It often surprises me to read negative comments directed to owners of Carnival bands who, by other’s estimation, are now flaunting their wealth gained by their profits from producing said Carnival Band. Listen, it is time to realise that Carnival is a business, hence the reason we have so many Mas Bands with a product for 2007 and even more trying to get into the market.Like any other business if you are a success at what you do then you will in turn benefit from a high volume of sales for your goods or services, but that success does not come without it’s own share or struggles, challenges and pitfalls. No one remembers you on your way up, but when you have reached the top suddenly everyone finds a reason to try and pull you down as if you have not earned the right to be there by merit.
Producing a Carnival Band is not an easy venture; producing a Carnival Band that consistently delivers a good product, stellar service where most of your clientele are not only satisfied, but become repeat customers as well as always bringing new ideas to the table to keep your product “fresh”, and customers satisfied is a very difficult job indeed!Thus, if the profits from Carnival can allow the owners and persons involved in the popular Mas Bands to quit their day jobs, why should that be a bother to you, the masquerader? Carnival is their business and when you are the owner of your own business it becomes a 24 hour job; and in order to make the business a success you have to devote 100 % of your time and energy into it.
So, it should come as no surprise that if they can afford to live on their Carnival earnings that they would no longer be employed in any other field. Do you think that producing a Carnival Band is not a real “job”? It is a real job, and one without pension benefits or guaranteed longevity. How many popular Mas Bands have come and gone over the years? Where are Barbarossa, Poison, Stephen Le Heung and Scandalus, among others, today? The money these bands make do not last forever, and thus what they make now has to support them in the future when and if the band no longer becomes a viable business. One of the most successful Mas Bands to date, is HARTS who has survived throughout generations being in the business for 47 years! Not every Carnival Band will be able to have this accomplishment.
And so what if after Carnival, the parties involved with certain Bands bought a new home, or a new car or even new breasts? Does Donald Trump not live in a gold gilded, penthouse apartment and threw a million dollar wedding to wife number three? Do all the people he sold real estate to get upset that they made him rich? Comments like these reflect the envy of persons towards others success and to that I say, if it bothers you so much, that after Carnival these Band owners are making a pile of money you have the power never to play with them again! If you think that their motivation is now greed and that is the reason why some costume prices have gone up by almost 100% in two years, no one is forcing you to play with any one band; there are bands that suit every age group, social standing, taste as well as budget!
I for one applaud people who are self made millionaires; contrary to what your parents told you when growing up, going to school, getting your degree and finding a good job does not always make you rich. So, those who have the guts to keep that goal in mind, work towards it and achieve it should be commended. Where were all the naysayers and critics when TRIBE and Island People started off in Poison with just a small section? Think about how much hard work, skill, foresight, planning and money, of their own they had to invest into these sections when they were fledgling to make it grow and become the entities that they are now.
I remember when Tisha, Marlon and Wyatt brought their first section in what was then Barbarossa, and saw them making costumes by hand, in that tiny mas camp in St. James, hustling to finish the job in time so that their masqueraders would be happy. Do you know how many years ago that was? Sandra Hordatt, who is also, now with Island People, was the costume designer. Seeing them now involved with Island People you would think they are newcomers on the scene, but they have already paid their dues over the years, more than you or I would ever know.
So when you see persons enjoying the fruits of their sacrifices and hard work years later don’t be resentful; I am sure that success did not come without a price. Ask yourself if you are able to do what they have done? If so then go ahead and bring a new band for 2008, then come back and tell me how easy it was! It is effortless for us on the outside looking in to give our opinions on how THEY should spend their money, or comment on the fact that so-and-so went to Germany for World Cup (by the way I know several people who went to Germany who are not even close to being millionaires). How do YOU think they should enjoy their achievement, what can they do to please YOU so that it would not irk YOU to see YOUR costume dollars at work giving them a better living?
At the end of the day, nothing these Band leaders do will please everyone. How many people participated in the Christmas charity drive put on by TRIBE last year? Do you even know they asked masqueraders to join them in providing toys to children for Christmas? Look, I don’t care that these people are good at their business and as a result are now rich; if I have helped them to become so it is only because of my choice. I have also helped many, many, many, many, many business owners in Trinidad become rich as well and you know what I do not begrudge them that!
They provide a service or product that I am willing to pay for, and at the end of the day if I wanted that to be me, I would get my ass up from behind this computer, take a risk, go out there, do what needs to be done, put in the hard work and sacrifices to achieve my goal for however long it takes, all the while hoping that my effort becomes a reward to me, seeing as so many new businesses do fail. But the fact that I am not doing that means that either I am content with the station of my life right now or I am scared to take that step. And, I cannot be envious of anyone who has been brave enough to do that, like I said before I applaud their courage and let them enjoy the spoils of that victory, they have earned it!
