I recently came upon an article by SOY FORDE on the commercialization of Carnival, it was a good albeit rather long, read so I just pulled out some excerpts that I found very interesting:
Thoughts on T&T's Carnival of Commercialization By: Soy Forde
Carnival in TnT is so special to all ah we, like we need blood in we veins--that’s how we feel about Port-of-Spain--” Destra Garcia.
This is really born from a place of anxiety as well as one of love. I love Carnival but I get increasingly ambivalent about what it is becoming reduced to with each passing year. I’m anxious too about what “people” will say because you know, people get real vex any time you criticize Carnival and it’s commercialization. I guess it’s kind of like hearing Sat Maharaj berate chutney music for the ten millionth time, after a while, people just get exasperated and say, “well yuh doh hadda listen to it nah!”
Which is kind of along the lines of the same thing that people will tell you when you critique Carnival culture. In true Trini fashion, you will hear, “well doh participate nah!” Or something to that effect. But what happens if you really do love Carnival, you know that Lord Kitchener’s “Carnival Baby” is about you; it’s almost like that song pulses in your veins. You cannot let it go--even when it’s over. You love it for its historical context, its social implications, its freeness, its energy. You see how Carnival is really like a kind of “thing” too, throbbing with its own lifeline while simultaneously existing deep within all of us true Carnival babies. You almost can see it too and you can watch something or someone and say, “yuh see dat right there. Now THAT is Carnival.”............................
Speaking of critical thinking........Many people are concerned about the way in which elitist and classist ideals have invaded and almost totally transformed Carnival from what it once was, to the well-heeled money making machine that it is today. Some of us understand this too but it does not stop us from jumping up and having a damn good time (honestly speaking, myself included). I’m not even going to waste too much time on the exorbitant cost for costumes because that would be like beating a dead horse and we’ve all bitched and moaned about that before--AND saved for our down payments simultaneously.
Still, there are those who often cry that progress and change are the true marks of an evolving society. As a result, it seems as though Carnival must undoubtedly adapt because of this growth. Carnival culture today seems almost warped beyond recognition in some sense. This is the Carnival culture that is largely mass produced today, packaged and sold to the world and supported by many of us. This Carnival culture is supported by a slew of online communities who obsess over the ins and outs of the season, bloggers, freshwaters who fly in and out only for the greatest show on earth, locals, many young people, foreigners and assorted other interested enterprises for whom the entire essence of Carnival revolves around: bedazzled boots (of course, only because they’re in style now and not necessarily because they are functional, even though in all likelihood, they very well might be), beautiful bodies, the perceived socio-economic borderline between the frontline and the backline, the extent to which one can be able to match accessories months in advance, among other factors from the mundane to the ridiculous.
The so-called branding of mas bands epitomizes the capitalistic consumer culture that permeates Carnival culture today. People today name drop mas bands like a luxury brand name, like it defines their character, or defines their self-worth. The clique-ish ness of the tight inner circles of these mas band enterprises are often reminiscent of secondary school in-and-out social circles. Some people are obviously delighted to be in the know and others are clearly out. Enough of us want to know to consistently incite speculation and postulations all year round, right into the next season. We want and we want and we want. We covet the exclusivity of special section costumes echoing our own social anxieties and dreams as we prance in the streets for two days. If and until you are seriously tight over some Johnny--this seems to be what matters most. Already, we want to know, what colours? What themes? Who’s in and most importantly, who’s out of this band and why?..........
Mas bands then, arguably mimic our own social prejudices now more than ever before. Carnival has a serious dark side beneath those feathered plumes; though growth can be a beautiful thing, we must be careful that the entire discourse of Carnival doesn’t get reduced to nothingness. On top of all this, the yearly price gouging for essentially a similar if not same product forges on. Mas bands like any good corporate giant gleefully exploit the insatiable need for masqueraders to participate in their successful branding schemes. Kind of reminds me of that David Rudder song, “dis is not de kinda jam where yuh stand up like a moomoo, de riddim go jam you!” And who yuh think is the one getting jam? Real madness going on here.
