This is one time where I will follow Susie's philosophy of fewer words and more pictures.
Carnival officially opens on Monday, though the partying starts well before that. In the wee hours, J'ouvert (Zhoo-VAY) takes place. Festivities are opened with a parade of mud or oil covered revellers. They cut eerie figures in the first rays of morning light as they evoke thoughts of primal beginnings. Mud is free and allows anyone, poor or rich to engage in the bacchanal before the day gives way to the brightly colored mas bands in their expensive and ornate finery.
Monday and Tuesday give way to parades of mas (masquerade) bands. Months have been spent preparing costumes for the hordes of people who will join marching and dancing along the street to the biggest calypso and soca hits of the season.
Stilted moka jumbies walk along.
Tuesday will be the final competitions to crown the Queens...
And the Kings.
Happy Carnival all yuh!
15 comments:
Oh wow... beautiful pictures! An interesting post!
One of my goals is to make it to Carnival with my friend who grew up in Trinidad and to Mardi Gras with anyone who'll come with me !! Thanks for sharing the pictures hun. It's a dreary day here and they brightened my morning.
xxx
wow, amazing pics!!!!!
Awesome photo essay! I love that beautiful blue feathered costume!
Are you sure you didn't take theses pictures at Burning Man? :P
Happy Fastnacht, Lime!
Keeping with the theme...
AWESOME!
Sweet! Looks like fun!
That looks like a great time! Happy Carnival to you as well.
So mud or costumed finery? which is it..and happy carnival!@
Wow -- great pics!!!
Happy Carnival!!!
wow - amazing pictures. The mud-thing looks awesome and the rest looks like a grand time too!
just wanted you to know, belatedly as it may be, that I have all 4 of my wisdom teeth, too... i grew having to perform a trick for my treat... adore your commitment to RIF... laughed out loud at the prehistoric porn, pick-up lines... i took one of your "friends" quizzes... and i am extremely ocd in my loading of the dishwasher ... perhaps more important than all that: i love the trinidadian history and culture lessons :)
Fabulous photos! Wonderful post!
Happy Fat Tuesday. I've had too many Fastnachts today. I'll have to excercise hard tomorrow.
Wow, thanks for sharing these pictures, I love the mud covered look and your narration explains a lot of the customs.
You do such a great job of placing us in a time and place.
Love it.
Tc
Wow... what an amazing place to be. I have some envy here!
Yo Lime! Just dropping by. My brain's fried, so I'm taking a break from work.
I soooo badly want to go to Carnival there. I heard they're wild. Thanks for posting the pics.
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