No need for easterners to visit PoS

Children of Venezuelan migrants also played in the Arima kiddies Carnival.  - Angelo Marcelle
Children of Venezuelan migrants also played in the Arima kiddies Carnival. - Angelo Marcelle

Carnival is so widely spread across Trinidad, that there was no need to revel in Port of Spain or San Fernando for kiddies Carnival and J’Ouvert celebrations.

In Brazil Village, Kiddies carnival was small but the celebrations were loud. Their J’Ouvert celebrations started as early as 3am, with hundreds gathering on the Talparo Main Road to revel. Getting to the J’ouvert was a bit difficult if you got there after 5:30am, as traffic started just before San Raphael. Brazil J'Ouvert has been consistently growing over the years and is now a preferred destination in the east.

Kiddies Carnival in Arima. - Angelo Marcelle

On Carnival Sunday afternoon, 14 registered bands saw it necessary to participate in the Arima Kiddies Carnival. Ist Place in last year’s small category Amazing Mas Band, returned to defend their title. They presented Too Hip To Be Square-Shapes of Life, as they crossed the judging point at the Bus Lay-by.

Band leader, designer and producer Talisha Reyes said, “We are hoping to capture the title again in Arima and move up one spot in the Sangre Grande Mas where we placed 2nd.” ‘Amazing’, is the name of her daughter. This is the band’s 4th year participating in the Mas competitions.

J’ouvert morning in Arima is usually slow, as masqueraders prefer to come out on Monday evening, which will have the biggest turnout of bands for the Carnival season. La Casita, a Restaurant and Lounge which caters for Venezuelan immigrants, showed Arimians what love and loyalty means.

Revellers play themselves during J’Ouvert celebrations in Tunapuna. -

They represented well in both the Kiddies carnival and Jouvert celebrations. They have become an integral part in Arima’s culture. The Venezuelans had one of the biggest representations for the Jouvert celebrations and were the first to start the revelling on Monday morning.

Arouca Carnival saw 11 bands participating in the Kiddies Carnival and just a handful for Jouvert. The streets were however filled with observers and the celebrations went without much hiccups. Arouca Carnival has dwindled over the years but were envied in the east at one time for having the best Jouvert

The biggest J’Ouvert celebrations was in Tunapuna. On the Eastern Main Road from Caura Junction in Eldorado, to Pasea Road in Tunapuna was blocked off to facilitate masqueraders. Tunapuna has been boastfully claiming the best Jouvert celebrations in the east and rightfully so. Participating bands are bigger, consistent and the revelling is relatively incident free. There was also no signs of glass bottles anywhere, as the ban took effect on Monday morning at 4am.

Comments

"No need for easterners to visit PoS"

More in this section