Saturday, November 11, 2006
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69 comments:
nicely said saucy!! definetly is a business. I can only imagine all the hard work they do - I know how hard it is just to prepare myself for the carnival season, imagine being incharge of getting a entire band ready.
People who are not business owners don't know how hard it is to start up and persist through the hard times,and believe me there are rough times!Your rewards are great,if you survive, but it is not something that is handed to you on a silver platter; it comes from the sweat of your own brow!!
Wow Saucy...where did that come from?! I didn't even know that people felt that way! I agree with you 100% though...why should whoever you are talking about not be allowed to spend their money that they earned; and if someone is upset about it, then just don't support it! Well stated Saucy!
"or even new breasts"..ROFL!!!!LOLOL! No comment!
It came from a comment left on my Thursday post "TRIBE Update"
The anonymous poster had this to say:
"Tribe and IP are probally both competing to be the biggest band on the road for 2k7. No way these bands are not completly sold out by now and its is pure greed that they operating from again. My sister from Trinidad was telling me several folks know and see how Tribe all their family members are now fully retired and one sister got a boob job. Allyuh carnival money going to make them richer than they all ready are."
Saucy, good blog.
This planet is full of strange people with strange points of view. Once we spend our money we are making somebody rich, somewhere. Point blank. How come no one complains about how we making the owners of the gorcery stores or the stores in the malls rich, or the owner of Movietowne and Caribbean Cinemas?! Come on, if we want to talk price, EVERYTHING these days overpriced, so is alot of business owners rich off consumers. I guess people don't associate bringing out a carnival band with legitmate business ventures like grocery stores......it is absolutely ridiculous not to.
I take issue with greed and people not understanding the concept of reasonable profits, but I have no problem with getting rich off of providing a product and doing a good job and being successful. And if you choose to spend your profits buying nice cars and going from a B to a DD cup....its all good.
People ought not be so cynical, if you don't like the product, don't purchase.....it's the power of choice that we as consumers have.
You want to talk overpriced Warrior, a STAG at Trotters is $15.00, I can get it at Hi Lo for $7.00. At the end of the day the choice is mine wheter I choose to pose off in Trotters sipping my $15.00 beer or if say, nah, buy it at Hi Lo and make a lime at home.
I think you hit the nail on the head that people are still seeing Carnival as something people should be doing as a labour of love. Yes, there should be some joy and staisfaction in creating costumes and bringing a Band, the ones who do it solely for profit are the ones who will not survive since you have to at least like any job you do to be a success,but at the end of the day it would be naive of us to think that bandleaders don't approach their "job" as a business, and one that makes them a profit come Ash Wednesday!
I think the backlash comes from what Carnival has become, taking the tradition & turning it into a massive party where you need lots of $$$$ to participate. Bc let's face it, Trinis want the best (look at the $$$$ all inclusive fetes) & to look the best (new designer outfit for every event) bc they care about image. So for a lot of ppl, it's not going to cut it anymore to play in a non a.i. band knowing there's a.i. bands offering you all you can drink premium liquors & air conditioned resting buses. People who complain look at these a.i. bands that charge what?, double or more what non a.i. bands do. Many people may see it (Carnival) getting out of hand, & worry, how long will it be before the traditional non a.i. bands give in & become a.i.? These bands see the competition, they realize what some ppl want... already some bands are slowly incorporating it in with an a.i. option or not. Some ppl complain about how it is now, bc it didn't used to be like that & the change worries them, bc they are afraid of what next? They may realize, soon I won't be able to afford to play mas, something I've always done, my family has always done, & it's a sad realization.
So that's how they communicate their fears & frustrations, to complain that the mas bands are getting rich off us. Business is business, most ppl recognize that. It's where this business has gone & where it's headed that some ppl are concerned about.
On an small island where the rich are blatantly rich & the poor so visibly poor, some ppl feel it's a shame that they've taken this most amazing festival, this incredible celebration, & emphasized the class division.
Karabana I hear you, but there are only 3 bands out of how many that are priced above average! You can get cheap costumes in Harts,Trini Revellers,Legacy, Genesis, Brian Mc Farlane and others as well as we have smaller bands like Image Nation who are providing cheaper costumes and an all-inclusive experience if you so desire. I always said there is a band for everyone and every pocket. Just because we only hear about TRIBE and IP does not mean bands liek Stephen Derek and Spahyre don't have their following as well.
