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06-24-2005, 07:41 PM

Carnival Tuesday.
Writer: Elsie Farrell

5 am Carnival Tuesday morning. Women are sashaying and spinning in front of their mirrors watching the beads on their costumes swing and sway. Turn to the left, smile, turn to the other side, swing your head up and fling your hair back. Time now to mutter your mantra. To shout your mantra. "Yes, I am beautiful, I am a goddess." On this day, it doesn't matter what creed or race you are, what colour or size. This is Carnival. When all the people become one.

Bands meet from as early as 7 am and full costume is required. As I head into Port of Spain I see thousands of cars coming from different directions packed with headpieces and banners, feathers and flags.

Ah! The music! The music trucks all seem to be belting out Shurwayne Winchester’s “Dead or Alive”. Somehow this song filling the air early Tuesday morning seems to be a sign of what to expect for the Road March.

I position myself to absorb the spectacle that will unfold before me. The music. The colour. The mas. This is the real competition day. Standing on ‘the drag’ of the Queen’s Park Savannah, I can smell Carnival. See Carnival. Hear Carnival. Taste Carnival. The sun scorches and is in absolute synchronicity with energy emanating from the revellers. What a wonderful, sexy day for playing mas, playing yourself.

As the bands line up to get on ‘the big stage’, security personnel stand in a line at the entrance, barring the masqueraders from moving onwards. This is the moment for which they have been waiting, and like horses at the starting gate, they push their way forward waiting with anticipation to be released. The security personnel step aside. Revellers rush onto stage jumping, wining, waving, gyrating, both arms in the air, heads flung back. The wildness has begun. It is exhilarating to watch them.

I head down to Ariapita Avenue to get to Adam Smith Square, another competition point. I see Brian McFarlane’s band “The Washing”. This is McFarlane’s first year in the Carnival arena with own band. He purges the land with white, white and more white. His presentation is stark and pregnant with meaning.

I see Tribe, one of the more popular bands this year. Their portrayal of Indian mas utilises every imaginable colour. Feathers are embellished, costumes are fringed and faces are painted. The women dominate this band as they do most. They bend backward and forward gyrating to the music’s rhythm. Again, Shurwayne Winchester’s song is playing…"Still we coming! Still we coming! 2005!” Looking onto one of the music trucks, I see a masquerader lying down on the floor. She is spent. Tired. Perhaps even drunk. Carnival Tuesday has been a long, hot day.

WITCO Desperadoes, one of the island's most prolific steel bands, pass across the stage with a cooling song. Hundreds of bystanders flock around the truck carrying the band, and chip down the avenue with them.

This is the most dizzying day of the year for ‘Trinis’. There is a sweetness that is so heady, so intoxicating, that just thinking of having to wait another 365 days for this wonderful, feverish feeling, makes most of us want to revel in the culture way into the night. Las Lap. Why stop the party now. No one wants this day to end. Its ending signifies back to ordinary, a pedestrian way of life.

For masqueraders Carnival represents a blessing of joy, laughter and freedom. It is a time to expose and celebrate the flesh before bidding it "farewell". As I head home in the darkness, I hear the remnants of pan music, a rhythm section and a tassa group. Cultures merge in a single unifying moment. Oh, how I love this country!

I absolutely LOVE IT!!

SAGAGYUL · 06-27-2005, 10:29 AM

Amen!!!

Shandy 2.0 · 06-27-2005, 10:31 AM

06-24-2005, 07:41 PM	#1 (permalink)
Trini Exhibitionist Guest Posts: n/a Credits: 0 [Check]	Carnival Tuesday by Elsie Farrell Carnival Tuesday. Writer: Elsie Farrell 5 am Carnival Tuesday morning. Women are sashaying and spinning in front of their mirrors watching the beads on their costumes swing and sway. Turn to the left, smile, turn to the other side, swing your head up and fling your hair back. Time now to mutter your mantra. To shout your mantra. "Yes, I am beautiful, I am a goddess." On this day, it doesn't matter what creed or race you are, what colour or size. This is Carnival. When all the people become one. Bands meet from as early as 7 am and full costume is required. As I head into Port of Spain I see thousands of cars coming from different directions packed with headpieces and banners, feathers and flags. Ah! The music! The music trucks all seem to be belting out Shurwayne Winchester’s “Dead or Alive”. Somehow this song filling the air early Tuesday morning seems to be a sign of what to expect for the Road March. I position myself to absorb the spectacle that will unfold before me. The music. The colour. The mas. This is the real competition day. Standing on ‘the drag’ of the Queen’s Park Savannah, I can smell Carnival. See Carnival. Hear Carnival. Taste Carnival. The sun scorches and is in absolute synchronicity with energy emanating from the revellers. What a wonderful, sexy day for playing mas, playing yourself. As the bands line up to get on ‘the big stage’, security personnel stand in a line at the entrance, barring the masqueraders from moving onwards. This is the moment for which they have been waiting, and like horses at the starting gate, they push their way forward waiting with anticipation to be released. The security personnel step aside. Revellers rush onto stage jumping, wining, waving, gyrating, both arms in the air, heads flung back. The wildness has begun. It is exhilarating to watch them. I head down to Ariapita Avenue to get to Adam Smith Square, another competition point. I see Brian McFarlane’s band “The Washing”. This is McFarlane’s first year in the Carnival arena with own band. He purges the land with white, white and more white. His presentation is stark and pregnant with meaning. I see Tribe, one of the more popular bands this year. Their portrayal of Indian mas utilises every imaginable colour. Feathers are embellished, costumes are fringed and faces are painted. The women dominate this band as they do most. They bend backward and forward gyrating to the music’s rhythm. Again, Shurwayne Winchester’s song is playing…"Still we coming! Still we coming! 2005!” Looking onto one of the music trucks, I see a masquerader lying down on the floor. She is spent. Tired. Perhaps even drunk. Carnival Tuesday has been a long, hot day. WITCO Desperadoes, one of the island's most prolific steel bands, pass across the stage with a cooling song. Hundreds of bystanders flock around the truck carrying the band, and chip down the avenue with them. This is the most dizzying day of the year for ‘Trinis’. There is a sweetness that is so heady, so intoxicating, that just thinking of having to wait another 365 days for this wonderful, feverish feeling, makes most of us want to revel in the culture way into the night. Las Lap. Why stop the party now. No one wants this day to end. Its ending signifies back to ordinary, a pedestrian way of life. For masqueraders Carnival represents a blessing of joy, laughter and freedom. It is a time to expose and celebrate the flesh before bidding it "farewell". As I head home in the darkness, I hear the remnants of pan music, a rhythm section and a tassa group. Cultures merge in a single unifying moment. Oh, how I love this country! I absolutely LOVE IT!!

06-27-2005, 10:31 AM	#3 (permalink)
Shandy 2.0 Married to Richard Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Where no one has gone before... Posts: 24,980 Credits: 41,525	__________________ "If u put a small price on ur value.. rest assure that the world wont raise ur price! Love U 2day!" ~ Rev. Run "If you keep believing in yourself and seek enthusiasm inside your soul, things will get simpler, more spontaneous." ~Paulo Coelho "Knowledge is like the wind, once you obtain it, you can go anywhere." ~Yellow Hare(Native-American Chief) Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says: "Oh Crap, She's up!"

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06-27-2005, 10:29 AM	#2 (permalink)
SAGAGYUL Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: LONG ISLAND Posts: 194 Credits: 129	Amen!!!

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