Carnival is an annual celebration of life found in many countries around the world. It first originated as a pagan festival in ancient Egypt which was subsequently celebrated by the Greeks and then the Romans. Carnival was later adopted by the Roman Catholic Christian church in Europe as the festival of Carne Vale. The Carnival festival was eventually transported to the Caribbean by the European slave traders.
In 1783 the French brought their culture, customs and Carnival, in the form of elaborate masquerade balls, to Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) along with African slaves. The period stretching between Christmas and the start of Lent was a time for feasting, fancy dress balls and celebration for both the French and British. Banned from the festivities, slaves in the barrack yards would hold their own celebrations mimicking their masters’ behaviour while incorporating rituals and folklore. Once slavery was abolished in 1838, the freed Africans took their Carnival to the streets.
In T&T, namely the capital city of Port of Spain for the most popular festivities, Carnival is not just the biggest in the Caribbean but it has been dubbed the “greatest show on earth” by many. Brazil may have the most famous Carnival but the difference with T&T’s is that there are no dance schools with parading floats, it is just one big street party on Carnival Monday and Tuesday which preceeds the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Like the cosmopolitan mix of people and cultures that shaped the twin island, T&T’s Carnival has many other influences too. As each new immigrant population entered T&T a new flavour was added to the festivities so much so that the diverse culture has influenced the music, food and traditions of Carnival.
But Carnival in little known T&T is so much more than the last big parade of bands in the streets, it is an entire season which starts immediately after Christmas and ends on Carnival Tuesday. In between there are lots of parties, various competitions such as calypso singing, steelpan, children’s carnival and Carnival costumes. Basically it’s a nonstop party until Ash Wednesday.
Steelbands begin intense preparations for Panorama, the annual competition for steelpan bands. The steelpan was afterall invented in T&T. Preliminary contests are hosted at panyards throughout the country during the six weeks leading up to Carnival. Panorama finals are the ultimate test of musical skill. Representing the best of the best, selected bands compete before judges and thousands of spectators the Saturday night before Carnival officially begins.
Also originating in T&T, calypso music or kaiso is characterized by social or political commentary and/or satirical lyrics sung to ballad style rhythms. Derived from calypso is the more modern “soca” whose fast beats and saucy lyrics provide the soundtrack to Carnival. Many of the lyrics are instructional in format e.g.; “Jump and wave” and local soca artists perform live continuously throughout the season with their bands and during the parades on Carnival Monday and Tuesday for masqueraders to dance.
Throughout the season are numerous fetes or parties. These parties can be large or small and during the Carnival season feature live performances from soca artists, with popular fetes attracting massive crowds. All-Inclusive Fetes are becoming more and more popular, these are parties where the cost of food and drink (including alcohol) are incorporated into the ticket price and attract an exclusive crowd.
Carnival is not just for the adults, the children get their spotlight too in the form of Kiddies Carnival. From individual school parades to the national competition children get to express their creativity in the form of their costumes. It is one way of teaching then the culture from young.
J’ouvert is in the heart of Carnival. The name J’ouvert originates from the French jour ouvert, meaning day break or morning, and signals the start of the bacchanalia that is Carnival. The origins of street parties associated with J’ouvert coincide with the emancipation of African slavery in 1838. Some theorize that some J’ouvert traditions are carried forward in remembrance of civil disturbances in Port of Spain, Trinidad, when the people smeared themselves with oil or paint to avoid being recognized. Today J’ouvert begins at 4am on Carnival Monday where revellers take to the streets dancing to local soca music while smeared in not only oil, mud or paint but chocolate! Yes chocolate!
T&T’s Carnival is truly a unique and special event, that’s why locals will dub it “the greatest show on earth.” It is a nonstop party like no other and one that has something for everyone even if you don’t want to wear a costume and dance in the streets on the final days. Here are some more photos exhibiting the beauty and colours from the Carnival 2015 season which ended yesterday. There are many already counting done to 2016!