I honestly see it as a class division like you pointed out;the blacks with money flock to Island People, the "local whites" play with Harts and the other "stoosh" people play with TRIBE.Poison was perceived as the band for everyone!Now this is not really the band's fault how they are perceived in the public eye. I have a friend who has never played with TRIBE and does not wish to do so because she says the people are too stuck up, now I play with TRIBE and she is friends with me but she cannot see past that (since I am not stuck up), she only sees her idea of what the band is like. Similarly with Harts, everyone sees them as the "white" band and don't even bother giving them a chance to see if they will enjoy the experience. The gap between the haves and the have nots in Trinidad extends itself WAY beyond Carnival.Every facet of society is touched by the fact that there is a divide between rich and poor.The haves have their babies at West Shore the have nots battle it out in the Port of Spain General hospital hoping they come out alive!
And, I know everyone talks about the tradition behind the mas, but even that has a dollar value! When Minshall, the guru of Carnival, came out from retirement to bring Sacred Heart this year it was not without controversy because it was alleged he was given $500,000.00 by the National Aids Coordinating Committee to fund his band!Here is a link to the article:
http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,34815.html
At the end of the day, no matter who you are, how much you love your culture and your history, you still have to eat and you are not going to pour your hard work into a band for free!
I do think the ppl who complain are worried the a.i. bands will take over, leaving them no choice but to play w them or not play mas at all. Noone likes to see that the grass is greener on the other side. Image is important.
& bc the classism in T'dad is so prevalent all the time, it's sad to see it in Carnival too, a time where all should be one. I don't believe the tradition of mas was to have all you can drink premium liquor & misting stations.
So let me ask you people something? What existed in the 30's and 40's? Where did midnight robber and the likes come from? What were the "bands" of long ago? Where are the "family" bands like MAVERICK from belmont? Why can't YOU go out there and play mas on your own? Why must you "belong" to a band? Can't you have your own all inclusive? Can't you have your own johnny walker black in a leather pouch? Can't you not make and design your own little costume with friends and parade parade behind a or any band of your choice? Don't you have $$$$ to buy your food and your drinks from the many bars and vendors?
do you know the tradition of mas??
No,the traditions were not that at all; but times and traditions changed as well. The individual characters that were part of Carnival in the earlys gave way to bands as we know it today, and from that we now have all-inclusive bands.But thinking that things will remain the same is like saying when we were young we would go out in the yard and play football, and now the kids these days playing football on a p/c or game console.Change is ineviatble!
But, that does not mean that that traditions are dead,you still see traditional mas on the Streets come Carnival Tuesday. I have seen Fancy Indians,Sailor Mas,Midnight Robbers and even Imps and Jab Jabs making their way, in small numbers, across the Savannah stage.
If "we" are so concerned with the traditions of mas why don't "we" form a band with profits NOT being a concern but love of carnival and all it contains? I not going and make a band and not get a dollar out of it, yuh nuts or what? yuh thing my name is stupidee?
Saucy, dais your hubby?
*sigh* dat is heself! The man want to play an individual character every year and say I infulence him to play "posh" mas so he venting :D
De man giving we a blow by blow ah he day yes. Tell him when we bring out we band he could play a individual
He say he go make he own costume and follow behind we band LOL.
Once he eh storming the drinks truck.
Well Hottie, my husband has this "brilliant" idea that he is making this costume that is part Midnight Robber,part Indian, part Blue Devil, with his own all-inclusive; that includes a motorized grocery cart with a portable stereo (music),cooler(drinks)and snacks/food all housed IN the cart. He will have his iced water in a misting bottle (cool zone)but unfortunately no air conditioned resting station!
So he will not be storming the drinks truck :D
LOL! LOL! I guess he has no need for a wee wee truck!
I guess so ! :D
well yes sauce, dah hubbie nut easy, I hope is 'hubbie making dinner' now, lol, and hellooo sexy hottie...xxx..and well written eh, here here *insert applause*!
LOL! I hope so too! He eh have no brother like to cook and iron? Hotboy, thanks for the compliment (bluch, blush). You could cook and iron?
Hottie d hubby does not cook, save the odd occasion when he makes me breakfast! I am the cook up in here, but I have never done laundry in my life and I eh shame to say it :D
HOTBOY WHAT DE COLE DOIN WID YUH UP IN LONDON ?
It wasn't so bad today on my side. How it was by you?
And I know is hotboy yuh was talking to but I answer one time
Wait, is hotboy first winter? De cold eh start yet. Yuh go hear him bawling come February so!
well it was bit overcast,with some rain but overall warm and sunny !
Steups... well lie and tell meh it flood nah
no,this will be his second winter; only thing is that he will be in Trinidad vacationing for part of December!
