Tobago Carnival Regatta

Are you a water sport fan? Or just love the sun and sea life? Then this is the ideal event for you to attend! 😉

TOBAGO CARNIVAL REGATTA AT PIGEON POINT HERITAGE PARK

Source: Scuttlebutt Photo (2009)

This event kicks off the after Carnival activities that Tobago is known for- Kiteboarders, windsurfers, even dinghy sailors from around the world compete in a variety of categories.

Its more than just a run-of-the-mill sailing event, the multi-faceted regatta features international participants from Germany, Sweden, France, England, Holland, South Africa, USA and Canada. In addition, regional counterparts from Barbados, St. Lucia, Bequia, the Grenadines, and Tobago will also make an appearance during Bum Boat (small boats that are used to ferry supplies and commodities for sale to a larger ship at anchor) and Optimist (small, single-handed sailing dinghy originally intended for use by children up to the age of 15) races as well as the smaller and faster J 24, Melges and 420 boat racing.

While the main activity is racing, the event also provides both participants and spectators with a fun-in-the-sun atmosphere that includes after-race games, a beach bonfire, pig-in-a-pit cookout and fetes on Friday and Saturday nights. Fueled by island-inspired cocktails and heckled by the on-lookers, these landlubber activities will prove that even the most novice sailors can win a prize. With superior sailing conditions and a friendly island vibe, Tobago is the place to be for the most spirited sailing challenge in the Caribbean.

Carnival Tuesday

Carnival Tuesday is the day!!! The day everything else has been leading toward. Months of preparation and effort, anticipation and excitement erupt into “pretty mas” as tens of thousands of revellers clad in spandex, colourful cotton, beads, sequins, feathers, and every other conceivable material take over the streets of Port of Spain in competition for the Band of the Year title. 🎶😊

With weeks of partying behind them, many masqueraders by now are running on pure elation, sustained by the music and the desire to make it to the big moment when their band crosses the big stage at the Queen’s Park Savannah. For a while the stage will be theirs; for a while they know they’re the centre of the world. Tuesday begins at 6:30am, where there is that hustle to meet your band to begin the day’s events of parading in the streets for 24 hours. It’s an experience that can’t be put into words.

Flash forward to 11pm Carnival Tuesday night. You’ve lost the feathered headpiece you started the morning wearing. Your feet ache and you suspect you may have sprained something in the region of your waist. There’s a song pounding in your head, and you’ve lost count of how many times you’ve heard it over the past two days. You can’t stop smiling even though you know Carnival will be over in an hour.

J'Ouvert & Carnival Monday

J’Ouvert

Source: Cocoa Deveil (2017)

At 4am on Carnival Monday morning, Carnival finally begins with J’Ouvert (French Patois for “opening of day” and pronounced ju-vay). Preparations for J’Ouvert are always cloaked in darkness, to give that semblance of role reversal, where those in positions of power are mocked by those who either work for them or are in lower positions. J’Ouvert is not about pretty costumes; it’s about mud, cocoa, oil, devils, and “picong”, an inversion of normality and the relentless mocking of power and respectability. It is Carnival at its most primal. Men dress as women, women as men, grown-ups in baby’s diapers; “respectable” bankers and businessmen drape themselves in chains and torn clothes, paint and mud covered devils menace passers-by – but it’s all in good fun, a chance to enjoy being wet and messy, licence to “get on bad. As the sun begins to become full-fledged in the sky, the muddy and oily masqueraders look for their homes to wash off in order that they ready for an afternoon of pretty mas.

Carnival Monday

Well after the sun has come up on Carnival Monday morning, revellers start to head home for a few shorts hours of sleep and refuelling (eat whenever you can over these two and half days) before heading back to the streets. For Monday mas, you don’t have to wear your full costume — in fact, some bands now give their masqueraders special Monday garb. Look out for bands of traditional Carnival characters. For those who simply can’t get enough, Monday Night Mas in St. James and other small towns such as San Fernando, Tunapuna, Arima etc, carries the partying through the night, but most masqueraders make sure they get enough sleep to prepare themselves for the big day ahead.

