Tobago bandleaders: Carnival funding a challenge

WITH less than three weeks to go before Tobago’s carnival, Scarborough bandleaders Marcellin Nedd and Lisa Wall say funding is a challenge.

Were it not for their passion for mas and desire to keep the traditions alive, the bandleaders said, they would have not participated in the event, which takes place from October 27-29.

The women spoke to Newsday in separate interviews on Monday.

Nedd, who has been involved in carnival for more than two decades, has registered in three categories: J’Ouvert, night mas and conventional mas.

Her J’Ouvert band is called Meet Me By Murray Corner (Jean and Dinah) while her night mas and conventional mas presentations are titled Powwow Tribe and Jewel of the Nile, respectively. Jewel of the Nile has three sections – Fire, Riches and River Nile.

Nedd, leader of Marcellin Nedd & Associates, said while her schedule is hectic, producing the mas has been challenging.

“The money I made from taking part in carnival this year, I used out of that to start my costumes. But to say you get assistance from sponsors or anything, I have not heard a word as yet from any sponsor. They not giving anything,” she said.

“The only thing they say they giving is just music trucks on the road for J’Ouvert and night mas. But on the road, we still negotiating that.

“Mind you, we have to pay money in order to take part on the road for J’Ouvert and pretty mas, but night mas, they give that one for free. But they not giving you anything, so sad to say.”

Nevertheless, Nedd, whose band usually gathers at Gardenside (next to T&TEC Sports Club), said she intends to fulfil her obligations to her loyal supporters, some of whom have played with the band since its inception.

“You have to make room for the latecomers and who, when they hearing the buzz, they rushing out.”

She said the size of her band has fluctuated over the years.

Nedd said she is beginning to “feel the buzz” for carnival.

“Honestly speaking, the hype was not there, because there was a lack of advertisement on behalf of the THA. But as they did the launch in Trinidad, you now starting to get the little buzz. So I am hoping it will be better this year.”

Like Nedd, Wall said so far she has been funding most of her 2023 presentation – City Raw Jabs.

Wall, who began producing mas in 2017, is known for her portrayals of folklore and Carnival characters, most notably the jab jab.

She said while she enjoys creating mas, the powers that be must also be willing to invest in the culture.

“They are saying we have to depend on the people who really playing in the mas, but you have to invest in your people still. They have to invest, because things hard out there, and for the people who really love this thing, one like me who has a small band and trying to keep the thing alive, there must be incentives.”

Wall added, “I am all for culture, but we need the support and investment to brighten up the carnival, because is we thing, not my thing.”

She said players have been trickling in.

“I have a group of people with me and there are others coming on board and other people that are interested. But moneywise, I ain’t see the money yet. People just like to wait for last minute. I don’t know why.”

But Wall said apart from J’Ouvert, the Division of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation has asked for her band’s help to “brighten up the town” before the parade of the bands on the Sunday.

“They complaining that it does not have anything during the timing when masqueraders supposed to come on. If masqueraders supposed to come out for 2pm, that whole morning period does not have anything.

“So they have an idea of bringing out the characters when pretty mas supposed to be playing so it will encourage people to come out, stay and enjoy the thing until the pretty mas.”

She said traditional characters are also expected to parade through the streets of Scarborough on Friday in a pre-carnival activity.

Wall believes the carnival was not properly advertised.

“My honest opinion, as how we got the advertising and had more hype the first year, this year there isn’t much advertising to let people know this thing is on. Scarborough is already supposed to be lit.

“The advertising has been very poor. It was way more last year, as how it probably was the first year, and this year, we not really getting that support.”

In a release on Thursday, the Division of Culture said the budget for the October carnival was $12, 590,660.

It said this cost will cover subventions to interest groups, logistics, infrastructure and other related expenses for this year’s festivities.

The division said the sum represents a decrease in the actual spend for last year’s inaugural Tobago October carnival, but “the division remains committed to ensuring the sustainability of this new product.”

It welcomed the support of major sponsors Republic Bank Ltd, Bmobile and Carib Brewery. It also said it was co-ordinating carnival festivities through the Tobago Festivals Commission Ltd, Tobago Tourism Agency Ltd and the Tobago Performing Arts Company.

It said throughout the planning process for this year’s carnival there has been continuous and direct engagement with stakeholders, including local promoters, mas and cultural stakeholders, industry service providers, the National Carnival Commission, Pan Trinbago, Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation, Tobago October Carnival Association and national-security apparatus.