Sauce, very well stated. I say kudos to the people who are producing their own bands. Many of us dream of becoming millionaires. There are some of us who have the drive, passion and hunger and actively pursue that dream. These are people who can detect a niche for a certain type of service or product. They do their research (as anyone who has ever done marketing will know) and establish what the public wants or needs and then delivers a product to satisfy that need. Let's take TRIBE as an example. They had their section in Poison and identified a need and took it from there.
They became their own entrepeneurs(sp?), created a product and delivered on it. They identified a need and delivered. Voila! They have become successful. Do I begrudge them their success? No. Because I'm sure they were many sacrifices on their part to deliver this successful product. What many of us don't want to concede is that Carnival has now become a business. Carnival is evolving. Change is inevitable. Change is just like evolution. Nothing ever stays the same. TRIBE saw a need and satisfied that that need. And, by the success of their band, you can see that they are constantly doing their homework.
Don't tell me that everyone who brings a band is just doing it for the love of it. Let me take that back, yes there is a love, but the topping on the cake is that it's turning out a profit. The most successful people are the one who love what they are doing. We as a society are becoming more and more demanding and TRIBE is delivering on those demands.
TRIBE is no different from any other entrepeneur(sp?).
hottie I bawlin from now and I iz all purpose - cook, wash an clean, need any help? sauce d cole crack meh up and ah dreamin of hot hot sun.
Kevian said: "everyone have what they like leave us masquaraders alone." There you go Kevian. So ah go play meh Jab Molassie and wine meh bam bam without a care in the world.
LMAO Oh please it does not take a rocket scientist to produce a mas band that exploits people. How difficult is it to order a costume and mark it up to the tenth power. Give me a break they working one month tops out of the year and walking away with millions after carnival. It have enough people living in Trinidad that see where and how their money going to make Tribe family and the other band leaders richer than they already are and several have refuse to continue to be exploted base on principals and not feed into these folks greed to support their outragous lifestyles. It has nothing to with being jealous but when you see all the poverty in Trinidad. Enough folks were turned off when they so the prices for 2k7 and nobody could justify the increase in cost effectively! I am not swinging off these mas bands nuts with their overpricing $45.99 carnival costumes to pay for nobody fake boobs, BMW and million dollar mansions. Who vex lost!!!
please tell me anon how easy it is to bring a band, see me and Hottie planning on bringing a mas band for 2008 so if you can kindly direct us to where we can purchase the $45.99 (is that US?) costumes it will be much appreciated!!I find Necklemann's a tad expensive, last time I emailed them the prices were 3 times $45.99.And I have been searching high and low to find a website where I can get the costumes made in China...like I will have to take a flight to Beijing and hunt down these sweat shops!!What a dream, working ONLY one month out of the year and become a millionaire *ding!* *ding!* *ding!* *ding!* Have we been living under a rock?!!Mas is the new pyramid PEOPLE!!!!!!! Why more people not millionaires is beyond me!!!!
Hottie gyul,we will be millionaires soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saucy wern't you the one on island mix that was able to put together that crystal costume for under $100USD last year? So why you acting clueless all of a sudden. Of coarse if you ordering in bulk you should not expect to be charged the same retail price as a person ordering five - ten costumes. Therfore when they are ordering 3000 plus costumes you pay a wholesale rate. You guys are smoking some good stuff down in Trinidad if you can show me one costume in Trinidad for 2k7 that is as well hand crafted as Neckelmann's costumes. None of the current costumes in Trinidad are still not on Neckelmann's $200 retail level much less the overprice $500 price tag they now charging next year for carnival. They have already cut out the middle man and working directly with the folks in China.LMAO
FYI the costume I put together DID NOT cost $100.00US, let's be real here! The crystal bra alone was that price, if you check my archives you will see a post I did about Monday wear and I used the same pieces from Rain, I would think that costume came close to $400.00 - $500.00US total. I am certainly not acting clueless, just as you are not clueless in making a statement that it only takes one month of work to produce a mas band. We both know in reality that is not the case.
My point of this article is not to argue how much this costs or that costs or what it is worth; each person puts a dollar value on items they want in respect to what they value as being important.My point is that whatever these people have earned they did it by their own hardwork and merit, even though you don't want to admit it, they did not start at the level where they are now.So why be vex if they making the millions now, they are not putting a gun to people's heads and forcing them to play with their band!
Your friends are quite right in choosing not to support the band if they disagree with their prices; I for one no longer buy bread, I put my breadmaker to good use after the price of bread went up without justification. The power is with US, so stop blaming THEM for doing what they are doing! And why single out only mas bands,why not protest the fact that new cars are stripped of items they are shipped with like a/c and then car dealers make you pay extra for it, aren't we making them rich by paying exorbitant prices for new cars? Why not protest the fact that it is $20.00 for a small breafruit by Hi Lo, we making them rich too !!! Warrior like me said it best:
Once we spend our money we are making somebody rich, somewhere. Point blank.
