Passing the Torch: The Animated Documentary of Montreal’s Caribbean Carnival Heritage
A community-rooted project preserving the history, memory, and cultural legacy of Montreal’s Caribbean carnival through youth engagement, oral history, and creative documentary storytelling.
Project Overview
The project explores how carnival has helped challenge racial prejudice, build intercultural bridges, and highlight the contributions of Black communities to Montreal and Canadian society. Through documentary creation, workshops, and oral history research, Passing the Torch connects generations while preserving stories that might otherwise be lost.
At a Glance
- Duration: January 15, 2024 – March 31, 2025
- Focus: Caribbean carnival heritage, youth engagement, oral history, cultural preservation
- Participants: 8–12 Black anglophone and English-speaking youth
- Community Reach: 20 direct participants and 200+ engagements
Why This Project Matters
Montreal’s Caribbean carnival is more than a festival. It is a living archive of migration, resilience, artistry, and community identity. Passing the Torch creates space for younger generations to learn from elders, document community memories, and transform those stories into educational and creative experiences that can be shared widely.
Project Component 01
Documentary Initiative
Youth participants take part in workshops focused on documentary filmmaking, Black history, and creative practice. They then help lead carnival-themed workshops and contribute to a final exhibition showcasing the work developed through the project.
Project Component 02
Research Endeavour
Through oral history interviews and archival gathering, the project builds a community memoryscape around Carifiesta and Montreal carnival traditions. These stories and materials are intended to contribute to a living history resource for public learning and preservation.
Key Activities
Expected Outcomes
The project is designed to strengthen community engagement, amplify Black anglophone youth voices, and deepen intercultural understanding across Montreal. By combining media production, education, and historical documentation, it creates both immediate community participation and long-term cultural value.
- Increased youth participation in cultural storytelling and media creation
- Greater awareness of Black community contributions to Montreal’s cultural identity
- New educational and exhibition-based community engagement opportunities
- A preserved archive of stories, memories, and materials linked to Montreal carnival history
Partners
Passing the Torch is made possible through collaboration between organizations committed to cultural preservation, education, and community storytelling.
- Black Community Resource Centre (BCRC)
- The OFC Community
- West-Can Folk Performing Company
- Concordia University Library
Video Gallery
Explore interviews, workshops, archival highlights, and behind-the-scenes moments from the Passing the Torch project. This gallery can feature documentary clips, participant stories, and community submissions.
Video 1
Sample Video Title
Add a short description here for the featured video, interview, or documentary segment.
Video 1
Sample Video Title
Add a short description here for the featured video, interview, or documentary segment.
Video 1
Sample Video Title
Add a short description here for the featured video, interview, or documentary segment.
Help Preserve Montreal Carnival History
Community members are invited to share stories, memories, photographs, and video from past Montreal carnival celebrations. Your contributions can help document nearly half a century of Caribbean cultural heritage and ensure that this legacy is accessible to future generations.
Contact
For more information, partnership discussions, or community contributions, please contact:
Pharaoh Hamid Freeman
Director, The OFC Community
passingthetorch@gmail.com
(514) 651-4545
bcrcmontreal.com
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