Ostensibly based around singing the virtues of the rose and globosa flowers, the societies are intense rivals, and their membership includes most of the population of the island.
They also had a great deal in common with the famed egbes of the Yoruba peoples, which were and still are presided over by the tribe's various chieftains through the framework of what is essentially a highly elaborate series of West African theatre states.
This connection is depicted in a mural painted by Dunstan St. Omer, which shows the holy trinity of Osiris, Horus and Isis.
Each society has a king and a queen, as well as princes, princesses, and many other symbolic legal, military and professional roles, such as judges, policemen, nurses, soldiers, doctors.
On the actual day of the festival all members of the society dress in the finery of their respective roles and march to Church for a service which precedes their parade through the streets before returning to the hall for their feasting or grande fete.