My point is, why it bothering allyuh that TRIBE or Island People living large? If it huttin allyuh so much bring allyuh own band for Carnival and get in on the action instead of getting vex with the bandleaders for being very smart business people.And there are many other bands besides these two where allyuh could spend allyuh money and be happy.
If I want to swing off people balls and help make them billionaires in 2007 that is MY choice, doh let that bother you either!I eh telling nobody to follow me; at the end of the day I know how I making my money to indulge my Carnival enjoyment and I know what my Carnival experience is worth to me.
anonymous again...sigh. Saucy i doh know why you even entertain them. But they can't be serious to think that mas bands actually only work one month of the year. Well we know them is definitely not a rocket scientist!
p.s. here is the link to the archive on the Rain costume; check the prices yourself:
http://saucytrini.blogspot.com/2006/09/alternative-monday-wear-and-other.html
headpiece -115.00
http://www.sirenssecrets.com/lonrhincrysh.html
Bra-99.95
http://www.sirenssecrets.com/farhbra.html
Belt- 149.95
http://www.sirenssecrets.com/rhth1.html
Necklace-224.95
http://www.sirenssecrets.com/rhinestone51.html
That is a total of $589.85,or $3716.055TT not counting the bracelets,back pack or fan pictured in the costume:
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3540/3571/320/islandpeople_2k6_launch-094.jpg
If I remember the cost of the rain frontline was $5,500.00TT or a bit less.
diva it entertains me, and yuh see the blasted cable company can't come and change my box YET!!I eh have no blasted cable and I done watch all meh DVD movies for the night..I bored :S
But I wanted to ask you, where did you stay in Jamaica? Imagine I looking for a nice lil all-inclusive hotel to go to and somebody will tell me Laguna Mar..steups :S
See, brings me to the point that everybody does spend they money on things that they value as important! I not going to no Laguna Mar because it cheap, I don't like Margarita and worse yet a 3 star all-inclusive hotel IN Margarita that over populated with Trinis..I going on vacation to get away from them :D
I was eyeing Jamaica eh, but the airfare to Montego Bay doh make no sense to me; $100.00US more on AA and I could be in Cancun Mexico!And hotel prices in Mexico cheaper than Jamaica too with much more bang for the buck; I talking bout real nice all-inclusive hotels like Iberostar, Barcelo Maya and Palladium White Sand.I trying to convince the hubby, but he want to go Europe :S
Well to each his/her own and I am entitle to voice my opinions on whoever. We can continue to argree to disagree why you and several others continue to be bias and feel the need to always justify Tribe's and IP outragous prices for 2k7.
You are still a new kid on the block in teams of playing with
Tribe so you are still very much fresh with excitement about your experience with them from last year. Therefore our opinions will be different because I have been playing with Tribe ever since they first came out in Poison. So my opinions, assessment and suggestions to them will be based on several years of past experience playing with them when they were down to earth without the fake boobs, BMW's etc. I was also a very strong supporter of them in the past when they did this for the passion and not out of pure greed. So again, I will continue to express my disappointment with how greddy they have now become over the years. If it means that some of my comments will help put a stop to some of their madness in pricing in the coming years. Then great! I'm not the first to check Dean and other bandleaders and I won't be the last. As long as it's not my money jumping up for carnival then it's all good. Why should I care if some love the abuse relationship of being exploited with IP and Tribe?lol LOL So again it's about me and several others having the balls to take a stand and speak out based soley on principal and values. In fact, I am one of the ones who can also get a free costume in both Tribe and IP just because of all who I know and I still not feeding into them.LOL
Anonymous thanks for letting me know exactly who you are! I had a mind it was you but this just confirmed it. I have read all your comments on the other forums and I will agree to disagree :D
You're welcome. I don't see why that is important if you know who I am or not. Again like I tell several folks all the time they may know OF me but it really does not mean that they really KNOW ME.
-:) Well Good night as we continue to agree to disagree that we don't really know eachother.lol
Hey anon, I forgot to take yuh up on your challenge:
"You guys are smoking some good stuff down in Trinidad if you can show me one costume in Trinidad for 2k7 that is as well hand crafted as Neckelmann's costumes."
Check Pulse 8 for some "well hand crafted" costumes,I think this one could match up with ah Necklemann's:
http://www.pulse8carnival.com/sections/antifreeze/anti-freeze-frontline.jpg
http://www.neckelmanns.com/id52.html
Meg also mad no rass for also playing she following in Tribe's and IP's footsteps in teams of pricing for her first year as a new break away band. When she could have been giving them both these bands some major stiff competion because of her several years of experience under her belt alone.
