Carnival!

The Carnival on Trinidad is the perfect example of a combination of two very different cultures that has been highly successful. In essence, it is a European masquerade combined with drumming and calypso music, and then taken up several notches.

Carnival is a huge event in the Caribbean. It takes place on Trinidad some time in late February or early March, just before Lent. There are three main components, without which it would not be Carnival, calypso, steelpan and playing mas (masquerade). Carnival is a five daylong celebration where most of the activities are centered on music, often steelpan. It starts on the Friday before Lent and runs until Tuesday so that people will be ready to settle down for Ash Wednesday and Lent. I believe this celebration happens because in Europe in the Renaissance the Catholics were getting the sin out of their system before they would became strict about what they did and what they ate for Lent. This is the same reason we have Mardi Gras in New Orleans every year. The French and other Europeans brought over their pre-Lent celebrations when they colonized the Americas. The African slaves they brought with them also readily adopted these celebrations as a chance to have fun and not be constantly scrutinized by their owners. The Africans, who often used them for celebration, were the one to incorporate drums into Carnival.

Although it is not the reality, the main theme of Carnival is unity, which is achieved through participating in bands and dressing up in costumes and other such things, and escaping reality for a bit. Carnival is a time to be crazy, wear costumes you would never think of wearing any other time, and dance and act like you are crazy. The ideal of unity comes from the country as a whole. T&T's motto is “Together we aspire, together we achieve”. The five-day celebration of Carnival is a time to give up stereotypes and just enjoy life and the people around you. Carnival is somewhat paradoxical though because it is also about intense competition. The people that win those competitions are even rewarded with the possibility to travel the world showing off their talent.

Carnival and steel pan competitions are also about showmanship and branding oneself. They function much the same way sports and music work together in this country. We associate certain songs with certain types of sports and also certain types of people. In Carnival, the best bands gain status and power within their community and sometimes even the world. For many people in the Caribbean, Carnival is about a lot more than just letting go of inhibitions.

Music is central to Carnival because it provides both the background and the stage. It is both the beat behind the festivities and the center of attention throughout. The people of Trinidad and Tobago make Carnival a fun and crazy experience for anyone brave enough to go, and it is the model for many Carnivals all over the world.

Citation:

Trinidad Carnival." Carnaval.com Entry Page.

http://www.carnaval.com/cityguides/trinidad/trincarn.htm

(accessed March 31, 2010)

Images:

http://www.definitivecaribbean.com/Images/smoothgallery/Trinidad/Pan-Player.jpg

http://rf-photography.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/carnival-3_lo.jpg

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2007/0702/trinidad_postcard0222.jpg