Wire-Bending, a dying art

INTRICATE: Jeffers with his piece, “Wire Bending Dying”.

Claude Swami Jeffers was literally bearing a cross when he came into the Express recently.
His elaborate wire structure “Wire Bending Dying” was not only visually compelling, but spoke in volumes of a practice that could be lost in time.
As the president of Swami Design Workshop, Jeffers has been making costumes and doing wire-bending for the past 20 years. 
He recalled: “I grew up in a mas camp and panyard, so to speak; St James Tripoli. Then I migrated and was part of the Labour Day Parade [in New York] for many years. I came back to promote wire bending because it is a dying art.”
Jeffers, creator of the first costume museum in Brooklyn, said this unique, cultural art form should be preserved, developed and promoted. 
It is the foundation for creating big mas costumes and should be taught in schools and costume design centres. We want a wire-bending centre in Belmont as a pilot project for the artistic and creative youths in the area. We need a wire-bending competition to promote this (it).”
He said he has spoken to several Government ministers about getting a project off and running but so far nothing has been done.
“This project I envision is about creating wire-benders and costume designers for the future of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival culture. I have sent my proposal to the Ministry (of Arts and Multiculturalism] who in turn sent it to NCC, who in turn sent it to the NCBA and [nothing happened).”
Jeffers hopes that a large corporate entity could assist him in giving back to the culture of this country.
“If government is slow in acting, I believe a company could take up the cause.”
He believes he is the best wire-bender in the land and is hoping to encourage youngsters to take up the craft.
Of his piece, “Wire Bending Dying”, he explained that the pregnant woman on the cross symbolises that even though wire-bending is a dying art form, there is the possibility of rebirth.
“It does not have any religious ties to it,” he stressed.
Jeffers is no stranger to the foreign press and has been photographed with several dignitaries including Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. 
“I believe that the time has come for us to have a centre where artistic youths could come and learn crafts. There are people right now who can make mas for the next few years, but I am thinking 20 years from now.”
Jeffers can be reached at 492-4880

By Sateesh Maharaj 

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21 Questions with Crystal Aming

I value loyalty in both my male and female friends Crystal Aming is the daughter of Carnival great, Neville Aming. In 2011 she will celebrate a decade of solo Carnival design with her designs being part of Young Upwardly Mobile Adults' (YUMA's) Carnival 2011 presentation — Zodeak. A proud mother, Aming hopes to pass on her creativity to her loving son who, along with her father, continues to be her source of inspiration. In addition to Carnival costume design, Aming also flies with Caribbean Airlines and freelances in costume design for other events. Most recently, one of her designs helped international model Daphne Narveaz, who also modelled for YUMA, cop a final spot in a swimsuit competition in Las Vegas. Crystal took a few moments out of her hectic schedule to answer this week's 21 questions.

1. What quality do you like most in women?

Confidence... Not to be confused with arrogance or ignorance.

2. Your happiest moment?

The first time my son said "Mummy I love you" without me saying it to him first.

3. Your secret fear?

Shouldn't that be kept a secret?!?  Hahaha!

4. Which living person do you admire the most?

My mummy... Her humility & selflessness is amazing. I love you mummy.

5. What quality do you value most in your friends, both male and female?

Loyalty.

6. What is your greatest extravagance?

Shoes

7. The place you would most like to visit before you die?

Tahiti... & I have to be specific... One of those glassbottom bungalows in the middle of the ocean... With the right company of course.

8. What is your favourite journey?

The one I walk every day ... Motherhood and the creative process.

9. What advice would you give to people wishing to enter your field?

As a Cabin attendant — there is an entire world out there... Go see it and as a designer — be inspired by any & everything & go for it!

10. What is your current state of mind?

Anxious and focused — The reveal of our 2011 costumes is August 8th (today). I'm focused on showing our work to the world!

11. What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Stupidity or close-mindedness.

12. What is your greatest joy?

My son Shine... Can you tell I love my son.

13. What is your biggest turn-on in a man.

Apart from the physical attributes, I'd have to say conversation and humour... He has to stimulate me mentally and make me laugh.

14. What is your guilty plessure?

Did I mention shoes already?

15. What is your lowest depth of misery?

Being broke

16. What is your pet peeve?

Bad manners

17. What do you get complimented about the most?

My smile or my skin... People seem to love my complexion.

18. When was the last time you cried?

A few days ago... I need a good cry every now and then... It's my cleansing.

19. What was the first thing you did this morning?

Hit my snooze button like three times.

20. What do you consider your most cherished virtue?

My generosity... Nothing is ever too much for me to give.

21. If you had one personal wish which you alone can benefit from hence world peace etc is not applicable?

To win the lotto... That would be so liberating!


source

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Exploring the Business of Carnival at UTT

Pretty Sarva Rickhi stands outside the National Academy for the Performing Arts
 (NAPA), before the start of Nache, the recently held East Indian dance festival.
Photo: Edison Boodoosingh

The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) will host This Business of Carnival: Past, Present and Future, the first in a series of symposia which will address the business aspect of Carnival. This conference will explore Carnival’s impact in strengthening the creative sector of the economy, highlight career paths which are linked to the festival and review the challenges, as well as the opportunities, which are inherent in Carnival.
The three-day symposium will look at the growth and development of the national festival and particular attention will be given to its viability and sustainability. This Business of Carnival: Past, Present and Future takes place at the UTT Campus, at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) on June 21-23. Participants will be exposed to thematic offerings, such as, Developing Our Cultural Stock, Building the Creative Economy and Strengthening the Future. Participants are asked to pre-register. Call 642 8888/ 223-4888 Ext No 27100, 27101 or 27122 for further details."
Trinidad Guardian

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IRON BABY

IRON BABY from Patrick Boivin on Vimeo.
An Iron Man movie parody starring my baby girl!

