"An explosion of colour, music, revelry, and creativity, Trinidad's Carnival has spawned similar celebrations around the world; but nothing on earth can rival the abandon, euphoria and stunning spectacle of our festival." ~Trinidad and Tobago: The True Caribbean
It's Carnival Saturday in Trinidad and Tobago
and I figured it's about time I get down to writing some sort of post. I'm not a Carnival person you see... not particularly fond of fetes... never really been interested in playing mas. Carnival is a major event here - a big part of our culture, a part of our history. If you want to know about it then here is a link courtesy the National Library of T&T (yay for libraries!).
and I figured it's about time I get down to writing some sort of post. I'm not a Carnival person you see... not particularly fond of fetes... never really been interested in playing mas. Carnival is a major event here - a big part of our culture, a part of our history. If you want to know about it then here is a link courtesy the National Library of T&T (yay for libraries!).
What I am though is a Trini (to d bone)... and proud of it. We are blessed with creativity - every week I learn about new artists - persons specialising in music, dance, theatre, visual arts - virtually any type of media. We are brilliant - Trinis that migrate tend to do exceptionally well academically and otherwise (we kinda need to get our act together here at home though). We have a way with words - the average Trini is known for ole talk ... we can carry on conversations about anything... any time... anywhere... of course this can also be turned any which way - as comedian Russell Peters has said:
"Have you ever been insulted, and just stood there and thought 'What the hell am I supposed to say to that?' Trinidadians have that ability, it's second nature to them. They can think of the most creative insults that leave you still trying to figure out what's going to happen to you."
We are a beautiful people (and have Miss World and Miss Universe titles to prove it) - perhaps this is due to the mix of peoples that have come here and the people that were originally here. Overall - we rock.
I haven't been particularly happy with the move away from actual costuming to bikini and beads mas. I haven't been particularly happy with [most of] our soca and chutney artists and their lack of lyrical content. I wish that our society as a whole would want more - would ask for more - from our entertainers. Junior Carnival gives me hope ...as does the fact that the Catholic Church is participating in Carnival 2k11... as does having steel pan in schools ... as do the comments/discussions about the lyrics for this year's Chutney Soca Monarch songs.
It's Carnival... I look forward to the time away from work... to listening to extempo... to seeing the winners of the King and Queen of the Bands :) For those of you not in T&T but wanting to be in the know this Carnival these links are helpful:
For those of you that are here... however you decide to celebrate the Carnival - be safe... have fun ;)
peace,
Ren
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