www.studiolafoncette.com

I received this press release from photographer / blogger Leslie Robertson Toney today about her 2013 carnival series ‘Blogging de Carnaval’, on her website http://studiolafoncette.com.

From what I've seen so far I for one will be following her as this carnival season progresses.

Have a read of the release and then enjoy her work on her website. 

Leslie Robertson Toney

Studio Lafoncette Photography

www.studiolafoncette.com

studiolafoncette@gmail.com

1-868-774-2160

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Friday, 4th January, 2013

Carnival blog series launched

On January 1st, Studio Lafoncette Photography launched their third Blogging de
Carnaval series on the Web site: www.studiolafoncette.com. The series focuses on the
rich heritage, history and evolution of Trinidad Carnival. The blog uses original
photography by Washington DC-based Trini photographer Leslie Robertson Toney.
Every day, in the weeks leading up to Carnival Monday and Tuesday, Studio Lafoncette
will post photos and text related to mas, mas construction, Carnival performance art,
music, Carnival trends, and much more providing thorough background information to
readers. Studio Lafoncette will also post original photos and interviews with Carnival
veterans and masters such as the acclaimed fancy sailor Senor Gomez.

Blogging de Carnaval celebrates various aspects of Carnival that are sometimes
overlooked or forgotten in mainstream coverage. As Toney said in this year’s first blog
post, “Sankofa, the Adinkra symbol of the Akan people from what is known today as
Ghana, teaches us that we must go back to our roots in order to move forward. That is,
we should reach back and gather the best of what our past has to teach us, so that we
can achieve our full potential as we move forward...And today we also celebrate that in
our respective carnivals we have evolved and created something that is uniquely
Trinidadian (or Tobagonian, Grenadian, Vincentian, Brazilian, (New Orlean) American,
Bahamian, etc.) but that has a connection to The Motherland and other Motherlands.”
She invites followers to “Discover a culture beyond your imagination.” Blogging de
Carnaval can be accessed directly by visiting: http://studiolafoncette.com/blog/ Also
check out Studio Lafoncette on their Facebook page: Studio Lafoncette Photography or
follow them on Twitter @StudioLafoncett.

About Toney: Leslie Robertson Toney is a self-taught photographer with more than a
decade of amateur and professional experience. Her work has been featured in the
international exhibit Roots & Wings, FotoDC’s Cherry Blossom Photo Exhibit, the Art
Society of T&T’s members’ exhibit 2011 and at the New Horizons Gallery of the
Children’s National Medical Centre in Washington DC. Her work has also been
published in Photographer’s Forum Best of Photography 2011 catalogue when she was
a Best of Photography Finalist.

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From Samba to carnival: Brazil's thriving African culture

The cultural heritage stems from the estimated four million slaves that were brought to the country over a 300 tear period, at least four times as many as to the United States.

Brazil was the last country to abolish the slave trade in 1888. More than half of Brazilians now identify themselves as black or of mixed race, according to the latest census.

Rio de Janeiro   now has the most famous carnival in the world attracting an estimated 1.1 million visitors to the city this year and with 5.3 million people taking part in the street parties, according to the English language newspapers the Rio Times.

Samba dancers perform during a parade celebrating
Brazil's independence from Portugal 190 years ago, at Independence park in Sao Paulo.
Samba was developed in Brazil
 by the descendants of African slaves and draws on West African influences.

After the abolition of slavery, the rituals of the Catholic former colonialists and their former slaves merged to form the origins of modern carnival, according to the Rio Times. One explanation for the origins of carnival is that it began in a Catholic church, Our Lady of the Rosary, built by slaves in the 1700s whose masters wanted them to convert to Catholicism. "The black people that were part of this congregation, most of them came from Congo," said Joao Carlos Desales, a tour guide who took CNN around Rio de Janeiro. "So they were able to organize a celebration where they would choose a man and a woman, and they would be the king and queen of Congo. That celebration turned out to be the beginning of carnival celebrated in Brazil." Even many of Brazil's Catholic saints are said to have African heritage. St Benedict, whose name is remembered in Our Lady of the Rosary church, was a slave from North Africa, who promised to devote himself to Catholicism if he became a free man, Desales said. Brazil's patron saint, Our Lady of Aparecida, a black clay statue of the Virgin Mary, was -- according to some -- found by runaway slaves on their way to Quilombo, a community of runaway slaves. Quilombo communities continue across Brazil to this day. Luis Sacopa, president of the association of Quilombos, runs a restaurant with his 17 members of his family in a piece of jungle in what is now an expensive suburb of Rio de Janeiro. His grandparents found this piece of land after escaping slavery.

