Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
TIME MACHINE: Trinidad Carnival 1995
Controversy is a tradition of Carnival in Trinidad, every year you can bet there is going to be a tune, a mas band, or a government policy, that will upset the masses and result in a rise in public opinion. One of the biggest controversies of Carnival 1995 was the Minshall vs Church saga when various Christian denominations including the Catholic Church opposed his use of the word Hallelujah in his carnival presentation , little did we know that some 16 years later the Catholic Church itself will bring a mas band on the road.
Goes to show, Minshall was simply ahead of the game, and the society.
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| Ricardo Harewood was 'Spirit of Light' in 1995. |
In 1995 Minshall’s Hallelujah won the N.C.C’s Band of the Year title. Minshall was followed by the Legend Wayne Berkley’s band Origami in 2nd place with Richard Afong’s Barbarossa presentation ‘East of Sumatra’ coming in third.
The medium band of the year was won by Stephen Derek and D Midas Associates with Ebony and Ivory. Jason Griffith’s ‘Shipwreck’ gained second place and ‘Total Delights’ by showcase coming in third.
The small band category was lead by Henry Ramdin and Anthony Jackman’s ‘Dakota Dog Dancers’.Neville Aming’s ‘Festival in Ethiopia’ was second , with yet another legendary name in carnival Glendon Morris’s band was third with ‘Original Stylish Sailors’
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| Roland St George1995 'Fury of Djarkata' |
The 1995 King of Carnival title was won by Hilton Cox who portrayed ‘Mystic Dawn’ from the Stephen Lee Hung ‘Oceania’. It was the fourth title of his career.
Second place was won by Roland St George in his portrayal ‘Fury of Djarkata.
Third place was won by the late great Tedder Eustace , who portrayed ‘Star of wonder, Star of Light’.
The Queen of Carnival title was won by Alyson Brown who portrayed ‘Joy to the World’ from Minshall’s band Hallelujah. Anra Bobb was second with ‘Peace and Love’ she was followed up by Ira Patterson in ‘Goddess of Wisdom and Light’.
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| Shane Correia: King 'Carnivore'. |
The Dimamanche Gras Calypso Monarch final was won by Leroy Calliste (Black Stalin). The 1995’title the fourth in his career was won with two tunes, “Tribute to Sundar Popo’ and ‘In Time’. Second place was won by Cro Cro with the Mighty Sparrow coming in third.
The Road March title OF 1995 was won by Super Blue with the soca tune ‘Signal to Lara’.
The Rest is Carnival History.
Mas Assassin out!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Vulgar fraction's: COALITION, Trinidad Carnival 2011
Robert Anthony Young in collaboration with Lupe Leonard present for Trinidad and Tobago Carnival 2011. Coalition
Independent mas’ production group Vulgar Fraction launched its Carnival 2011 presentation, “Coalition”, on Tuesday January 25, 2011 at Alice Yard, #80 Roberts Street, Woodbrook, Port of Spain. Entertainment was provided by 3canal and Moyenne. Designers Robert Young of The Cloth Caribbean Limited, and Lupe Leonard (a graduate of New York’s prestigious Parsons Design School) have teamed up for a presentation with a twist, to be showcased on Carnival Tuesday this year. Leonard has been producing children’s mas’ for approximately five years, while Young has maintained a near 15-year presence “on the road” for Carnival.
“Vulgar Fraction has consistently advocated a return to true creativity, art and design for masqueraders”, says Robert Young. “But the process becomes even more interesting when each person gets involved in designing and building part of their own costume themselves”.
Based on this premise, Young and Leonard expressed that the band “Coalition” represents a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, within which they cooperate in joint action. While each individual serves his own interest at times, they have all come together for a common cause. However, since the alliance may have been formed as a matter of convenience, it might last only temporarily.
Vulgar Fraction will provide potential masqueraders with a variety of design components they can use to decorate their costumes themselves - a practice similar to elements of the sailor mas’ tradition. The group also looks forward to hosting throngs of fun-loving mas’ players in the band come March 8, in the true spirit of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival.
