Trinidad Carnival 2012
Trinidad’s Carnival started in the 1800s as masquerade balls held outdoors, which had elements of European, African and Indian cultures fused together. Today, Trinidad’s Carnival is an entire SEASON of events that begin immediately after Christmas and end right before Lent (on Ash Wednesday). On Carnival Monday and Carnival Tuesday, the city of Port of Spain comes alive with an EXPLOSION of ENERGY, VIBRANT COLORS and huge trucks playing the latest and greatest SOCA, CALYPSO and STEELPAN music! Visitors and Trinbagoians alike are all enjoying themselves, smiling from ear to ear, dancing and “Freeing up” in the SPIRIT of Carnival! Trinidad is the MOTHER of ALL carnivals! You haven’t LIVED until you’ve experienced “THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH!” And the BEST way to have the ultimate Caribbean Carnival experience
There is also children's carnival day on Sunday. You will see amazing costumes during this period. My advice would be to make sure you take your walking shoes. Have plenty of water and a mobile phone as you may get lost with your group. This happened to me and wish I had a phone or arranged a meeting place. The carnival is a big route and procession is around Port Of Spain area. I would say get to Trinidad early two weeks before so you can try you costumes if you decide to play in the carnival. The prices are reasonable for playing carnival it’s a two day package which includes your costumes, breakfast, lunch, snacks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The popular bands like Bliss,Tribe.Mcfarlne need to book early around August the year before as it is very difficult to get in, hence arriving two weeks before carnival starts you can shop around for carnival bands and try the costumes. My wife played in the band and loved it.
J’ouvert is also poplar this is Monday event. J’ouvert or Jouvay is at the heart of Trinidad carnival, and is also celebrated in other Eastern Caribbean islands. The name J’ouvert originates from the French jour j'ouvert, meaning day break or morning, and signals the start of the bacchanalia that is Carnival.
Jouvert is highly traditional and full of symbols culture and heritage. It is steeped in tradition and playing mud mas involves participants known as Jab Jabs. covering themselves – from head to toe – and others in paint, chocolate, mud, white powder or anything for that matter. It is J’ouvert custom that everybody gets involved and it’s common to see a newcomer being hugged by a muddy revellers.
This traditional part of Carnival starts at around 2 in the morning and finishing after sunrise. Calypso and soca music are the dominating sounds of J’ouvert in Trinidad the mass of revellers takes the street party winning and chipping their way to the savannah in Port of Spain in the early hours of Lundi Gras, before the daytime carnival parades. The roots of J’ouvert in Trinidad go back 200 years, with the arrival of French plantation owners. The French never colonised Trinidad, however elements of their culture remained. J’ouvert evolved from the Canboulay festivals in the 1800’s, which were night time celebrations where the landowners dressed up and imitated the negres jardins (garden slaves). Following emancipation the newly freed slaves took over canboulay, now imitating their former masters imitating them.
Canboulay revellers, who carried lighted cane torches, were seen as a potential risk by the authorities, and the tension mounted leading to the Canboulay riots. It was eventually banned, and then was re-established as J’ouvert. The spectacular costumes represent characters and events from the history and folklore. Moko Jumbie Bats, Bookmen, Baby dolls, jab molassie, devil mas are all traditional Carnival characters that capture the elements of the past, and continue to tell the story.
Wednesday after carnival is known as cool down day which means going down to Marcas Beach for beach party and eating shark and bake the local food. Relaxing after two days of carnival. Local food is Doubles: Curried channa (chickpeas) sandwiched between two baras (fried flour and split pea bread), usually eaten with a dollop of hot mango kucheela,
Roti: A flour wrap, accompanied by curried meat (goat, chicken, lamb, beef, shrimp) or vegetables. Dhalpouri roti made with split peas, is a thin wrap; paratha roti (often called buss-up-shut) is served in fragments, used to scoop up the accompanying dishes; sada roti is slightly stiffer, usually served with choka – vegetables sautéed Indian style. Shark and bake: Fried leavened bread (bake) filled with a well-seasoned shark fillet, dressed with a variety of spicy condiments, including pepper, garlic, and chadon beni (cilantro) sauces Souse: Pig trotters boiled and served cold with a salty sauce of lime, cucumber, pepper and onions. Pastelles: Meat-filled corn dumplings cooked in banana leaves. Vegetarian variations are filled with soya or lentil peas Pelau: Pigeon peas and rice cooked with meat, sometimes flavoured with coconut milk. Local drinks- Carib beer, Mauby, Solo Snow Cone or Sno-cone: Shaved ice, syrups made from guava, pineapple or kola and, if you ask for it, delicious, sinful condensed milk. Not just for kids
My tips for carnival book early your flights, hotel and band. Make sure you have comfortable shoes, bring a camera, Have plenty of sun cream,and prepare to party 24 hours of the day. I am looking forward to going back to Trinidad again soon. I love the food especially Roti and Doubles plus Solo drink.