1962 was a very eventful year in world history;
there was a coup and a counter coup in the Dominican Republic, ‘The Incredible
Hulk #1’ by Stan Lee and Jack Kerby made its debut.
Rwanda,
Burundi and Algeria, gained independence, Telstar relayed the first live trains
Atlantic television signal, actress Marilyn Monroe died, Nelson Mandela was
arrested in Howick, Spider man made his first appearance in Marvel Comics,
James Merideth registered at the University of Mississippi, escorted by federal
marshals, and the Soviet Union and the United States almost started WW3 and
Armageddon during the Cuban missile crises.
1962 was also the year Trinidad and Tobago gained independence
from Great Britain, and it is the year 1962 that Massassination will start its
exploration of the past 50 years of the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, in the
‘Time Machine’.
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| TIME MACHINE DESTINATION :1962 |
Examining the Carnivals of the past we can tell a
lot about the society of the time, listening to the calypso’s of the period, especially
social commentary we can form a picture of the society, and the issues that
affected it during any given year. Looking at the mas bands at the time and the
themes that were mostly historical, it is possible to ascertain that the
question of identity racial, social, and global held precedence on the minds of
bandleaders, mas men (carnival artist), and the masqueraders, (the wider
population).
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| Coat of Arms of the Federation. |
Carnival 1962: March, 5th & 6th.
Queen of the Bands:
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| Esther Theodore: Queen of the bands 1962 . source: The Carnivals of Trinidad and Tobago. M Anthony. |
Dimanche Gras on the 4th of March 1962,
and saw the crowning of Esther Theodore,
as the ‘Queen Of The Bands’, Theodore, who won the very first queen of the
bands competition in 1959, won again in 1962
portraying ‘Cleopatra’ from Mack
Copeland’s band ‘Glory of the Pharaohs’. A King of the bands completion did not
take place till 1963.
“The prize
included a trip to the Waldorf Astoria in New York, a prize donated by Hilton
Hotel as part of its promotion drive for the newly built Trinidad Hilton hotel.
Of that trip, Theodore said, “When I went on the trip I became an
ambassador for Trinidad and Tobago in the field of Carnival. It was the first
time Carnival was played in New York. I had to visit several places to
introduce Carnival as a tourist attraction. One of the finest places I visited
was St Nicholas Arena.”
The costume she wore on that occasion was described as a
masterpiece. It was designed to fit a regal figure with a train 16 yards long
and embroidered with symbols of Egyptian royalty and lotus flowers representing
the “sun dance”.
There were also sacred emblems of the hawk, cobras and papyrus
writings.” (Louis B Homer)
Calypso King:
The Calypso King competition saw the King of 1961
The Mighty Dougla; face the challenge of an already 2 time winner The Mighty
Sparrow, The Mighty fighter, Lord Blakie, Nat Hepburn, Lord Cristo, Young
Killer, Young Creole, and Lord Superior. (Michael Anthony pg 328)
When the battle was over The Mighty Sparrow won his
third Calypso King title with two highly critical Calypsos, “Robbery with a V”
where Sparrow accused the judges of robbing him of the title in 1961, giving it
to Dougla, and the immortal classic, “Federation”, where sparrow expressed the
frustration and disappointment of not just Trinbagonians
but the Caribbean people, and angrily
chastised the Jamaicans for leaving and in effect destroying the
Federation.
“If they know they
didn’t want Federation,
And they know they
didn’t want to unite as one,
Tell the doctor you not
in favour,*
Don’t behave like a
blasted traitor,
How the devil you could
say you ain’t federating no more!”
(*Dr Eric
Williams then leader of the PNM)
Road March:
Lord Blakie won his second ‘Road March’
title in 1962 with a witty Calypso that maximised the use of the 'double entendre' called Maria.
“Maria girl I
love you so bad.
Maria if you
leave me now will be hard
I don’t know
what make me love so,
But she get me
sweet!
What she give
me to rub I eat.”
According to historian Michel Anthony this was
the first time the road march was officially recognised in P.O.S, and Blakie
won a $50 dollars in prize money. 2nd place went to Nelson Caton who
sang Tattle Tale and 3rd went to Sparrow who sang Sparrow come back
home.
Band of the Year:
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| George Bailey. |
By 1962 band leader George Bailey already
established himself among the pantheon of ‘golden age’ bandleaders. Battling
for the B.O.T.Y title in 62, were bandleaders
with presentations, such as, Edmund Hart’s Flag wavers of Siena, Harold
Saldenha’s Julius Caesar and the Conquest
of Gaul, Geraldo Vieira’s Myths, Fables, and Legends and Jack Braithwaite’s
Valhalla.
But carnival 1962 belonged to Bailey, his band
Somewhere in New Guinea, won the band of the year award, the people’s choice
award, Edmund Hart’s Flag wavers of Siena and Cito Velasquez’s, Natures
Notebook, won second and third places in the competition.
“Although
the bands following George Bailey were of great beauty none equalled or
surpassed Somewhere in New Guinea...it was this band which won Band of the
Year. This meant that George Bailey had won the title four years in a row.” (Michael Anthony pg385)
In San Fernando, it was Mac Copland’s Glory of the
Pharaohs that beat the competition of Clemmie George’s Fabulous East, and Irwin
Simmons Relics of the Bronze Age, to claim the southlands, B.O.T.Y title.
Pan:
While there
was no Panorama in 62, there was a music festival that was won by the 'North
Stars' that played "Voices of Spring" by Johann Strauss.
By the 31st
of August 1962 Trinidad and Tobago was an independent nation, Britain’s Union
Jack was lowered and the Red White and Black colours of Trinidad and Tobago were
raised. Eric Williams was the first
Prime Minister and the untold future was ready to reveal itself to an ambitious
people.
Red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side to
the lower fly side; the colours represent the elements of earth, water, and
fire; black stands for the wealth of the land and the dedication of the people;
white symbolizes the sea surrounding the islands, the purity of the country's
aspirations, and equality; red symbolizes the warmth and energy of the sun, the
vitality of the land, and the courage and friendliness of its people.
(source: C.I.A)
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