IslandMix - Soca, Reggae, Zouk and Caribbean Entertainment

I was looking for this article since the talk of picking a costume started followed by those bemoaning the prevalence of bikini and beads.

Defending The Bikini
Posted: 6/11/2002 10:08:07 AM

Every year it gets more difficult to distinguish which masquerader belongs to which Carnival band: the women wear jewel-and-bead encrusted bra tops with beaded belts covering bikini bottoms, and feather-optional headpieces, while the men flaunt their muscles in barely-there boleros or bandoliers, and shorts. Just different colours, of course, to indicate which one of the larger popular bands the beautiful people will be chipping in: Harts Carnival, Poison, Legends, Barbarossa.

Whatever happened to the craft? Where are the bats, midnight robbers, minstrels and fancy sailors? The jab-jabs and Dame Lorraines? Where have the traditions gone?

We move with the times, respond the bandleaders, and most of all, we are business men and traditional mas does not sell. However, a vibrant few plan to weave tradition into the choices offered a savvy 21st century mas-playing public.

Consummate masman Peter Samuel, together with designer Brian MacFarlane, is producing an unusual section for Barbarossa’s Untamed this year. In earthy tones without beads and sequins, and modelled after the indigenous wear of the Papuans, Samuel believes there’s a market for these costumes.

“Someone told me that they were very Minshallite (after Peter Minshall), and I said to them, ‘So what? That’s a big compliment.’ I’m not giving up. For years our children’s Carnival has been far superior to ours, it’s like chalk and cheese. I cater for the older person who wants to play but can’t in a two-piece. But the younger and fitter people have also responded positively. There are about 10,000 people in total who used to play with Minshall and Wayne Berkeley. But where are those people now? They don’t have anywhere to go.”

Samuel insists that these masqueraders don’t participate because they don’t want to wear bikini and beads, and there are few alternatives.

“I’m not against any bandleader who chooses to go with the bathing suit and beads, because they are businessmen, after all. But I find that any and everybody are calling themselves designers. They stick a bead onto a bikini, and designer! I know Carnival is commercial and so I can’t get vex, but please, give it some kind of thought.” He knows that his section will not sell out, and not only because of the type of offering. World events and the shortness of the season have also contributed to the slow sales. However, Samuel thinks that his trend will catch on.

“I’m doing it this year, and the next,” he says. “People may not know about us now, but next year we’ll attract more. We’ve lost that creativity. I don’t find that a woman walking down the street in a bathing suit attractive. Take that suit and add a sheer wrap or a skirt with a little slit. Leave something to the imagination, and that's sexy.” In contrast to Samuel’s more-is-sexy, Legends’ honcho Mike Antoine wants to move the craft forward and is convinced that the bikini mas is where we are now.

“Swimsuits are sexy and that’s what the masquerader wants,” he says. But this has not stopped Legends from paying tribute to the past in their 2002 presentation Nostalgia. Sections are loosely based on pioneers of the craft both in costume design and music. Edgar Wylie, the most famous batman of them all, can be found in a modern interpretation with silky wings and beads, “Wylie’s Legacy,” there’s also the “Tamboo Bamboo” rhythm section, and one of the oldest Port of Spain steelbands “Blue Diamonds”. Antoine is a businessman.

“You have to be smart. It’s a short season and though we’re not sold out, we are on track. We cater for 2,500 to 3,000 masqueraders, and traditional mas just does not have the money. What gone, gone.” Over at Harts Carnival mas camp, public relations officer Zarna Herrera says that while their masqueraders dictate the shape and form of their costumes, “we are not ruled by them”. Designer Gerald Hart prefers doing inventive productions but once again, people shy away from too much. “Last year I tried sections with capes and full masks and although people wore it, they grumbled. I know that if I do that every year, people would leave us. They do want something different to the braid and beads, but they don’t know what,” Hart admits.

He explains that the cost for traditional costumes with rich fabrics like velvet and brocade would be very expensive, and Herrera added that most people who play with them are into “looking good and freeing up”. And it’s not only young fitness freaks who look forward to a good time.

“There’s a couple, Granny and Grampa Gomez, who has been playing with us for years, and they are 85 years old.” However, the costume is modified to suit Mrs Gomez' sensibilities.