The ultimate value of one’s Carnival expenditure in dollars and cents begins to trump the cultural one because we’ve begun to value the trappings so much more while the historical and social implications get lost beneath all the glitter. As Trinbagonians, we presume that all of us have had access to and at least exposure to the range of our own cultural artifacts and our own cultural history inside of our islands. So we want to believe and we take this for granted even though this is clearly not always the case. What about less informed souls? Many people out here think that this is what Carnival is all about: superficiality of outward presentations, copious amounts of money to be spent on skimpy costumes. Devoid of any kind of theatre, we wear these temporary flights of fancy disconnected from the past in drunken abandonment wining alongside others who live just like we do. Carnival hasn’t been accessible to all walks of Trinbagonians for a long, long time now.
The full article can be found at caribbeanaxis.com, please read the entire thing. Now, I have my own thoughts on Ms Forde's thoughts, particularly amused by the fact that she thinks online communities and "obsessive" bloggers support the "Carnival Culture". I am guilty as charged, being a Carnival blogger, for starting the anticipation, hype months in advance Also guilty for promoting the "essence" of Carnival to revolve around "bedazzled boots", accessories and Frontline costumes!
It is a pity we all cannot have ONE view on everything in the world, that we are all not interested in having MARSE as theater on the streets in lovely flowing robes of decorated fabric that means something, right? One homogeneous brain when it comes to Carnival because only THEN can we say that we truly LOVE Carnival.
Thoughts???
It is a pity we all cannot have ONE view on everything in the world, that we are all not interested in having MARSE as theater on the streets in lovely flowing robes of decorated fabric that means something, right? One homogeneous brain when it comes to Carnival because only THEN can we say that we truly LOVE Carnival.
Thoughts???
11 comments:
Very very well written article. Soy is a good writer, I'll give her that.
HOWEVER, she talks about her "true" love of carnival as though only those who enjoy the "high mass and theater" of carnival can make claim to this affection. It's simply not true. Those of us who love the bikini and beads, the bedazzled boots", the frontline costumes etc etc, do not "love" carnival any less. I mean, come on, how can one even say that.
I do NOT come from a carnival family. When i was 6 years old, I played mas for the first time. I was "Queen of the KillerBees" for my primary school band (that was the year the killerbees invaded Trinidad). Since then I have been hooked! I played mas every year since then with my school in kiddies carnival, then moved on the Poison because since I was 6 years old, carnival was about glitter, fancy boots, make up etc etc. (The killer bee costume was some gold puffy, fringed shorts, black boots, sequined tube top, and a crown with anthlers). There was a carnival when I was 10 years old, and I had twisted my ankle on the playground in Kaydonna a few weeks before. Let me tell you, I put on my costume, went into town and my aunt jumped with me, and made me sit down every hour or so to massage the ankle. The family still laughs about that carnival even to this day. In the pictures, you can see the pain through my smiling face, but I refused to go home. I remember clearly not being able to stand the thought of leaving my mas behind.
So "love" of carnival does not come from only enjoying the theater etc etc. If she thinks she "loves" carnival anymore than me, she LIE!! lol
Additionally, since I was 14 years old, my mother and I had a tradition of going to the calypso tents. At the "Mas Camp", I would rise to my feet in great applause for Deniese Belfon, much to my mother's frustration. She would usher me to sit down because I should not show such appreciation for "Ka KA lay lay, or Wine Like a Dog". BUt the point is, I went to the camps, played mas from an early age. I just know what part of the culture I like. There is nothing wrong with that!
A funny thing that Soy said is that her "course" in gender studies gave her some insight into carnival that other people may not be able to see. She talks about the feminist approach to carnival and seems to be trying to bring an intellectual argument into her analysis. I'm not buying it. One does not have to be an "expert" in any field to appreciate or critique one's culture or cultural heritage.
And it is so strange that she uses the word "slew" to talk about the number of carnival blogs that are out there. The choice of word has negative connotations. So in a nutshell, Soy would prefer for carnival to go back to cheap costumes with plenty cloth, no blogs to keep people informed, and no big brand name bands. That might make her happy, but it would make tens of thousands of us UNHAPPY. because for us, this is a big part of what carnival is about.
Give me the skimpy costume, frontline if you please, bedazzled boots, jump and wave music, accessories down to the jewels on the nail extentions to match the costume, the eyelashes, the Gucci shades to keep the sun outta my eyes, all of it! I "love" all of it. No less than Soy. This is carnival to me. And I'll spend my money however I want, it's my choice.