Salvador, in Bahia state, northeast Brazil, is the country's third largest city
 and was the country's first colonial capital. It has strong African roots and
 is the center for Afro-Brazilian culture

The family has fought a legal battle to hold on to its land against the threat of eviction, and now has official protection for their right to remain. "Thanks to god we have had success and we're still here at the end of our dispute," said Sacopa. "Thanks to god, the family has united, we're fighting and we're winning the fight against the elite in this expensive neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro." Sacopa said he was able to resist eviction with the help of his Orixas, gods of the Yoruba people of Southwest Nigeria, Benin and Togo. In Brazil, the religion is known as Candomble, and it has a large following in some Afro-Brazilian areas, particularly Salvador in Bahia state. Also on Inside Africa: Why Tanzanians believe in witchcraft Candomble was prohibited in Brazil up until the 1950s, but In Sacopa's restaurant he serves feijoada, a typical Brazilian dish originally created by slaves from their masters' leftovers.

Orixas, deities of the Candomble religion, have been built in Salvador,
 northeastern Brazil. Salvador, which has a large Afro-Brazilian population,
 has many followers of Candomble.

 A new Historical Circuit of African Heritage opened in Rio de Janeiro in 2010 to help tourists and descendants of slaves reconnect with the past slavery. The project began after workers installing a new drainage system in the central districts of Saude and Gamboa discovered hundreds of personal objects belonging to African slaves, according to the Rio Times. Archaeologists established that this was the site of the 19th century slave trading complex, the Cais do Valongo, or Valongo Quays. Many of the discoveries are now on display in the Valongo Gardens, the newspaper reported. Another discovery of recent years is the remains of a squalid slave cemetery in the courtyard of a home in central Rio de Janeiro. Renaldo Tavares, an archeologist who has been studying the discovery, said: "These are human remains mixed in with the garbage from the city. It shows how society in the 19th century treated slaves. "Bones, pieces of ceramic, bits from construction, tiles, animal remains, bits of food, society threw all sorts of things in here. Slaves were considered garbage by society."


Ana de la Merced Guimaraes, the homeowner who discovered the bones in her courtyard, said: "When we started a reform in our house, we found all these bones. We thought it was a family grave, but there was so much we thought maybe it had been a serial killer. "But then we calmed down and talked about it and called a lawyer and the police. And he said don't worry, we aren't going to accuse you, it's probably something very old. "A neighbor told us, a long time ago, your street was a slave cemetery." Brazil's third city Salvador, in Bahia state, northeast Brazil, has some of the strongest links to Africa. Salvador was the first colonial capital of Brazil and its central district, Pelourinho, now a UNESCO world heritage site, was the New World's first slave market from 1553, according to UNESCO.

SOURCE:Shasta Darlington  CNN

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TIME MACHINE: Trinidad and Tobago Carnival 1962.

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’.

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).  

Coat of Arms of the Federation.

 The Trinidad and Tobago carnival of 1962 was preceded by a period of great change in the region. The British West Indian colonies saw their first real attempt at political integration in 1958 with the idea of being a single independent state, ‘The West Indies Federation’, however dramatically collapse before their eyes in January1962. This collapse saw Islands like Jamaica and Trinidad then perusing individual independence for their people that was achieved later that year, and signified a new era of nationalism, self determination, and national identity.

Carnival 1962: March, 5^th & 6^th.

Queen of the Bands:

Esther Theodore: Queen of the bands 1962 .
 source:
The Carnivals of Trinidad and Tobago.
M Anthony.

Dimanche Gras on the 4^th 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. 2^nd place went to Nelson Caton who sang Tattle Tale and 3^rd went to Sparrow who sang Sparrow come back home.

Band of the Year:

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 31^st 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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THE K2K BEGIN THEIR 2013 CAMPAIGN

Well first they mentioned that they were moving from  the sea to the land , and today Leaders of the New School and award winning band K2K, released their 'first hint' to their 2013 theme on facebook with a message to their present and future masquerders, it reads ...
"Dear masqueraders,
Many of you have been inquiring about the theme for our 2013 Collection.

 We are excited to release our first hint. More details coming soon…
Have a beautiful weekend & Kindest regards, 
K2K"

So they have moved from the sea to the land and the story of birth and self awareness has seemed  to have moved on to that of self belief .

It looks like the journey continues...

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Lord Invader: My Intention is War!

I came across this X-Tempo clash between Lord Invader and Dictator and fell in love with it.

The true skill of the Calypsoian is highlighted in this at form and this clash between Invader and Dictator sees dictator backing down from a real battle, I just love it!

From the Oral traditions of the plantations to the stickfights of the Kalenda , and the xtempo, Calypso and Soca Monarch  competitions of today the art form of Calypso has directed, documented, and reflected the opinions of the society....

Later. 

 

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