The Road To Carnival

One of the twin islands greatest festival is that of Carnival! The dynamism of the festival has sparked its reproduction throughout the rest of the Caribbean island chain, and as far away as Toronto, New York, Miami and Notting Hill. But everyone knows that Trinidad is the “mother of all West Indian carnivals”, which attracts visitors from all over the world, including international celebrities like Halle Berry. Its roots are here (Discovertt, 2016).

 

Source: Pinterest (2016)

This festival really isn’t just about the Monday and Tuesday – it’s a whole season that essentially starts the day after Christmas Day. Carnival parties & fetes begin, and the radio airwaves and local TV music channels are inundated with the latest soca music. It is the irresistible rhythms and infectious melodies of soca that are the driving force on the road Carnival Monday and Tuesday, and in all the pre-Carnival parties.

The Road To Carnival

The fetes, competition and band launches begins after New Years, sometimes even as early as November- December. These even has spectacular performances done by famous local artiste which all aids in building the Carnival Anxiety. The closer you get to Carnival, to stronger the anxiety. According to the famous Iwer George…its fete after fete after fete after fete!!!!!

Bacchanal Week

Acording to Discovertt (2016), the build-up to Carnival Monday and Tuesday starts from the week before, with countless major fetes and finals of limbo, stickfighting and traditional carnival character competitions.

On “Fantastic Friday”, in the wee hours of the morning, there is a re-enactment of the Canboulay Riots of 1881, which ensured that – despite interference – the Carnival would go on and belong to the people. Once night falls, Soca contenders gear up for the International Soca Monarch competition – either as competitors or quite often as guests.

Carnival Saturday & Sundays hosts the Kiddies Carnival, with Saturday night reserved for the best bands of steel pan players competing for the Panorama title. In the final hours before the launch of the day parades, the last major competitions culminate with the Dimanche Gras show, where the best preservers of the traditional calypso artform compete in the Calypso Monarch competition, and the Carnival Kings and Queens showcase their magnificent costumes, vying for the crown  All night, several fetes keep the energy going before people break out into the streets in the wee hours of Monday morning to play J’Ouvert.

 

Source: Express Children, 2016

True Trini Christmas

Source: Falls at West Mall (2015)

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… where there is nothing like a true trini Christmas! From cleaning and decorating, soaking fruits and preparing the ham, and of course, the endless shopping! It’s what all form a true Trini Christmas! During this season, malls and public places are well decorated, with even parang groups performing during its peak hours, while Santa greet the little children! On Christmas Eve, this is the traditional day for baking ham, hops bread, fruit cake (alcoholic) and making ponche de creme.  On Christmas Day, family and friends visit each other and celebrate by engaging in gift giving & feasting! Invitations from friends and neighbours are normally accepted in the period between Christmas and New Year's Day.

What your favorite part of it all? Share Your Experience Of Your Best Trini Christmas!

  

Source: Trini Kitchen (2010)
Christmas in Trinidad and Tobago is a celebration in which almost everyone participates regardless of religious persuasion. Traditionally Christians attend religious service either at midnight or on Christmas morning (Discover TT, 2016).

Source: Parang Competition (2013)


Among these are the traditional dishes such as pastelles (corn patties filled with spiced meat), beverages such as ponche de creme (a potent blend of rum, milk, eggs and spices), ginger beer (brewed from the ginger root), and sorrel (fruit juice). Musical traditions are evidenced by the strains of parang, music played on a cuatro (a four stringed instrument) accompanied by a song in Castillan Spanish. Weeks before Christmas, especially in rural areas, paranderos (parang singers) visit the homes of their acquaintances to sing about the Birth of Christ in return for the listeners' hospitality.

Tobago Heritage Festival

Have you ever experienced the rich culture of Tobago and want to know more

about it?? Then this is the event for you! TOBAGO HERITAGE FESTIVAL!

Source: Tobago Heritage Festival (2015)

Villagers from different Tobago communities dress up in traditional costumes that depict village life from the early 1900's in which they comes out in their glory to perform folk singing, dancing and feasting. The festival was created to preserve the unique cultural traditions of the island, where it is mow fast becoming the main event on the Tobago calendar and it has become accepted as its signature event.