Sorry this was so long, but that article elicits a long response. So many other things I could comment on, but my fingers hurt. lol
Jaded Teardrops
I have a million agreements and disagreements with this article, as I'm sure everyone would.
However, the one point that I think is most significant and sadly true is this:
"Carnival hasn’t been accessible to all walks of Trinbagonians for a long, long time now."
redwhite&black... i totally agree! because it is true! I agree with somethings she said, about outsourcing and costume price, but as jaded teardrops said, she is using words with negative connotations, it was as though she was sayin,
"yuh kno allyuh real sad because allyuh fueling this monstrosity yuh want to call carnival and allyuh have nothi else to do but to blog and waste yuh time and money"
And that bothered me!but there are people who think like, case in point, my boyfriend, when august reach we arguein straight down till february, but do i care? hell no cause i love mas just like jaded teardrops!
However, she did make a valuable point with her comparison of other Caribbean islands' mas to a shell, saying what will happen when you can't tell the shell apart from the real thing. She makes a good point, because with countries like Antigua that using IP costumes and so on she has a point. But i really think she could've left out her feminist history, because as a sociology student, sometimes feminists talk up in dey - alright!
but it was real written a good article nevertheless!
I am not trinidadian, nor have I ever been to Trinidads Carnival. But here is my opinion regardless.
I do agree with Soy in the sense of passing along critical historical/cultural information. I feel that this is where every island tends to fall short, you sit down in class and you learn about imperialism and colonialism, a little bit about the amerindians...then when the history becomes more localized leading into present day traditions you get a little piece here and there. it wasnt until I was in 6th form years ago and I was doing Advanced Art & Design did i get an indepth look into mas building and its history because I chose to revolve my learning experience around carnival.
However, we do have to realise that with time things do evolve. And many a outside will NEVER understand what carnival truly is. I live in Canada, and many people here see our culture as simply sexed up and refuse to look beyond that because we dance wid a wine in our waist and we like to grind and jump up. This to say - when you on the outside looking in more often than not you will see a different image that what is really there.
When we talk about the theatrics of Carnival...in my opinion selling the whole package is apart of the whole theatrics is it not? The mas boots, the accessories to make the costume a COMPLETE image, to truly fulfill what it is that it is trying to portray. I would consider this getting into character.
I don't think lover for carnival can really be defined any which way. Its the same way the word love in a romantic context has no specific definition. People will always have different opinions and experiences. For some people the love of Carnival is building the costumes, and not actually playing in a band. For others its wearing the costume and the anticipation up to the day...so i cant say somebody elses love for carnival is not true because it is not the same as mine.
On to the issue of blogs...it sells the whole ideal of Carnival. UNITY!!!!!!! Many of these blogs pull people who may not have spoken under normal circumstances together, causes them to connect over a love...over a desire to be educated. And to be thats apart of what carnival stands for.
I am a cultural studies major. And we do learn about maintaining culture, we also learn of evolution. But we also recognize that certain things can never really be DEFINED...or fit into an easy description, because it evolves into so many things to so many different people over time.
Chris, the word slew means a large number or amount, there is no negative connotation when the word is used as a noun, as it is used here.
i did not get fron Soy's article that she was saying that she loved carnival any more than those who enjoy bikini mas, she was simply lamenting that, in her opinion, bikini mas and the commercialisation of carnival was causing us to lose and/or forget the history of Carnival.
The key to Carnival is have a good time not fulfill anyone's notion of how carnival is played other than your own. If anyone is concerned about the history of carnival power to them. Do what you need to do fulfill that. Play traditional mas or whatever does it for you.
You see the problem is you can not define mas. Because Mas is about that feeling you get, that high that no alcohol could give. Every thing you wear, everything you do on carnival, is the vehicle to that state of mind called MAS. If that is theatre in mass, if it is playing jab jab, if it's pushing pan, playing in beads and feathers, whatever gives you the greatest pleasure,.. that is the essence of your mas. Most Importantly it is about freedom, Freedom from your boss, from stress, from work, from the controlled person we have to be 363 days a year. And we should not be judged for taking advantage of that freedom.
Stop complaining about how other people choose to play mas. If you put one single limitation any aspect of carnival you will destroy the very thing you seek to preserve.