For further information, please contact Robert Young on 471-2041
Monday, January 24, 2011
NHC sending a delegation of 30 to the Seychelles
Seychelles Carnival to take place in March 2011
It is now confirmed that a 30-strong delegation from UK’s world-famous Notting Hill Carnival has announced their intent to participate in the upcoming 2011 Seychelles ‘Carnaval International de Victoria’ due to be held between the 4th and 6th March 2011.
The celebrated Notting Hill Carnival is an annual celebration which has taken place since 1964 on the streets of Notting Hill and Chelsea over the August bank holiday, led by members of the British African-Caribbean community who have lived in the area since the 1950’s.
Attracting up to as many as 2 million people in the past, the carnival has achieved the status of 2nd largest street festival in the world. This iconic festival is now set to bring its colour and style to the Seychelles, further complementing a swelling number of participants in Seychelles’ new carnival which will already feature participants from La Reunion, China, Japan, South Korea, South Africa, France and Zimbabwe to name but a few.
The 3-day 2011 Seychelles ‘Carnaval International de Victoria’ promises to bring Victoria to life with the official opening followed by a grand, open-air restaurant featuring food – and music – from across the world as local hotels, in coordination with various participating countries, set up al fresco restaurants showcasing their particular culture’s culinary skills.
The spectacular event will then move into Carnival Day featuring a Carnival Procession of participants’ floats on a circular itinerary through the streets of the capital and against a backdrop of music, dance and colourful costumes. This will be followed by a Family Fun Day and all-day musical show featuring a wide choice of Seychellois and international music, entertainment and food.
Source
The celebrated Notting Hill Carnival is an annual celebration which has taken place since 1964 on the streets of Notting Hill and Chelsea over the August bank holiday, led by members of the British African-Caribbean community who have lived in the area since the 1950’s.
Attracting up to as many as 2 million people in the past, the carnival has achieved the status of 2nd largest street festival in the world. This iconic festival is now set to bring its colour and style to the Seychelles, further complementing a swelling number of participants in Seychelles’ new carnival which will already feature participants from La Reunion, China, Japan, South Korea, South Africa, France and Zimbabwe to name but a few.
The 3-day 2011 Seychelles ‘Carnaval International de Victoria’ promises to bring Victoria to life with the official opening followed by a grand, open-air restaurant featuring food – and music – from across the world as local hotels, in coordination with various participating countries, set up al fresco restaurants showcasing their particular culture’s culinary skills.
The spectacular event will then move into Carnival Day featuring a Carnival Procession of participants’ floats on a circular itinerary through the streets of the capital and against a backdrop of music, dance and colourful costumes. This will be followed by a Family Fun Day and all-day musical show featuring a wide choice of Seychellois and international music, entertainment and food.
Source
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Peter Minshall sings: Mighty Spoilers Bed Bug
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| The Mighty Minsh |
I also backed it up with the original, enjoy!!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
3 CANAL : JAM-IT!
I love this JAM-IT tune by 3 canal this year, it’s for me its a tribute to one of the most iconic characters and symbols of social and cultural resistance the ‘Jamette’.
The word ‘Jamette’ comes from the French word ‘diametre’ and referred to the class of people ‘below the diameter of respectability’ ...the upper classes were distancing themselves from the lower classes...to emphasize the immorality...and hence the inferiority of the Africans. ( Liverpool Hollis)
During the 19th century Africans had to exist in deplorable living conditions. These conditions were witnessed in their most extreme form in the barrack yards of the capital. Due to these conditions the barrack yards were the epicentres for crime, prostitution, and other forms of lawlessness. The barrack yards being the homes of Trinidad’s Afro-Trinidadian lower classes were also the bastions of African cultural resistance and identity.
