Carnival lives on in children’s mas

Carnival is colour. Carnival is mas.

That certainly was the case yesterday at the Republic Bank Junior Parade of the Band where both school and non-school bands crossed the judging point at the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port of Spain.

The children jumped, danced, wined and sometimes ran across the stage in a variety of colourful costumes depicting a wide range of themes. There were insects, such as butterflies and bees, candy – including power mints and lollipops – flowers, birds, fairies, games, objects in space and of course, traditional mas characters.

Vanessa and Friends portrayed Remembering the Grand Master with each section representing a song of calypsonian Aldwyn “Lord Kitchener” Roberts with each section depicting one of his hits. These included Flag Woman, Sugar Bum Bum, Bees Melody, and Toco Band.

In addition to St Margaret’s Boys AC School’s presentation of Tek Me...H Back, K’s Exclusive Colours and Friends portrayed D House of Colours From Yesteryear, highlighting traditional mas. Between the two bands a number of characters were seen including the dragon, clown, minstrel, fancy Indian, pierrot grenade, fireman sailor, fancy sailor, stickfighters, blue devils, jab jab, dame Lorraine, and burrokeet.

Paramin RC School also had a good showing with their creative presentation, De Spirit of Paramin. The band featured some of the well-known aspects of the west Trinidad community. The section Look De Devil Deh showcased the blue devils, complete with horns, tails and a dance, but without the tin pan. Patois Mas had pink and purple costumes with a backpack made to look like stained glass with a gold cross, most likely representing the Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church. And To Market to Market’s individual costume was a boy dressed as a jeep with its back full of produce, ready to be taken to the Port of Spain market for sale.

Unfortunately, one child was injured as he crossed the stage. The boy with Irma and Friends was crossing in his purple and silver moko jumbie Powermint Lads costume when he fell. Fortunately, he was caught by an official before he hit the ground and was gently placed in a seating position on stage until his stilts could be removed. He was then carried off on the back of a member of the band’s team. It was unsure what caused the spill or how badly he was hurt.

The parade began at South Quay, downtown Port of Spain.

The judging point had a decent turn out of spectators who came to enjoy the spectacle with their families but in true Trini fashion, they flocked to Frederick Street to view the passing bands on their way to the savannah. Although the streets were jam-packed with spectators and masqueraders, the crowd maintained the peace.

As as far as the parade’s “road march” goes, Famalay, by Bunji Garlin, Machel Monatno and Skinny Fabulous, was one of the most played songs.

Education Minister Anthony Garcia, interviewed at the savannah, said Carnival was supposed to be an expression of TT and its people and junior mas did just that.

“The schools serve as something of an incubator for the mas and what we have seen really is a demonstration of what can be done when the seniors perform. One thing I am very impressed about is the fact that the children are participating, they are parading, they are enjoying themselves without any indecency, without any vulgarity, they are doing that with calmness and their costuming is as such that it is not revealing and this is the true spirit of Carnival.”

He also praised the high number of schools participating in the mas, saying it was the ministry’s responsibility to ensure Carnival stayed alive. He said school supervisors and other ministry staff were at the parade to get an idea of what was presented so they could give schools feedback.

He said they would continue to encourage mas in both primary and secondary schools through the ministry’s visual and performing arts programme.