B.L.
Hi folks, I'm Chike and one of the people behind Caribbean Axis. I heard there was a good debate going about the article so thought I'd check it out.
I think I agree most with the comment from redwhite&black, which is that it's an issue with merits on both sides. There are aspects of "commercialization" in Carnival that are hard to ignore, e.g. the percentage rise in costume costs over say the last 5-10 years. It "feels" very high to me, and well above inflation rates, without having any empirical data at hand, don't know if someone else knows?
On the other hand, countries like Jamaica are known worldwide because they've successfully created a commercial product /brand and it drives revenue for the country / economy. So it's not all bad when things become more commercial either.
Ultimately the issue is about balance. I wanted to showcase that article because I think Soy calls attention to the risks we face (or maybe she thinks we're not just facing some of them we're living them).
Now the question of what do you DO to find the right balance is a different one altogether. That probably needs a whole new set of ideas or thoughts / blogging from someone or some people to solve..
Cheers,
Chike
Chike,
nice of you to stop by :)
Personally I am tired of reading what seems like the same argument against the "commercialization" of Carnival. I would really like one of the Carnival critics to come with something new. How about accepting that to each one of us Carnival means something different, as was reiterated before by many of those who left comments, and then gives us suggestions/ideas/thoughts of how we can marry all genres into being all about the LOVE of Carnival no matter how we choose to enjoy/express it.
How about suggesting certain incentives to bands that only play traditional mas?? Big prizes, big awards, maybe even sponsorship money?? Or to bands that choose to follow the more artistic routes, what about giving young designers like Aron Schneider a foot in the door? You keep reading about all the perceived negatives, what about counteractive measures to make it positive??
I would love to see all those who continue to talk put there words to action and bring a band of their own! Now won't that be something to see.
*hits desk like in Parliament*
AH-PPLAUSE Saucy and B.L.!!!!!
Well said. Carnival and mas is about that indescribable feeling that you get when you hear the music, when the hard pong from the speakers vibrating all yuh insides, when yuh pores raise as yuh hear Phase II strike up in the savannah [die hard Phase II fan here :-)], or when yuh just get the slightest whiff of glue or paint from the mas camp.
I agree that efforts should be made to preserve various aspects of our culture, but not via the condemnation of the ways in which others choose to celebrate. With that said, I myself don't even play Dame Lorraine (or anything else seen as more traditional and/or modest) for carnival. For now i love meh bikini and beads and nobody can tell me that carnival means any less to me than to them.
Carnival carries a different meaning and manifestation for all of us, so....to each his own. Let people enjoy it.
I think Soy was missing something in her article and that caused everyone else to take her article the wrong way. IMO she gives ppl too little credit and thinks them too simple.
Just because you see that someone is all about the glamour and glitz of carnival doesn't mean that they don't appreciate the history and meaning of carnival.
Using myself as an example..you'll always see me w/ the IPs and Tribes..the decorated boots and makeup..counting down between launches..looking for frontline and all those things she mentioned....
At the same time I've read all 3 of those titles she listed there and treasure my copy of "Rituals of Power and Rebellion". I've taught my son all of these things, pushed him into pan, taken him to see the caunboulay reenactment and now I have a 'lil carnival diva to be who will get it all as well.
Instead of berating ppl and complaining about costume prices..energy would be much better spread making sure that future generations know and understand the roots and history because one can't appreciate what one doesn't know.
Lobby the T&T gov't to put more emphasis on those kinda studies and if that fails, private entities can take this upon themselves w/ afterschool programs, cultural centers etc.
Hear, hear Natasha!!!
Does Soy understand that the commercialization of carnival will actually bring people to become interested in the history of mas? I am new to Carnival and I am not from Trinidad, but if you come to my apartment you will see a large of books about carnival and Trinidad that I have picked up along the way, just because I find carnival so intoxicating and feel a need to learn more about it. Through my love of bikini and beads, I definitely think I have come to embrace and appreciate other aspects of carnival- and without bikini and beads, I doubt I would have been drawn into it at all.
I agree with Saucy- why isn't there room made for the more artistic designers? More incentives for the traditional mas bands to play? I fear that it's because my Caribbean people are the same on all the islands, people just love to complain instead of coming up with positive solutions for change.
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