Carnival - Port of Spain, Trinidad - February 1999

Carnival was good. We went out for J'ouvert (Monday morning 0200 - 0800) and got thoroughly smeared with mud in the many street processions around Port of Spain ("I make you de black man!" was one prelude to such a smearing ...).

Two J'Ouvert revellers smeared with mud enjoying the atmosphere and company

The processions all had loud music accompanying them. Sometimes it was steel bands on trucks and trolleys. Sometimes it was "de Sound Truck" a 40 ton articulated lorry loaded with genset, amplifiers and a big speaker system pointing forward, aft (very loud) and port and starboard; and sometimes just a bunch of people with rudimentary percussion instruments such as biscuit tins, car hub caps, kitchen graters etc.

Now three J'Ouvert revellers appear to be enjoying some spiritual refreshment!

I went out wearing shorts, shirt and sandals and came back wearing shorts sandals, turban, blue devils head-horns (made from cardboard) and being thoroughly coated with a variety of muds some of which had had a liberal inclusion of glitter. I had been careful however to avoid getting too closely involved with the groups smeared in black oil or perhaps paint. Such was the inclusion of glitter in the mud however that even after a good shower in the morning, I found that the glitter had spread around over my skin rather than washed off ! This was however quite appropriate for the next couple of days. Monday morning we got back to the boat (anchored off a club called TTYA (Trinidad and Tobago Yachting Association) at about 0900 and while the others went to sleep I did some washing before having a sleep and then we went out again in the afternoon.

Monday afternoon was a big contrast to Monday morning. There were some very impressive costumes on display - some so big that they were really decorated trolleys being pushed by a slightly decorated person, but we were glad that we had made the effort to go back since there was a definate change of look and mood compared to the morning session. Amongst some participants the change of look was to clean shirts which was a great contrast to the muddy bare-chested look which had prevailed earlier. There was judging of group costumes and group dance/music performances but it seemed relatively low-key compared to earlier that day.

Two of the previous revellers now dressed appropriately for Carnival Tuesday

The following day, Shrove Tuesday or Pancake day was however a big contrast again. This was the real climax that everything had been building up to. The streets were packed with bands of competitors in group fancy dress competition wildly gyrating, grinding and wining to their groups' sound trucks. The general volume level of the sounds were quite astonishing - really noticeable vibrations in your stomach and all through your body as you walked past the speaker systems. I thought of my deaf friend (and fellow ferro-cement boat owner) Alan Huntsman and thought that this might be a reasonable way for him (and his family) to experience music. There was a selection of only about half a dozen tunes that the sound trucks played from the SOCA genre. One was "When de River come marching by ...." to the tune of "When the Saints come marching by....". Another included the imperative "Get outa de way Man ! ". Another included " Put you hands in the air and Shake your rag ! Shake your rag !" , but generally the volume levels were so high and the bass so strong that the words were rather difficult to make out from the almost overbearing beat. Indeed I had fear for my own eardrums and had thought what a good idea it would have been to have had with me a pair of ear-defenders for those particularily loud moments when immediately forward or aft of a truck. I suppose that the trucks are set up like that to project their sounds up and down the streets to extend their audible influence as far as possible.

I walked past Port of Spain General Hospital to Memorial Square which was something of a lead up and marshalling area for the groups proceeding to the ramp stage between two grandstands at Queens Park Savannah. Memorial Square is a grassy square with railings but boxed in by roads all around on which were parked the groups and their sound trucks in audible competition with each other. It was a true cacaphony ! Further on the lead up route got a little more consecutive even if more crowded, but the groups were hard at work warming up for their display on stage where they would be judged. There was a group of youngsters on stilts (around 14-16ft high) who seemed to be doing a marvellous job of staying so tall for so young. Indeed some of them were getting tired in the hot sun and took a rest on a fence about 10ft high !

Some of the Barbarossa group preparing themselves for their moment of glory on stage

The groups progressed up a ramp on to the stage and there did their acts lasting typically half or three-quarters of an hour for which they were judged and then moved down a ramp on the opposite side to leave space for the following group. The police and security there had a hard job to police this event with the good humour which it deserved. There were a few mounted officers whose added stature gave them a little extra authority when needed. There was however no problem for well-behaved individuals to cross the stage between acts, but I did hear of the police having to round up certain zealous performers who were staying on stage well after their groups departure. After the exertions on stage there was a well placed "cooling down station" which sprayed a fine mist of refridgerated air and water droplets over a dozen or so people at a time.

From here there were several stategically placed refreshment stalls, selling a variety of food and drink. Coconuts and ice-cold soft drinks seemed to be favourites, although rotis, burgers and hot-dogs were also available. From here the bands progressed back into the town and the revelling continued well into the early evening. The progressions around the town seemed to be easing off a bit in the evening but I followed one band that progressed gradually past the Roxy roundabout and into the suburb of St James. Here the crowds were still heaving to the sounds and even though I left shortly after 10pm to make my rendezvous I understand that the crowd continued the celebrations well up to and past midnight !.

This certainly was a Shrove Tuesday to remember and if possible to be repeated in years to come !