sevens' Knights for some years.
However, it is important to go back a bit in order to gasp what could be termed the genesis of DRAGONS.
That started with Brian Huggins (deceased) and Paddy Corea.
While still at school, these two youngsters decided to venture into the mas business. They would have created history when their mas presentation, 'Warriors of the Square', made it as the fist mas presentation to be depicted on a postage stamp.
Both Huggins and Corea migrated soon after Warriors of the Square and Moby Dick was given the task of continuing the mas band, which at the time was situated in the Frenches-Kingstown Hill area.
Huggins and Paddy came from 'affluent families' and their band attracted what could be termed then as persons from the 'bourgeois class'.
Moby was a simple 'plebe' and when the opportunity arose for him to lead, he grabbed it with humility.
He was a humble individual with a knack for respect to all. Many who knew him would swear they have never heard him utter a word in anger around children and in the Mas Camp.
Moby had a simple philosophy when it came to mas/carnival: “Forget about the judges and plan for next year,” he would often say to some angry young men, who each year felt they were cheated when the results were announced and the band was stationed at third position…every year!
Calm, cool and collective are words that best described Norris ‘Moby’ Dick, a Carnival Maker extraordinaire!
Roy, on the other hand, was adventurous and one who beams with confidence. He is/was great with his hands and felt he needed an avenue to express himself...the way he wanted.
And so, without any animosity, Roy parted company with Moby and Sevens and started his journey into the presentation of mas bands with 'Buck' as his designer.
In the early days, apart from 'Bridge Boys', mas bands were known by the names of the Band Leaders. So there was Samo, Roy, Moby, Fuzzy Knights, etc.
In 1972, Roy tasted his first success in the Band of the Year and King of the Bands categories, with a presentation, 'Hairoun Splendor of Nature'.
That presentation was produced in the building that now houses BMC Agencies.
Before the presentation reached the Victoria Park, it is important to note that there was a coming together of two Mas Camps, one led by Moby and the other by Roy.
No one knows for certain how the two Mas Camps came up with an identical concept to take to the Victoria Park, but after it became known that the two mas camps were taking the same type of presentation to the Park, 'negotiations' took place and a decision was made to have one presentation, one Mas Camp, under one banner.
The forging of the two Mas Camps was also a way of joining forces in the Uptown-Downtown ‘carnival war’.
Moby was not interested in having his name registered as Band Leader and Hairoun Splendor of Nature arrived at the Victoria Park under the leadership of Roy Ralph.
It must also be noted that Sevens was to portray the ‘Botanical Gardens’ for the King of the Bands costume, but he give way to Vibert De Shong to portray ‘Gem of the Antilles' and the rest is now history.
Vibert won his first King of the Bands title and Roy gained national attention with his first Band of the Year title. It was a significant and historic victory, since it was the first time the coveted Band of the Year trophy had moved Downtown to Uptown!
Before 1972, the coveted Band of the Year trophy was either in Paul’s Avenue or ‘Bottom Town’.
The victories in 1972 signaled the start of the impact Roy 'Dragon' Ralph's was to have on carnival, as he set about to change the face and concepts of mas here.
And the records will show that presentations from Roy/DRAGONS have won in every major category of mas in St Vincent and the Grenadines after the 1972 victories.
Let the records show:
DRAGONS has the MOST WINS in the Band of the Year category; the MOST NUMBER OF WINS in the King of the Bands category; the ONLY Mas Camp with a hattrick of Queens, with the same individual, in the Queen of the Bands competition; the FIRST Mas Camp with a hattrick of wins in the Junior Queen; the FIRST Mas Camp with a beavertrick of wins in the Band of the Year category.
One can therefore say the words FIRST, MOST and ONLY are synonymous with DRAGONS!
Today, Roy/Dragon/Draggie is a household name, which has been immortalized in Becket's song, 'Carnival History' on the calypsonian’s first album, 'Raw Calypso’ and he received national recognition from the Carnival Development Corporation, CDC, for his invaluable contribution to the development of mas in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
The name DRAGONS CULTURAL ORGANISTION came about when the band started to undergo internal changes and it was Elroy 'Blondie Bird’ Boyde who came up with the band’s name, which many persons today affectionately call DRAGONS
Bird, like a number of other individuals associated with DRAGONS, including Roy, left the Dragons Mas Camp when it started to replenish itself and many of the former members are now LEADERS in a number of Mas Camps throughout St Vincent and the Grenadines, which is a credit to the INSTITUTION that is DRAGONS.
In 1998, the DRAGONS MAS CAMP entertained a new Band Leader in Elliot 'Prince' Telesford.
Like Roy, he beams with confidence but goes a step further and teaches everyone around him the skills he acquire from his father, though not a mas maker, and Roy himself.
Prince's ability to teach others in the Mas Camp has allowed a number of youngsters to develop and take on the mantle of leadership. He allows everyone space and is all smiles when the end product is neat, as he would often say, “exactly like the drawings.”
That is what Roy has instilled in every member that passed through DRAGONS and which Prince has dedicated himself to uphold.
But no one should think Prince is anyone’s sweet bread!
This year, Prince celebrates 10 years as DRAGONS Band Leader. He may never acquire national status as Roy and that is not part of his aim.
His objective is to ensure every customer is satisfied with his/her costume. He takes full responsibility for any failures if a costume does not stand up to the elements; he smiles when the band is completed and has a bashment when DRAGONS is successful.
As Band Leader, Prince now leads a new generation of DRAGONS. A generation that is dedicated, committed, focused and one that proudly boasts...WE ARE DRAGONS!
The Dragons Ms Camp has survived for over 40 years because of the contributions made by its founding fathers, those who came later and left and those who are still there today.
Parents, guardians, spouses, soul mates, sponsors, well wishers and the countless persons who have passed at the Mas Camp to do decorations, cook, 'pass-a-drink' to someone who is working, those in the Diaspora who have continued to contribute, have all played a role in keeping the organization alive.
To the governments past and present for the use of their facilities and other contributions, a big thank you.
DRAGONS now look forward to 2008. The De Ultimate band launching on Sunday April 27th at the Chamber of Commerce Car Park, with music by Donovan and Xclusive Sounds, along with Too Kool Kris and Splectron's and his Magic Gate Photo Studio, was a success.
Xclusive Sound will provide music on the road this carnival for DRAGONS
DRAGONS welcome you to this site and extend an invitation to you to be part of Vincy Mas 2008...The Hottest Carnival in the Caribbean.
WE ARE DRAGONS!