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What is Carnival?
Posted : Apr 11, 2005 : 1:21:00 PM |
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Carnival was introduced to Trinidad by the French plantocracy around 1789, after they fled the French Caribbean islands of Haiti, Martinique and Guadeloupe with their African slaves in the aftermath of the French Revolution. The Spanish citizens were not keen on settling in Trinidad, and so openly welcomed the French.
Before Emancipation, carnival was only celebrated by the white upper and middle classes. Africans were mainly seen as entertainment, performing as musicians and dancers. It allowed the Africans the opportunity to adopt roles and overstep their colour-defined boundaries. After Emancipation, Africans completely took over the celebration and mimicked the lifestyle and dress of their former masters.
Carnival comes from the Latin word carnavale, which means ‘goodbye to meat’, and in Trinidad is celebrated two days before the beginning of the Lenten season. The celebration of carnival ends on Mardi Gras, ‘Fat Tuesday’ in French.
Carnival usually falls in late February or early March, and the preparation for these two days starts months in advance - sometimes as early as October - with the release of new music and band launches, where mas bands reveal their costumes at fetes. Every weekend leading up to carnival is filled with fetes and competitions.
Pan is a notable necessity of any good carnival, with competitions almost every weekend culminating in the Pan Finals on the Saturday before Carnival Monday. There are competitions for small and medium steel bands, and regional finals in the East, West, North and South of Trinidad.
No carnival would be complete without a good J’Ouvert, which is the official opening of the celebrations on Monday morning, early, and runs until a few hours after the sun has risen. A masquerade of jab molassie, devils and caricatures make allusions to the social and political situations of the day, while taking control of the streets. Carnival is calypso, soca, pan and mas, and is the opportunity for the population to come together, regardless of creed and race. |
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