Out of theses barrack yards came some of the most iconic characters and symbols of defiance that Trinidad’s carnival has ever produced. As the century came to an end these characters, and ritual practitioners would directly confront the laws and institutions of the establishment that seemed to exist solely to erase their cultural identity.
From the poverty ridden, crime infested environments of the barrack yards the Jamette emerged. If the stick fighter was the warrior King of the Kalenda, and the Cannes Brulees procession, and the male personification of African defiance, the ‘Jamette’ was the Queen, her very physical presence was the personification of colonial defiance.
...the social, economic, and political predicament of the jametres was manifest, both physically and vocally...While masquerading, they ‘boasted their skill and bravery, verbal wit, talent in song and dance...their indifference to the law, their sexual prowess...The women more often than not were the chantuelles, who sang praises of male stick fighters, and impromptu lyrics meant to shock and entertain; they wore masks and sometimes exposed their breasts. (Noel A. Samantha)
In an era where a woman based on European standards was not supposed to be loud, vulgar, political, or display any kind immoral behaviour in public the Jamette went against all these social norms of decency making her physical body a platform of protest, bringing the economic and social conditions of the lower classes to the attention of the establishment.
“...these women were aware of how the body could be used as a form of protest...they cunningly gauged the potential of their exposed bodies as a locus of rebellious and expressive energy through which their discontent with colonial order could be channelled”. (Noel A. Samantha)
The Cannes Brulees riots (Rebellion) of 1881 saw a head to head clash between the police, representing the colonial powers who wanted to stop the traditions of the lower classes, and the Cannes Brulees, the latter being lead by the warrior Kings the stick fighters who fought shoulder to shoulder with their queens the Jamettes.
 |
| try this on any other day and see what happens. |
Today you see Jamette behaviour where ever you see a Trini style carnival she is the living symbol of cultural and social resistance and while the elite and the establishment may shun her presence it is because of her the road made to walk on carnival day.
Mas Assassin .
Related articles
- The world's top 10 street festivals (telegraph.co.uk)
- Lower-class people better at reading others: Study (canada.com)
- Rare piping guan rescued and recuperating in Trinidad (greenantilles.com)
- Dominica Carnival 2011 Schedule (dominica-weekly.com)
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Jacqui portrays elements of life
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| The Element of Water. Photos:Tony Howell |
The House of Jacqui children’s band presented its C2K11 offering, Elements of Life, on January 8 at the Skiffle Bunch Pan Theatre on Coffee Street in San Fernando. According to local fashion icon Jacqui Koon How: “Everything that affects life is an element and the concept for the band came from my grandson Joshua Regrello. “There are the regular elements such as earth and water. We went a step further and added love and tradition which is an important element because we need to understand where we came from before we can move forward.”
Koon How added that this was the 17th year since the band was formed, and what made it unique was that it had entered competitions throughout the country—San Fernando; Marabella; Gasparillo; Barrackpore; Couva; Claxton Bay; Arouca and Port-of-Spain. “In light of the present economy the costumes are priced at less that $600, which includes transport and refreshment,” she said. Elements of Life will also be displayed at the Village Plaza, Pleasantville on Saturday, and Gulf City Mall, La Romaine on January 22. Anyone interested in registering can visit the mas camp at 60 Irving Street, San Fernando or call 652-1965/ 752-1592.
Sections
Elements of the Sun (yellow)
Element of Love (pink)
Element of Water (blue)
Element of the Sea (blue and green)
Element of the Earth (brown)
Element of the Tradition (red)
Element of Love (pink)
Element of Water (blue)
Element of the Sea (blue and green)
Element of the Earth (brown)
Element of the Tradition (red)
Caption 1: The Element of the Sea .
Caption 2: The Element of Sun.
Caption 3: The Element of the Tradition on show from the House of Jacqui 2011 presentation.
Caption 4: The Element of Earth.