Well that anti-freeze costume must have been on Neckelmann's clearance rack or one of their discontinue costumes because the straps of the bra is not finished and it looks very cheap. Maybe because it's white on white. I can't look at it too well. However, I sure did find Trinidad's findest designer Peter Elias creative costume designed Mijito for Pulse 8 all over the internet.LMAO I won't give out the link where folks can purchase that costume for much less however until after Ash Wednesday. -)
Saucy like I miss all the good gossip yesterday.
Not to add fuel to the fire as you'll seem to be coming to a peaceful end, but Tribe has only been out what? 2 yrs running with next their 3rd? I just don't know where she has gotten all these 'years' from. In response to Anon's :
"..You are still a new kid on the block in teams of playing with
Tribe so you are still very much fresh with excitement about your experience with them from last year. Therefore our opinions will be different because I have been playing with Tribe ever since they first came out in Poison. So my opinions, assessment and suggestions to them will be based on several years of past experience playing with them when they were down to earth without the fake boobs, BMW's etc. I was also a very strong supporter of them in the past when they did this for the passion and not out of pure greed. So again, I will continue to express my disappointment with how greddy they have now become over the years."
icahwait anon is refering to the fact that TRIBE is relatively new as a band, however they have been producing a section in Poison since 2000/2001 under the name "Pleasures Carnival", in 2001 their section was called "Bali Hai". In 2004 their largest turnout in masqueraders was for the section TRIBE in Poison's Retromania,that was the yellow and orange Indian costume, after that they brokeaway and formed the band TRIBE in 2005 using the name (and logo) of that section.
As for me being a "new kid on the block", well I have been playing mas since I was 5 years old, the days people were playing with Pleasures Carnival I was playing with Harts.After that it was a switch to Poison where I played with Sonia Mack and eventually played with TRIBE when they formed their own band.If I liked what they delivered last year and still have my excitment nothing wrong with that! I am glad I have the Carnival fever!
Hence the reason I also stated in my post that these people have paid their dues over the years, nobody knows how much they were "ketching dey arse" so to speak, the first few years they brought a section. With their success they have improved their lifestyle and anon is saying their motivation for pricing their costumes is out of greed.
The thing is though, all TRIBE owned sections in the band are under $3000.00, the sections that you see costing more than that (apart from the frontlines) are private sections, priced by the individual section leaders.Now I am not saying the price is "affordable" for every person in Trinidad and overseas who wants to play mas, obviously some people will not be able to afford it. I can only speak for me, and I have a limit, my own personal belief of how much I am willing to pay for my costume, and I have not gone over that limit. Point being I can afford the costume I chose, I am not taking any Carnival loans, in fact I have my entire balance for my costume set aside!So,to people like anon it does not matter that we can afford the costume, we should take a stand against the high prices; but anon fails to realise what might a high price to some is cheap or afforadable to others and hence the reason the band will still sell out!
There are people who will spend $3000.00 in video games, or music, or on a skateboard...I choose to spend it on a Carnival costume because that is what I enjoy.I am not saying I will pay ANYTHING for a costume, but when the prices reach out of my budget I will look for another band to play with...simple as that. Is either TRIBE buss when people can no longer afford to play with them or they attract a new set of masqueraders. At the end of the day, it does not bother me one bit because there are too many other choices for costumes to focus only on TRIBE and Island People!
That should be Pleasures 2001 section was called Shanghai and not Bali Hai! My error.
Well like I kyah go and sleep now!
Hotboy, like we might end up bouncing up in Trini for December because I trying to see if I could make a lil trip home for the Christmas. As for the cooking and ironing, how much yuh does charge? Yuh have any problems with doing them thing in a thong? :)
Everybody else, let's just agree to disagree. If anon and her friends are boycotting a band because they have a problem with the prices, then good for them! I am all for people exercising their consumer rights and I do the same thing. But if you're talking about exorbitant costume prices then surely IP MUST jump up in the convo because their prices are HOT! Especially when considering the fact that they messed up big time this year as far as a large number of their masqueraders are concerned. And well Meg Cheeks, as I said before, well bounce she head. They should have offered those costumes at a cheaper price to pull in masqueraders. As it is, if I have to pay that kind of money for a costume I much prefer to go with an established band. Oh, and everybody knows that Peter Pooks eh no "designer". Everyone knows the story of the disaster surrounding Wendy's dress that she wore when she won.
That being said, Tribe has worked hard to please their masqueraders and give them the best experience possible. If they now feel they can charge more for that then they are within their right. If we want to pay for it then we are within our right. I for one much prefer to pay more money to get exactly what I want in the most convenient manner possible than to pay less and be dissappointed.
