Day 13, 14 & 15/365…

If you’ve been following my 365 project, you’d have realised that I didn’t post anything on Saturday, Sunday or Monday (its early Tuesday morning as I type this).

Well, its Carnival time… and I went to my first Carnival fête: St Mary’s College All-Inclusive (read an interesting review of the 2008 edition of the fete here).  An “all-inclusive fête” is a Carnival fete where everything you need is included in the price.  You get as much as you can eat and as much as you can drink, as long as stocks last.  The fêtes usually go strong for as much as 10 hours… some start as early as 4pm… and they go ’til after midnight in some cases.  St Mary’s is my alma mater, and I usually attend the fete.

In lieu of my lack of photos, here’s a video I recorded of a performance at the fete: Kes the Band featuring Nadia Batson who sings with them as their female lead, although she’s an artiste separate and apart from the band.

Enjoy.

Trinidad Carnival 2009 Part Deux

Hey, folks… here’s the second part of my 2009 Carnival picture collection.  Like I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I wasn’t out for very long on Carnival Tuesday, and for a short time I had the bad luck of being caught in a bad position when a great band was making its way across the stage… I was facing the sun.

Anyway, I didn’t let that deter me from the mission at hand… which was to capture a little piece of the bacchanal that is Carnival to share with you.

The bulk of the pix are from the band Legends, led by Big Mike and his partner Juliette.  The rest are from Trevor Wallace.

Most of these were taken on Ariapita Avenue in Port of Spain, close to the NCC Judging point at Adam Smith Square.

Peace and Rice,

jw

Generation Lion Jouvay

After a five year leave of absence, I decided to play J’Ouvert (pronounced “joo vay”) again this year.

[Go Trinidad&Tobago]

Each year at 4 am on Carnival Monday, Carnival begins under a cloak of darkness. Fuelled by exhilaration and the energetic rhythms of soca music, revellers take to the streets for the predawn party of J’Ouvert.

J’Ouvert from the French ‘jour ouvert’ or ‘day open’ is almost ritualistic in its celebration of the darker elements of the island’s folklore and history. Bathed in chocolate, mud, oil and paint, bands of revellers depict devils, demons, monsters and imps. Choose your medium of expression; J’Ouvert is a time for loosening of inhibitions.

via TRINIDAD & TOBAGO – Carnival.

I chose to play with “Generation Lion”, a band fronted by an old schoolmate of mine, Rubadiri Victor.  “Generation Lion” is the title of a magazine he produces which highlights Trinidad and Tobago’s social, cultural and sporting groundbreakers.  Its the largest glossy magazine in the Caribbean (its usually over 300 pages long), and its in its 4th printing.

Here’s some of the action I encountered on the road…

I’m on my way to get some more Carnival pictures… see you soon!

Peace and Rice,

jw

Queen Lightfoot

She had a really pretty costume.  I don’t think my camera did it justice.

The people who design and make these Carnival costumes are really talented.  With all that you see on her, she was still able to move around as vigorously as anyone else.

Taken on Charlotte Street, whilst her band awaited their turn to cross the Savannah stage.

Peace and Rice,

jw

Boo !!!

Red Indian masquerader playing himself for the camera on Carnival Tuesay 2008.

Charlotte Street, Port of Spain.

Peace and Rice,

jw

Life Imitating Art

I was taking a picture of this piece of graffiti when this man walked across my shot, practically ‘shadowing’ the painting on the wall…

Midnight Robber

Midnight Robber on Carnival Tuesday.

The Chinese decals and symbols you see on his left are all part of his portrayal.

The band was protesting the burgeoning and growing influence of China in everyday Trinidad and Tobago life.

Ladies in Waiting…

Masqueraders from Brian MacFarlane’s 2008 Carnival Band.

Trinidad is My Land…

…and of it I am proud and glad.

The Mighty Sniper: “Portrait of Trinidad.”

I took this shot on Carnival Monday, 2008.

Bedazzling…

Back of a Carnival Queen’s costume… Was on the Avenue at the time.