SOURCE: Catherine Copeland
Mas man of many firsts
What an entertaining experience! It’s been more than one decade since mas veteran Stephen Lee Heung created a costume and played mas but his memory was sharp on Friday, as he took the Sunday Guardian back in time. At his home in Woodbrook, Lee Heung’s frail appearance contrasted his colourful depiction of Carnival in the 40s.
In those days his masqueraders paid $20 for a Carnival costume, inclusive of drinks
and bandleaders received items—not cash prizes—for winning Band of the Year. “My costume was $20. Everything inclusive, not as how they do it now. We had a pickup and some beers and some rum. Vat 19 Angostura,” he explained. Though Lee Heung, who turns 90 today suffered a stroke many years ago, he seemed to be at peace.
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| Veteran mas man Stephen Lee Heung makes a point at his Woodbrook home last Friday. |
He gingerly told stories about masmen hiding their costumes from each other until the big parade. He has not gone out to witness the Parade of the Bands since 1997, but views it regularly on television, he admits. In the days Lee Heung made mas, satin sold for 24 cents per yard. “(Mas) It has changed so much,” he said, softly and a bit muffled. “It had no beads in those times.” Lee Heung, who pointed to his exquisite Queen creation—Diana: Goddess of the Hunt—explained that Carnival long ago was about history and it told a story. However, he said now it was about fantasy.
“Fantasies have no story,” he said. A man of many firsts, Lee Heung started the sectionalised band in 1948, in which he had a large band of 108 masqueraders. “In those days bands were 50, 60 people. So when you had 100 people, you had a big band,” he said with a smile. He copped the Band of the Year prize that year with Reign of the Hanoverians, not taking home $300,000, but most likely a glass dish. It may seem amusing to have received just “thanks” and a household item but he recalled that back then people played mas just for fun.
With a grin he said, “Now if you stick a pin on something, you say pay me!” In the 40s women did not tantalise others with their bodies on the road. Instead, they remained on the trucks for Carnival while the men played on the road. Lee Heung said men felt women would slow them down. Now, woman is boss on the road.
Times have definitely changed.
“I was the first one to encourage the girls to play on the road,” he said. Lee Heung, who will be partying today with some friends, also received the Hummingbird Gold in 1975. He won Band of the Year on five occasions and won other competitions including the Queen competition. Lee Heung’s last presentation was in 1996.
source:Malissa Lara-Patterson
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
36 seconds of destruction. Haiti One year later ...
Image by Getty Images via @daylifeIt was a year ago today Haiti was shook to its knees, one year later the Haiti is still struggling to get back on her feet . One year later and 95% of the rubble still lays where it fell, one year later bodies are still being exhumed from the buildings that became their graves. One year later and not one reconstruction project has begun. Out of the 5Billion dollars that the world donated to Haiti not much of it has actually been received.Lets not forget Haiti.
Do whatever you can...
RC mas’ band draws ‘overwhelming’ interest
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| Wayne Berkeley (photo from meppublishers) |
The band, which is sanctioned by the head of the local Roman Catholic Church, Archbishop Edward Gilbert, was launched on January 4, and will participate in the Parade of the Bands, on both Carnival Monday and Tuesday.
Speaking with Newsday yesterday, Walcott said the band’s official website, which was launched last week, received over 1,200 hits so far, and the band’s “page” on the social networking site, facebook, has also received a lot of visitors.
“We have been receiving a lot of calls from people in St Lucia, Grenada and Canada wanting to register with the band,” said Walcott.
He said the band is open to a registration of 1,200 members, “for greater manageability, but people are begging us to open up the registration.”
However, Walcott said all sections in the band are still open for anyone interested in registering.
He said costumes were priced between $1,000 and $2,500, and the band will be all-inclusive.
Since the announcement that veteran mas’ man, Wayne Berkeley will be designing the Queen of the Band’s costume, Walcott said “requests have been pouring in to portray the queen.”
Walcott revealed that Canadian, Susan Low, will portray the Queen of the Band: Eve, the eternal light of the Universe. However, someone is yet to be listed to portray the King of the Band, Adam, “as two persons have expressed great interest in the portrayal.”