Genesis Band Launch: 27:5:2010

So Genesis are celebrating 30 years of mas this year and their launching the season tonight with a presentation called 'Carnival Couture'. According to their invite the theme is Cyber Tribe "based on four characters, which are a fusion of the Great Watusi tribe of Uganda and the legacy of the majestic Egyptian gods and goddesses designed by carnival couture designers Symone Williams and Emily Greaves."

So  there you there you have it couture mas........
 Now this band has been around for a while and it will be interesting to see what  this mas is going to look like I like the sound of it ...what I can understand of it... I guess time  will reveal all...

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Rosalind Gabriel...After the mas

Rosalind Gabriel is the undisputed champion of kiddies Carnival. Her elaborate presentations have captured the Band of the Year title for 14 consecutive years, this year being the most recent. “I feel real good about it. I don’t set out to build productions with prizes in mind, I do my best because I love the culture, I love to make children happy with what they wear,” she said when WomanWise contacted her. For years, children’s carnival has surpassed the adult version in terms of creativity and beauty. Gabriel, whose work is often used in events outside of Carnival, has been leading the charge, creating costumes that are elaborate, colourful, and true to her various themes. Her penchant for ornate costumes is a direct influence of the mas she grew up watching. “I grew up on 28 Stone Street, Corbeaux Town as they called it, and when I was little all the mas passed on Ariapita Avenue. All the children ran to the corner to see the bands when they passed; George Bailey, Harold Saldenah, those icons,” she recalled.

Her strict family upbringing didn’t allow for playing mas but thanks to her husband Norman, she was introduced into the world of mas making. “When we were courting, he was friends with Wayne Berkeley and we used to go the mas camp and help him build mas.” Gabriel, 61, has worked with many other bandleaders, among them, Peter Minshall, Steven Lee Heung, and Cito Velasquez. When she had her first child, Gabriel didn’t hesitate to immerse him into the experience she was allowed to watch growing up. “I put my son in mas from the age of two and when he was seven I made his first individual costume. When my last child was 13 and her days in junior mas were coming to an end, I decided to put out my first band with the encouragement of Lil Hart,” she said. In 1989, Gabriel’s first band hit the road in the medium category under the title, Court of the Mythical Fire Opal. Gabriel has long upgraded to the large band category with over 200 masqueraders and since 1996, has dedicated her presentations to local themes.

The bandleader has been responsible for many firsts. Her band was the first children’s band to compete on Carnival Monday and in its very first year in 1994, won the Band of the Day title. Gabriel repeated the win up until 1998. When the adult bands complained, the National Band Carnival Association (NCBA) was forced to create a new rule in 1999 that stated for a children’s band to be judged in an adult competition there had to be two adults in costume to every child. “Joanna Humphrey used to design the band and Helen and John Humphrey encouraged me to go out on Carnival Monday. They said mas is dead on a Monday we should bring out a band. It worked well and eventually, years later, I started doing it on a Tuesday. This year we had our first alliance with Best Village and we came second in the medium category, I was thrilled,” she said. Gabriel’s band was also the first to have its own music truck. While the average kiddie’s band relies on DJs placed along the routes, Gabriel felt having her own music would allow her to keep the clean, family-type atmosphere her band is renowned for.

“Parents gravitate to the band because of the rules and regulations in place, no alcohol, playing of clean music. It’s a challenge to keep the music clean, we usually have to take tunes from other years,” she said. It’s those factors as well as her passion for Carnival that Gabriel believes contributes to her success. “I never really thought about the band or the mas as a business. I would start a costume from scratch and do it over if it’s not to my liking. Because of my reputation for good costuming I would not put something on the road I am not happy with,” she explained. “The theme is important to me, it must be nation-building and educational. Now that we have emerged in adult mas I am looking for a theme that has a deep meaning and costume of the standard I do for the children,” said Gabriel who is already in planning mode for 2011. Bringing out a band is not without its challenges and Gabriel believes the challenges have increased in recent years. “In the last three years, the skilled labour is really hard to come by. Before there were a wealth of people coming to your doorsteps asking for employment but those days are gone and the few people you do get you have to hold on to,” she said.

As a person who came out of an era when costumes were made from scratch, Gabriel is also critical of the new trend of importing costumes. “I think it is causing the artisans we do have to not do what they did before. It will hamper the creativity and it causes everything to look the same. I do not believe there is a care for the culture by some bands I like to call moving parties. They aren’t selling costumes to enhance our culture, they sell a partying experience, they don’t have a thought to help the culture along the way,” she said. Since advocates for bikini mas like to justify their arguments with comparisons to Brazil, Gabriel said people need to look behind the floats where half-naked samba queens ride. “Look behind the float, you would see real costumes with creativity. We have taken the skimpiest of Brazil, which is the minority there and made it the majority here. In adult mas, the party bands have reached; I don’t think we can’t get any worse with lack of identity. You cannot tell the difference between those bands and to my horror I learned there is a company in Miami making headpieces,” she said, stating that in other islands there is a mandate that a certain percentage of the costumes be made in those countries.

Gabriel is also critical of the congestion experienced on the street on Carnival Tuesday. Like Brian MacFarlane, her band waited five-hours before reaching the Savannah stage and she blames bands that went off-route to cut in front of other bands. “We go through the same problem year after year. I think we need a lot of help and a lot of planning,” she said. Still, despite the problems, Gabriel is an optimist who believes Carnival can never die. “I am the supreme optimist and I do not believe, they may try, but nobody can kill our Carnival. It won’t happen.”

source Trinidad Guardian

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