Here is the article taken from today's Trinidad Guardian:
Carnival costumes need a new look
BY CORDIELLE STREET
I have been patient with mas in T&T as few people have, but after waiting out approximately five band launches in a handful of weeks there is nothing left to do but sigh.
Having given up on masquerading quite some years ago, and I fully confess this mainly as a disclaimer for the ranting which will come, how impressionable and hopeful I remain still shocks this cynical heart.
I also find it necessary, unlike most women, to willingly put a figure to my age (but with a dash of reserve) only to emphasis the point that I am not a doddering masquerader unable to keep pace with the younguns.
With my twenty-something eyes and apparently aged spirit I perused the pre-offerings of Carnival 2007 and ask—Mas where have you gone?
For many beads and bikinis as most costumes are nowadays referred are the height of mockery for a festival that began itself as a mocking rebellion to our colonial rulers.
Yet, I have always given ear to the argument laid by staunch defenders of new bandleaders that they are giving the masses what they want.
Young women who fanatically diet and cram exercise bouts around district savannahs and exercise gyms into the two-month race to Carnival, do not plan on burying their sexy bodies under yards of cloth and pantaloons.
Fine, but what does that have to do with creativity?
And here comes the rant. What many young bandleaders today have not practised, and older bandleaders of yesteryear clearly have failed to pass on, is the absolute notion that Carnival is the pinnacle of creativity.
And all who have become legion to the festival must be worshippers at its altar.
Knock me if you like but it’s a criticism that I extend to all sectors that culminate at Carnival—so Pan Trinbago; Trinbago Unified Calypso Organisation (Tuco); National Soca Monarch competitors; National Carnival Bands Association (NCBA); National Carnival Development Fund (NCDF); and, National Carnival Commission (NCC), please take your share of the licks.
But, as I begin with mas I will stick with mas and forward the argument that the most devastating virtue we have imported from Brazil is not the skimpy bras, lowering brocade lines on bottom pieces or the staple thong costume that proves a constant problem for full-figured women.
We have taken to heart the redundancy of a festival meant to showcase Latin dancers and their dance schools and introduced it into a festival borne out of the blood, sweat and tears of freed slaves and the utter disdain of nonconformists.
What has mas become? Where are the portrayals? Where is the tongue in cheek mimicry of our hypocritical society? Where is the ingenuous play on fantasy worlds, fallen empires and such?
Where are the mas-queraders?
Now I’m not picking on the Tribes, the Island Peoples, the Pulse8s, Dream Teams, the Legacies and their ilk, fortunately for them I’ll not make a dent in their registrations as the masses continue to flock, fight and cry to get into their bands.
But, other long time mas men aren’t, doing much better by avoiding the beads and bikinis, just to fall into the trap of recycling past and often outdated ideas.
Neither am I being paid by traditionalists to tout the purity of ole time mas.
All I am crying for is a ceasing of the bastardisation of mas with portrayals of bikini-clad pierrot grenades, aimless but sexy wild Indians, token head pieces of feathers and shimmering cloth supposedly to represent Bedouin tribes in the Sahara and cocktail girls to serve who exactly?
Or we can continue with the “tiefing of meh costume from last year.”
Let’s start with a fresh idea in an ageless festival in the spirit of rebellion and I’m sure even beads and bikinis can be fashioned into an expression of creativity.
Is that just too much to ask? Somehow I believe it is.
12 comments:
Every year its the same old talk : Oh, Trinidad Carnival is only about beads and feathers.
If you're not one for beads and feathers - Join a band that don't offer it. Don't hate on other cause of their preference. Jus DO YOU.