Walcott admitted that the Word and Associates has received some “negativity” from various members of the public, over producing a Carnival band.
“Many people felt Carnival is evil, and are not pleased that the Church was getting involved in something which is evil. I ask those people, are the panmen, calypsonians and mas designers evil?” asked Walcott. “How can the creative gift, which we received from God be evil,” Walcott added.
When asked what genre of music will accompany the masqueraders, Walcott explained that the band is currently assessing calypsoes and soca music which has “good values” and no “double meanings.”
Walcott said anyone wishing to register with the band will be briefed on the proper “behaviour” expected, as well as no alcoholic drinks will be served.
“As Catholics we have no beef with alcohol, but we are not promoting alcohol in our band. We are coming on a natural high,” he said.
By RESHMA BAAL
Monday, January 10, 2011
Black Stalin: SKULLUGGERY COMING DOWN.
Six time Calypso Monarch Leroy Calliste ‘The Black Stalin’ went to the Skullduggery mas camp and composed this catchy song for the band . I loved the tune so much it inspired me to do this little clip.
The Costumes were designed by Sonya Sanchez-Arias
and original photography by Mark Lyndersay
Mas Assassin.
OR you can see their facebook account HERE
Sunday, January 09, 2011
Blacks and White's Carnival 2011: Pasto Colombia
Between January 4th and 6th the people of the Colombian city of Pasto celebrate the Blacks and Whites carnival said to be one of the oldest in the Americas. The festivities date back to the 1600's and commemorate a date when the enslaved Africans were given a day of for a taste of freedom and they partied all day.
here is an interesting quote from Wikipedia ...
" Some historians refer that in 1607, there was a slave rebellion in the town of Remedios, Antioquia that made the authorities panic. The event was remembered by the black population of Popayán, Cauca, who demanded a day off, in which they were really free. The King of Spainconceded January 5. It is said that when the news reached home the African population flock to the streets and danced at the rhythm of African music and started to blacken with coal all the white walls of the city.
The enthusiastic celebration was brought to Pasto by the Ayerbe family around 1854. By 1887, the celebration had reached to certain social spheres and acquired a high level of refinement, and people started using costumes and masks. The Castaneda family recreated by the January 4 crewes could be a characterization of the Ayerbe Family."
It amuses me that while in Trinidad the roots of carnival are given to the French and the Catholics and someone at my university argued that Trinidad's carnival came from the Greeks...almost every country in the Americas that has a Carnival has a direct link to African celebrations of freedom...
For a little more info on Colombia's carnivals
and MAS REPUBLIC
or check google.
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Catholics to bring out mas band
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Roman Catholic priest Fr Joe Harris takes a chip with Katrina Laydoo, left, Sophie Walcott, right, and Daniella Walcott as they model costumes from the Carnival band, Genesis 1—Creation. Photo: Karla Ramoo |
The band was officially launched yesterday at the Queen’s Park Cricket Club (QPCC) Banquet Hall at the Queen’s Park Oval, Port-of-Spain, with Roman Catholic priests Fr Jason Gordon and Fr Joe Harris among those expressing support for the project. Organisers said the band would provide an opportunity for masqueraders to enjoy Carnival without the vulgarity. It is aimed at people who have “matured beyond the need to be high on alcohol to enjoy Carnival and life.” The band will feature 12 sections with a maximum of 100 masqueraders per section.
There will also be a King and Queen. Costumes will range between $1,200 and $2,500. On the road music will be provided by DJ Rene, Simple Sounds and Valley Harps. There are two mas camps for the band—one located at Stevens Road, Long Circular, obliquely opposite the Church of the Assumption in Maraval for payment and distribution of costumes, and at the production site in Belmont. Registration will take place at the mas camp as well as online.
Source
Sunday, January 02, 2011
Fay-Ann Lyons - Consider It Done (Soca 2011)
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