Oh and anon, if you have no problem with people knowing who you are, why didn't you use your name?
Back to Hotboy, Body Shop has a lovely Vitamin E range and a Hemp body creme that works wonders. I find rubbing a little olive oil into your skin when it's still wet works miracles. I'd only recommend that for nighttimes though. And assuming you don't have company :)
Saucy, we go be rich oui! I have to disappont you though - unfortunately it doesn't take one month to bring out a band, sorry. I have friends who bring out bands and I know is all year work although the level of work varies. And the months leading up to Carnival is teh worse. Even if one is ordering the costumes from away it calls for a great deal of organisation and hot head. Not everybody is willimg to fork out that kind of investment in time and money and HEALTH to bring out a band. So Saucy, if yuh still interested, I still in. But prepare fuh hard work eh...
Hottie I know full well that bringing out a mas band does not make you a millionaire overnight, in order to make that money is real blood sweat and tears you have to pour into in from inception. Sponsors do not get behind a band that is new, that is a fact, they jump on the bandwagon after you have established yourself so is your money have to finance the band, unless you can drum up some investors who have to get a piece of the pie IF you make a profit; if you don't make a profit the investors and vendors and suppliers still have to be paid. I have had friends bring sections in those big bands and buss like first time,taking a whole year to pay off their debts.Just being able to break even is an accomplishment, so I know is HARD HARD wuk we talking bout here gyul.
Oh hells no!!lolol I miss all this last night? Saucy even if YOU a new to the game and yuh "excited" I is a old mas player even in relation to TRIBE as a band or a section in Poison. And I also know about who was who before boobs, and Bmw's and Benz's and the Civic and the Accord and when they was begging drop in my car.Yet i still pelting out my money and playing the same way. Not cause I HAVE to but because Carnival is the greatest thing in the world to me and it could be $10 000 for a costume and i finding it.
And yes they may have get Bright and realise that this is their ticket to success but so what? If i was them I would have do the same damn thing. If you eh do for yourself who go do for you? I had this same discussion with Dwayne self I tell him , Yeah so I have the money to pay $3000 but that doh mean it RIGHT to charge ppl $3000 dollars if your production cost much less. And i get a whole speal as to why it cost that much. I doh buy it either , but I want to play mas, in TRIBE with my friends so i will pay. I too can get free costume but I eh want nbobody making style on me, I paying my way so when i get get vex I cussing way like the regular ppl.
I doh understand why Anon getting so worked up.You making yourself sound like a real jelaous hater.Come on its just a band and they go have their time and they will fizzle out eventually, they may get 5 years or 10 or 2 but it only go be for a time. You still have a choice whether to play or not and still have other cheaper options.If you doh like any of them options then just cool it and stand up on Ariapta Ave like everyone else or bring your own band.No love lost.
Hear Hear!!!! Or Here Here!!! Or Hair Hair!!!! I eh sure which is de right one... Maybe Hare Hare!?
I know exactly who Anon is & she really making herself look like she jealous of the Nobrega's & Ackin's success. And to say they only work 1 month outta the year is JOKE! Everyone know after carnival done they immediately start the brainstorming & planning for the the following year. They work extremely hard & deserve to be millionaires. I don't care what they purchase from their carnival profits - it is their right & their business. I have no problem contributing to making them rich - they deliver a superior carnival experience & have NEVER disappointed me yet (and I been playin w/ them since they were Pleasurecarnival in Poison). And no Anon I have never received a free costume from them in case u were curious. Of course they are in the carnival business to make $ but it's obvious they are also in it for the love of carnival. Everything they do is w/ their masquerader in mind & it shows. They are stuck w/ me til I can't afford to play anymore.
saucy, if you are serious about getting the costumes made for your band, i know someone that can help you. can i email you the details?
anon of course I want to know the details! Send me that email asap!
by the way me and Hottie never talk about a band apart from these comments eh.The idea has been thrown out there in the old talk, but in case people feel we really serious and have plans in the works for 2008, ahm, we eh begin to think to reach that stage yet!
But I still waiting on the info :D
LOL! See people start to cuss we when they find we taking long to launch!
Aye my section go be the skettel costume cause yuh know i like my bamcee outside lol
We having a special section for Diva nd Buubles.
LAWD look how much I missed. I was so busy with assignments from school and training someone at work I don't get out much anymore.
I would say something about Anon, but I'm way late and don't want to beat a dead horse. I'm trying to play catch-up with the blogs. LOL
Anyway, I hope when I have my business running I get rich. What is that saying "do what you love and the money will follow" Well, isn't that what they are doing. How many of us working 9-5 jobs making someone else rich? I can't hate on anybody's success because karma is a hell of a ting and as long as I get what I PAID FOR then they can do whatever they want with the profits. Simple.
