Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Trini Tuesday-Is Carnival!

It's Mardi Gras in New Orleans. I'm sure the Sants' recent Super Bowl victory is making things more fun down there. It's Fastnacht Day in Pennsylvania. You may recall the Donut Debacle of 2009. Already this year I have skinned up 2 knuckles bad enough that I am still applying pressure and typing in a very odd fashion. Since I need to finish this year's attempt before I go into work and since several of you have expressed interest in more Trini posts I am rerunning a post from 4 years ago about Carnival in Trinidad. Sorry I can't attribute the source of the photos since they are old and I didn't keep track of that the first time, but they are not original to me.

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.
jouvert


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.
carnival

Stilted moka jumbies walk along.
jumbies

Tuesday will be the final competitions to crown the Queens...
TriniCarnqueen

And the Kings.
Minshall_Kostum

Happy Carnival all yuh!

If you'd like to hear some live music here is a link to some videos I posted one year.


13 comments:

Craig said...

You know, what with Valentine's Day being on Sunday, and today being Mardi Gras, and the Saints winning the Super Bowl and all, N'Awlins has been on my mind just lately. . . I'm guessin' they're havin' a party time down there. . .

Schweet photos; thanks. . .

furiousBall said...

this looks awesome. scantily clad ladies? i'm in!

Kat said...

Yowsa!

Michelle H. said...

Incredible! I'll have to get down there sometime.

secret agent woman said...

You've just reminded me that I need to make pancakes tonight.

g-man said...

I'm glad you're inspired, this is my first year in about 15 that I didn't make Gumbo and Mufaletta's, everyone at work is Bummin!

Suldog said...

Well, I would have liked to have seen some photos of you in the mud, but that's been a dream of mine for some time now, so nothing new :-)

That last costume is absolutely amazing. Wow.

Bijoux said...

Don't get too crazy on us this year!

S said...

Great shots! One day I shall get to Mardi Gras.....

Hilary said...

Looks like such a fun time. Happy carnival!

Craver Vii said...

Argh! All that noise!

Fred said...

I went to Mardi Gras for my bachelor party. What could possibly go wrong with that?

Moosekahl said...

I would love to go to a party like this! What a good time!