This is the tenth anniversary of Hart’s mother Lil’s death and the presentation this year, Latin Fire, is a tribute to her Venezuelan heritage. But once again, as with every bandleader who makes a living solely from Carnival, money is the deciding factor on what goes.

Latin Fire has sold out its 21 sections.

__________________
"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!"

Here's my shilling ...please add allyuh own if you like.

I'm not ashamed to say I like the "bikini and beads" I like being "sexy" if it's only for 2 days before I go back to my mundane life. I like to free up in the streets without the restriction of plenty fabric. Sure I would like to know the meaning behind the costume I'm wearing but would I really care once that hot Trinidad sun hits my face and I don't have to worry about anything at all? Would I really care what local celebrity is in my section once I'm liking mehself in the costume I paid my hard earned money for?

So while I appreciate the contributions of the Real Mas men like Minshall I will play in my bikini until I am ready for something "deeper" in my mas experience.The Real Mas and Bikini Mas IMHO both have their place in Trinidad and Tobago Carnival as much as Soca and Calypso. That's what make it special.

__________________
"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!"

YOUR ON THE BALL AGAIN SHANDY THEY DO BOTH HAVE THERE PLACE AT THE END OF THE DAY IN TRINIDAD AND EVERY ONE HAS THE FREEDOM OF CHOICE, HOWEVER THERE IS ALWAYS THE FEAR OF CULTURE BEING LOST AND MAS AS A MEANS OF CREATIVE EXPRESSION,OR AS A CREATIVE SPRIT.......A FORM OF COLLECTIVE CONSCIENCE BEING LOST.

WE AS A PEOPLE MUST HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT OURSELFS AND THE WORLD WE LIVE IN, IN OUR OWN LANGUAGE IE MAS AND MUSIC.
IF ALL WE HAVE TO SAY TO EACH OTHER IS "JUMP AND WINE" OR "LOOK HOW SEXY I LOOK AND FEEL" THERE IS A CHANCE THAT THAT IS ALL WE WILL EVER SAY LEAVING NOTHING FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO LOOK AT AND MARVEL,TAKE REAL PRIDE IN,AND TELL THE WORLD LOOK US ,WE ARE NOT JUST SUN SEA AND SEX, CRIMEAND KIDNAPPING WE ARE CULTURE, CIVILISATION AND HIGH ART AND MENTAL EVOLUTION, YOU HAVE HOLLYWOOD WE HAVE WOODBROOK YOU HAVE ATHENS WE HAVE THE SAVANNAH.

THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION OF T&T IS AFRO AND INDO 2 OF THE WORLDS MOST HISTORICALLY CREATIVE PEOPLE, AND WHEN THE DESENDANTS OF THESE 2 TRIBES AND THERE COUSINS,(ALL THE OTHER RACES AND MIXES) COME TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE THEIR VERY PRESENCE ON THE PLANET THEY SHOULD HAVE A GREAT DEAL MORE TO SAY THAN JUST, I WANT TO BE FREE,
(YOU ALREADY ARE) ITS CARNIVAL.

PHEEEEEEEW :)

Don't forget "You have NYC we have POS"

WHEW is right NEO....:p

But I believe the culture won't be lost unless we let it. Though I choose to wear my dressed up bikini I make it a strong point to tell people that there is alot more to Trinidad carnival than sex, sea and sun. They ask me questions I tell them how it is and at the end of our conversation they are like "Wow, I didn't know there's more" So we have to be diligent(sp?) in promoting our culture.

While there is a prevalance of bikini bands some bands, like Barbarossa for example are trying to put the storytelling back into the mas and not just leave Peter Minshall to do it all by himself. You may be surprised who will follow the trend later on.

__________________
"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!"

Hi, i know I this is digging way, way back in the vault, but perchance, do you know where I could find the original of that article?

I'm freezing muh ass up in England now, doing my master's at the University of Warwick and I doing an essay on creativity and temporary networks, looking at the industry of carnival. I did a google search on bikini bands and carnival and lo and behold, it brought me back to islandmix... which I'm a member of anyhow- small world!

So for the purposes of referencing and ting, anyone know where this article came from originally? I've been googling some of the terms in it, but I keep ending up back here. so...help?

hmmm .. I did a simple search and found this
http://www.islandevents.com/society_...icle_274.shtml

Thank youuuuuu!

I think all the beautiful ladies that participate in Carnaval should post there pictures here and that way they can feel sexy all year around.