This festival, begun in 1987, captures the unique cultural tradition of the island of Tobago and has become to Tobago what Carnival is to Trinidad. It usually lasts for two weeks and is held from mid-July to early August. Throughout the festival, visitors can traverse the quaint, friendly villages to savour traditional culinary delights such as dumplings (boiled dough) and curried crab.

Hundreds enjoy the indigenous folk songs, dance, music, drama and sporting events. In all of them the combined influences of the Amerindian, African, and European cultures are evident. Among the highlights are the "Ole Time Carnival", "Ole Time Wedding", and the more contemporary "Miss Heritage Pageant". At times, other celebrations such as the landing at Plymouth of the 17th century Courlanders and Emancipation Day coincide with this festival. 

 Source: Travel To The Caribbean (2015)

Panorama

Trinidad and Tobago's most famous steel pan festival....Panorama. The link below illustrates a throwback of Panorama 2017...just in case you missed it!

Structure of Panorama: Panorama is open to both conventional and single pan steelbands. Currently, there are three rounds of competition:

1. Preliminary round

2. Semi-final round

3. Final round

All rounds are now done while the band is stationary and positioned directly in front of the judges.

The preliminary round takes place in the respective panyards while up until reccently, the other rounds are held at the Queens Park Savannah, Port of Spain, fondly called the ‘Big Yard’.

According to The Best of Trinidad (2016), in 1963, the government of Trinidad and Tobago in conjunction with the National Association of Trinidad and Tobago Steelbandsmen (NATTS) launched a new steelband competition called Panorama. 

Crowds of supporters religiously followed their favorite Panorama band every year. Corporate sponsors seized this excellent publicity opportunity and began to pump money into steelbands. Sponsorship money meant the steelbands could now offer reasonable compensation to their arrangers and pan players.

Source: SteelBand Drums (2016)

Panorama also demanded a new approach to arranging calypsos. The arrangements done previously for fetes and street parades were now too simple for the competition. Complex introductions and key modulations began to be used in the arrangements, and this is still a key feature of Panorama music today.

There is also a Junior Panorama for school age children and it is just as competitive as the senior competition. It is seen as an important training ground for the adult Panorama competition and for the steelband movement on a whole.

Steel Pan Festival

Do you enjoy listening to the ecstatic steel pan drums especially around Carnival time?  Playing an array of Trinbago music, from soca to chutney to anything actually! Then… you must experience that of the Steel Band Festival which is held during October to November!

Source: Discover TT (2016)

The Steel band Festival is normally held in Port of Spain, Trinidad during October to November over a three week period. So, you absolutely cannot miss it! It is a unique opportunity for the visitor to experience the only new musical invention of the 20th century.

Steel pan players compete in classical and indigenous traditions for categorised titles. The competition comprises two categories, the School Steel Bands and the National Steel Bands which occur on alternate years. There are normally three nights of preliminaries, two nights of semi-finals and the final night. The winning steel orchestras are usually awarded a prize trip to a major metropolitan centre to give public performances (TT Connect, 2016).    

    

                                      Source: Youtube (2016)

There are other steel band festivals occurring in Trinidad and Tobago for all the Steel Pan lovers:

1.   The most famous PANORAMA (Discussed in a separate post)

2.  The Trinidad and Tobago SteelPan and Jazz Festival (Formerly Pan Royale)

Steel pans (steel drums) are now features of jazz festivals and concerts. Jazz pannists such as Andy Narrell and Rudy Smith perform regularly all over the world. This festival is hosted by the Queen's Royal College Foundation of Trinidad

Most steel pan jazz combos comprise of traditional jazz instruments and a frontline steel pan. However, there are a few festivals where nearly all the instruments are steel pans.

3.  The Former- Pan Ramajay: This is an annual festival introduced in 1989 by the Exodus Steel Orchestra (a Trinidadian steelband).

   

Ramajay is the Trinidadian colloquial term for “showing off” and in a musical context, improvisation. A variety of musical genres from classical to jazz are played, all with healthy doses of improvisation or “ramajaying” (Best of Trinidad, 2016)

Competitive and playful interaction between performers and displays of technical virtuosity are key features of performances. The festival is limited to small steel pan ensembles and soloists. It is usually held each year in the month of May.