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Chains, colour and charm
Written by : Stephen Spark
Location : London
Photographer : Stephen Spark
Posted : Sep 3, 2007 : 10:21:32 AM |
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Carnival’s a game of two halves – Sunday and Monday – and you miss a lot by going to just one of them. Dismissing Sunday as “only” Children’s Day is not only unjust to the kids – who can certainly play their mas as enthusiastically and whole-heartedly as “big people” – but it’s also missing the point, because the highlights are quite different from Monday’s.
The overall theme of Notting Hill Carnival this year was “Set All Free”, and you have to question whether that was really an appropriate slogan. We were, after all, marking the 200th anniversary of Britain’s abolition of the slave trade, which was not at all the same thing as the abolition of slavery – we’ll have to wait another 26 years before we can commemorate that. Few, if any slaves, were set free in 1807, but in British-controlled territories it was no longer legal to trade them or ship them overseas.
For something so central to the black experience and still relevant today, it was disappointing that few bands explored this theme in any depth in their mas. Some, it’s true, featured chains, and many more made use of African costume in various ways, but otherwise there was little that related to the historical events of 1807 beyond themes such as “The Real Abolitionists”, “Fantasy of Freedom” and “Out of Africa”.
Masquerade 2000’s “Africa Unfolds” impressed, both in terms of quality and – for once – in looking like a single, homogeneous band instead of a disparate collection of costumes. Mahogany (“Freedom Song”) was as vibrantly colourful as ever, but did not really represent much of a change from the style seen in previous years. “Nanse Ntontan”, with its attractive mix of colours and textures, looked as though it could secure Paddington Arts Elimu a high position in the competition, and it was good to see South Connections maintaining its standards with its well thought-out and presented “De Journey Now Start”.
The last mas band past the judging point, Children & Parents Carnival Association (“Wings and Tings”), also impressed, with the masqueraders keeping well together in their sections, while Fox School’s now-familiar “things on sticks” approach (“Fox in the Garden”) was as simple and effective as always. A little earlier, one’s heart went out to the children of St Clements & St James, who looked tired and a bit dejected as they paraded without any music. No such problem for The Bride, who looked brilliant in white as they danced to a catchy religious calypso. Charm helps, of course: Fusion looked a pretty and happy mas band; there were nice smiles from Tropical Isles; and Beeraahaar’s lively tinies melted the crowd’s hearts once again. And costumes did not have to be huge or extravagant to be effective in making a point – for example, Urban Touch used schoolmasters and judges to portray “The Hidden History”.
Despite Sunday’s supposed dedication to children’s mas, there are as many adults taking part as youngsters, with several bands having large T-shirt sections that threatened to overwhelm the real mas. It’s also the day for Jouvert-type bands (for those who can’t get up to go to the real thing!), including La Trinity’s Powder Play and Cocoyea’s Pure Lime crew, slathered in mud and chocolate. Some steelbands also made an appearance, including Glissando, a crowd-enlivening Croydon SO, and last across the line, Nostalgia, playing “The Hammer” to Trini Hill – a fitting way to end a good day. |
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