I agree. If Tribe, IP, Harts,Dream Team, Pulse 8 and Legacy are the "bikini and beads bands" she can take a look at Trevor Wallace,2 Hai Quai,Trini Revellers, Masquerade, Genesis,2 Peas in a Pod among others (since there are lots of small and medium sized bands that do "clothed" mas). I think 2007 Carnival has produced lots of variety for masqueraders to suit all tastes, age groups and body types. And as bagogyul said, the bikini has been around a LONG time. My mother played in hot pants and bathsuits back in the day as well.
this is all down to a generation thing on one hand she says costumes of today are ideas of years before then she saying where the creativty of carnival gone its just the same as music and life things change things progress and take on a different outlook and in mas that is the same story weather in beads cloth or dam ass naked the ritual of playing mas is what is still alive and the meaning of carnival will never die for me i get dutty for jouvert and that is a ritual and as traditional as i get after that i like to play my mas there is so much choice out there these days saucy names alot of them but for those who like to cover lets not forget mac farlane and mr minshall i think people should stop getting caught up in all this pretty mas verses traditional cover up mas and except that mas is mas!!!!
hello...thank you saucy!
it have a band for everyone.....
when i reach a point in my life that i want to jump up in Minshallesque costumes...i shall!
HOW could I forget Mc Farlane..thanks masquerade!
Saucy, just testing your comment screen. I switch ove rto blogger beta and it doing shite!
Right, I fix up.Carnival has a band for everybody. I doh know why the author getting on like she have no options or alternatives. If she wanted a costume she could get a costume.I feel (I SAY "I" NOT "YOU")that her problem is that all the "hot" bands everybody running down that I sure her same friends playing in does not have a costume that suits HER as an individual. I don't know about allyuh but to me I see PLENTY girls with size wearing the same costume (and bikini) as meagre dong me!PPL might say they look good or not but the point is those girls were comfortable enough with themselves and their body image to go down the road. So the author should com eto terms with her own body image issues.
I admit, "tru mas" potrayal has declined greatly in the past 20 years or so.And that is unfortunate, but the author needs to deal with reality. The younger generations don't see Carnival as a means of portraying a character or telling a story. For them its about wining, partying, drinking and having fun with your friends. You doh need plenty costume to do that. I think it would be good to resurrect more old mas as much as the next Carnival Jumbie but at the same time, I like my bikini and beads (that is what I know).So for now, I won't be the one doing it..at least not until I retire the bikinis at 50.
I must give TRIBE hand for at least attempting to integrate the old and new. Legacy also is up there in bringing an all indian band.
Sauce, yuh spell Cordsy name wrong. Is Cordelle.
I think I have to take issue with what the author has to say about Brazilian mas'. Not only is their celebration and tradition steeped in the same kind of history as ours, but their costumes span a very wide range of styles, as do ours. People often associate Brazil Carnival with skimpy, feathered bikinis, but the vast majority of the masqueraders in their parades wear very elaborate and covered-up costumes. I've even seen some costumes that can be described as Minshallesque among them. Of course, they don't attract as much international attention as some slender young thing in a sequined thong and a bucket of body glitter.
The fact is that in Trinidad as well as Brazil, there are abundant costumes for people of every preference. I find that now more than ever, masqueraders have the option to go as naked or as covered as they wish, sometimes in the same band, or even in the same section. In my opinion, variety is certainly not lacking in the 2007 presentations I have seen so far, and there are still a few bands yet to launch.
p.s.
www.ipanema.com has some fabulous photo galleries of Brazilian Carnival
People often associate Brazil Carnival with skimpy, feathered bikinis, but the vast majority of the masqueraders in their parades wear very elaborate and covered-up costumes.
That's so very true. In several photos one will find the "Mothers of Carnaval" in exquisitely decorated get ups with broad sweeping skirts and mounds of jewelery. They do not get photographed as much as the taut, tan, pretty young things who are considered greater eye candy.
True words squeele and dolli.
"...the bastardisation of mas with portrayals of bikini-clad pierrot grenades, aimless but sexy wild Indians, token head pieces of feathers and shimmering cloth supposedly to represent Bedouin tribes in the Sahara and cocktail girls to serve who exactly?" (CS)
"I admit, "tru mas" potrayal has declined greatly in the past 20 years or so." (CJD)
Yeah, it's how mas is represented now by many bands that is uncreative.
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