The ocean in Carnival 2025

Marine biologist Dr Anjani Ganase highlights ocean themes in this year’s Carnival. She was accompanied in her explorations by Australian art photographer Heidi Victoria who visited Trinidad and Tobago for the first time and photographed aspects of the celebrations.

We are an island nation surrounded by the ocean. Yet, less than one per cent of Trinbagonians have ever immersed themselves below the water long enough to see the vivid marine world below the surface. However, in the imagination of masmakers, the ocean and its wonders can come alive through their eyes and the masqueraders at Carnival. Ocean themes were present in Carnival 2025, from junior and senior kings and queen competitions, traditional mas and even conventional and fantasy mas.

The costumes tell stories of the ocean danced and animated by the performers. It is not about accuracy in the depictions, which are fanciful and creative, but these presentations inform us about the perceptions of the ocean and provides great insight for the marine scientist and conservationist.

We are indeed eager to create greater connections between Trinbagonians and their ocean backyard. From Carnival presentations can only come greater appreciation and in time, understanding.

The ocean is a place of lore and mythology

To this day, we have only explored about five per cent of the ocean with all the technology that exists, so the ocean remains largely shrouded in mystery and this is reflected in the Carnival presentations.

Many of the costumes, especially in the kings and queens, displayed guardians of the ocean. Poseidon – Greek God of the Ocean – rode in on his seahorse chariot to the Savannah stage.

There was also Namaka – the Hawaiian Sea goddess – and the Mayan Goddess of creation. Other masqueraders created their own imaginary ocean guardians, perhaps to protect what is exploited and because they admire the mystery and beauty of an underwater world.

Among the mythology created are the Keeper of the Coral Reefs, the Spirit of the Gasparee Caves, the God of Seashells, the Princess of the Ocean and the Mermaid Goddess, all portrayed by individuals.

An ocean of colour

Ocean colours range in shades of blues, aquamarines and speckled with pinks, yellows and greens. The shapes of corals, fish even dolphins and swordfish are easy wins for Carnival. The shimmering costumes reflect the sunlight as the costumes move about on the street.

Mas band, Oceania, is designed with sections of marine life common to our coral reefs with one section named Acropora, a local coral species.

Sunlight shows off the costumes, and sunlight underwater is the most important element for feeding, and also for allowing the fish to masquerade underwater. Colour underwater is important for both blending in and standing out, especially as a warning against predators.

We note the continued celebration of the Buccoo Reef for its beauty and abundance of marine life. The portrayal of the Buccoo Reef by Jada Ford placed fourth among the Junior Queens.

The Queen of Carnival 2025 is Sirena, Mistress of the Sea, presented by Roxanne Omalo. The Ocean Beauty presented by Rosemary Parris is also worthy of mention. We would urge the designers and players to go underwater on the reefs around Tobago to be inspired and become advocates for our reefs, our underwater creatures.

Ocean of change

While beauty is a big driver of ocean themes, a few costumes went a step further to comment on the state of the ocean. A most powerful portrayal was the Seductive Bait presented by senior queen Sonya Blaize. Here was the ocean’s response to man’s ill treatment in the form of overfishing, pollution and climate change.

Taking the form of an anglerfish, a deep-sea dweller that uses its chemically created light to lure prey, the queen angler has transformed its lure into the shape of a woman to draw seafaring men to the cold deep and death in the ocean. While it didn’t win enough of the judges’ favour to make it to the finals, it won my respect for the research and the cleverness of the costume.

Incidentally, when anglerfish mate, the smaller male attaches to the larger female, a process called sexual parasitism. In some species, the male fuses permanently with the female.