One of the things my beautiful little island is most famous, is more than likely our annual 2 day carnival celebrations which usually take place in either the months of February or March. This year it occurred on the 11th and 12th of February. Safe to say, most people didn't even think about Valentine's day before the evening of the 13th. Lately I've been having random bursts of pride in my country, and carnival is one of those occasions this year that really opened my eyes to what we have to offer as a unified people. Just looking at all the work and preparation that goes into the build up to this event, is really something to be proud of, it also happens to showcase some of the amazing talent our country has, in terms of designers, photographers, choreographers etc. The celebrations start on the Monday morning with J'ouvert which is a giant festival on the streets containing a lot of body paint and so on, I genuinely don't know how to really put it into words(shame on me) but this is mainly due to the fact that I'm aware of what it is, and I have been aware since childhood, so I've never really thought about describing it in eloquent terms and words.
Tuesday however, is the real deal, a complete carnage of colour, festivity, heritage, talent and all round good vibes. Parade of the Bands, or as I see it, a giant fashion show, in which we see each band showcasing the results of their hard work and dedication for all to see. It's the perfect example of expressing our island roots and telling a story as they use the roads of our capital city, Port of Spain, as their runway, all the while moving to the beat of our local superstars. And let me just say, seeing this, just SEEING, fills me with a sense of pride and brings about such a feeling of euphoria that's really hard to shake off. The beauty and ingenuity is stunning, seeing the mix of people that make up our island (and foreigners as well of course) blending together and having a blast, is just something that gives an indescribable feeling, every single person adds something unique to the costumes they don, and bring them to life.
Here's a few photos from one of our own local photographers, whom I feel captured the feeling of every moment perfectly.
More here at Lyden Thomas Photography
(DO NOT STEAL PHOTOS OR REMOVE WATERMARKS)
The photo of the woman holding up what looks like a baby(it is supposed to be a baby) is from the band, MacFarlane Mas, credit for all of the creative genius work goes to, Brian MacFarlene. This was his final showcase for mas in Trinidad called, "Joy - The Finale", and it was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen, the performance was on point, absolutely fantastic and left me awestruck. It won the title of "Band of the Year", most definitely deserving of it as well. Another band that came in a close second to Mr. MacFarlene's performance, to me, is Ronnie and Caro Mas, their performance and costumes this year was just spectacular!
Of course I'm not saying anyone else's weren't as great because to be honest, everyone was a winner this year, the energy was electric and contagious. Or, maybe I'm just being a bit biased as well because I came into 2013 with a completely different mindset, and I feel like it's the first time I'm truly seeing everything. Either way, it was during these events that I had one of those rare moments of clarity, an epiphany perhaps, and I felt as though whatever was missing, suddenly came together. It's nice to watch yourself grow and observe life through a different lens sometimes.
xoxo...Shantilly