Yuh real passionate bout yuh frens and their business ventures. I agree they have worked hard but let's not pretend that these riches come without exploitation. My slogan is "pay yuh money play yuh mas". I know for a fact some of my hard working divas leave their cushy 9-5 jobs, grab a rituals, then go to the mas camps to make costumes. Reasons being popularity, free costume, de lime sweet. Bottom line that's robbing someone of a minimum wage job. The trade off is that the mas camp get's "free" labor because they work off the price of the costume. However this pratice isn't "cool". I even had one Tribe person tell me "It's not everybody they want in their mas camp!" Now when you have such race/class division in society and carnival can be a piece of the pie for all to share in, can we not hold the band leaders accountable? Oppps asking too much of bachannal country.
live, I am not friends with any of the owners/band leaders, I am passionate cause I think is nobody's business with how the people pend their money.I believe it was anonymous, diva and amprincess who stated that. I never any conversations with them either, they never took any drops in my car or anything of the sort. The ONE person I know has a SECTION in TRIBE and it is their first year; they were formerly involved with Poison.
I know many people do work for "free" costumes, it goes beyond the mas camp though; they work at the band launching, for registration, costume distribution etc. And yeah, they do get a costume in exchange but people who are also in the business of costume making also get a piece of the pie. I know one design outfit that does costumes for both local and foreign Carnivals is making some of TRIBE's costumes locally.And as for the statement that they don't want everybody in they mas camp, do you think that is unfair? Each mas camp has their "people" who help them out, I don't expect that they will open their doors to Tom, Dick and Harry just to appear "fair".
I was refering to paragraph 6 when you were giving testimonials of when X started and how they've paid their dues. Trinidad real small so it's easy to say 10 bad things as to the character of those mentioned, but why go there. As for free costumes my point was they prefered to have friends "work" at the mascamp than hirer workers from "other" parts of town. This isn't a small operation this is major production.
These bandleaders have been granted fortunes above the rest and with that comes responsibility. One can't call carnival an art one minute and a business the next just to suit your agenda. The Xmas-gifts gesture as noble as it was did equal amounts of public relations mileage for them. I hope in the future we see more charity and good work being done by these bands. Not forgetting that outside the 2 days of carnival they are maiking money through parties etc.
bousieringo you have a dual personality LOL.
You also forget that some of these bands are also importing costumes eh, so they don't need the "free" labour as before! It have plenty that could be said about every popular person in Trini but we def. ent going there ;)
And when last you hear anybody but Minshall and mc Farlane call Carnival an art?
I really think that the ones who make it big should do MORE charity work; that I agree with you FULLY. Oh,and Island People (the party people) and Island People Mas is two different thing (so they say!)so is only Island People throwing the parties and making the money. :D
Ok you making me feel much better! Oh I wasn't refering to Isl Ppl I was refering to Tribe's ties with another name for "tight gorilla" ent. (j'ouvert, blue range fete, panorama all inclusive etc.)
One last thing to form a band all you really need to do is import from china, find 10-15 ppl from each popular crew in t&t, mark sections sold out at 60-70% registration, market yourself as exclusive (trinis love when they can't get in) by this time sponsors will come on board and the rest is freeness. Then sit back and watch the frenzy of ppl wanting to help you pay for your next vacation. All those "goodies" don't cost a cent if you have the right sponsor. If you and hottie interested we could start.
boysieringo I in that,but I eh know 10-15 ppl from even ONE popular crew!!And to market mehself as "exclusive" I go have to portray mehself as if I is ah bourgoise, mix up,lil red ting who does only go certain parties and lime with certain people...and I ain't none ah dat!We go need ah "face" for we band, someone the masses could identify wid...like we go have to get a celeb to play in we band,wha yuh think? And I still waiting for the person to email meh the link to where the costumes could be bought in CHINA!! :S I know it out dey eh, cause I see all kinda ting online but I want ah email address or website..pssst, anon ah STILL WAITING for the hook up!!
Or hor, I there bussing meh brain to figure out the "tight gorilla" lol, maybe yuh shoulda say "alcoholic primate", i ketch it now :D
me eh ketch nuttin at all! Boysie, you bringing out band too?! Well I could be the stush lil red ting (frown). I hate that kinda shit but I have some connections dey. Of course, after ah done pong everybody dey mightn't want to have nuttin to do with meh again...And when ah drop de lil "arksent" so...
Oh hor! I figure it out now.
hottie well you is the bait for the sponors!
Andnobody eh boud to know your alter ego is Hottie Hottie,just keep it "incognito" and nobody eh go know who yuh is!LOL.
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