Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Soca Soiree and Carnival Craziness

Happy Ash Wednesday!

Soca music, as indicated by one of my current favorite songs above, has been the theme for this past week. The Carnival festivities began bright and early on Friday, with the Dragon Festival and steel pan drums dominating town all day [see last post]! As the sun dipped below the horizon, the preparations began for International Soca Monarch, an annual competition held on Carnival Friday (it's Fantastic Friday!). This soca frenzy began around 9PM and lasted until 4AM. I have yet to develop the party stamina here!

J'Ouvert, a French word for "daybreak", is the high-energy festival that officially begins the Carnival festivities. It begins with the first revelers parading in the streets, dancing to carefree soca, and throwing paint in all directions in the earliest hours of Monday morning. Bands ride on trucks with large speakers, blasting their music into the sunrise, with their hoards of dancers "chipping" in matching costumes.


Oil and mud are often used in addition to paint. These materials, opaquing people from head to toe, add to the feeling of freedom and anonymity in the dark hours of early sunrise. Time moves in a different way as you dance your way through the streets, collecting all the colors of the rainbow.
While some people ventured out on Monday to watch the parades in Port of Spain, Trinidad, I recovered from a night without sleep. Monday is the day when the bands are focused upon, while Tuesday is the day of beautiful costumes, performances, and music!








After the sun set, the parades ended and the crowds merged to become one with the costumed dancers. As darkness fell, everyone threw their hands in the air and entered the streets for an unforgettable city-wide dance party into the late hours of the night!

Carnival has been a period of amazement and the removal of some misconceptions. I lost track of time in the pursuit of enjoyment. I truly began to understand some of the beautiful traditions in Trinidad and Tobago! I would return to celebrate these days in a heartbeat.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Pre-Carnival Pleasures

Good Afternoon!

This week, I experienced my first taste of Carnival traditions, as tourists flock to Trinidad and Tobago, and the celebrations begin to climb toward the Mas frenzy on Monday and Tuesday!

On Friday, we ventured into Port of Spain for the Dragon Festival and a small traditional Carnival performance. The whole concept of Carnival and "playing mas" or masquerade is about an elaborate performance of mimicry and masks. Some say Carnival takes "time out of time" by emphasizing fluidity in the passage of time and releasing revelers and all participants from the pressing matters of real life. The characters seen in parades throughout the week are symbolic of the history of Trinidadian culture.

The Bookman (also, Gownman or Ruler) is a devil mas portrayal, surrounded by imps and beasts. He carries a pen and a book in which he writes the names of prospective souls for the devil. While I watched the Bookman do his waltz through the streets, I caught a glimpse of names in his book. Some I did not recognize, but the name "Christopher Columbus" was immediately recognizable!


Jab "devil" Molassie "molasses" is one type of devil in devil mas. He carries a pitch fork and his body is smeared in grease, mud, or coloured dyes (in this case- blue all over)! His imps play rhythms on pan drums, while he wines and gyrates wildly, held back only by a chain.


The Dragon is the fire-beast from hell, bringing destruction to the streets. If the dragon comes across a pool of water in the road, the "holy water" being of Heaven leaves the Dragon frustrated. The imps taunt him and he must finally dance in submission and try with great effort to leap over the water.


I was quite amused to find that one of the Dragon characters in the parade was incredibly intoxicated. His Dragon would have quite a struggle had he encountered any holy water in his path. He stumbled, dancing on his knees and appearing to fall headfirst into the ground several times. He also convinced someone to light his cigarette, which he smoked inside the costumed dragon head. All in all, his performance was perhaps the most amusing, feeling effortless, fun, and a little dangerous!


I encountered a few more characters, but I will see the full lot at the big Carnival parades on Tuesday! Look for another more detailed post, including J'Ouvert and Mas.

Frolicking through Forests

Good Day!

The breeze has betrothed my room. The bugs have crowned me their queen! Every day, I leave the windows wide open and every night I invite the moon into my abode. At home, a single spider will send me into a frenzy. I have come to accept that everything here is open, welcoming- whether to other humans or to whatever critters slip over the windowsill. The spiders and I have an agreement not to cross each other's paths too often, though.


Is it overkill, how much I talk about the nice people here?! They're more than nice, I've said. Friends and strangers alike go out of their way to be kind! Just this weekend, we ventured to the east side of Trinidad, the side facing the Atlantic Ocean. Our shuttle bus wound its way through small towns and forests, wrapping up and down the mountains. Little did we know, the path often trodden to our greatly desired Rampanalgas Waterfalls had been closed!


Beardy, the man of few words who has become our main contact for transportation, would not give up. After consulting with a few locals, he drove us straight into what appeared to be a cow farm with a thick trail. The cows sat lazily in the hot sun as we passed. Beardy was so dedicated to making sure we arrived safely that he attempted to drive us into the waterfall itself. Eventually, the trail became so thin it was clear we would have to step out of the vehicle and hike on foot.

Beardy went far beyond his call of duty as our paid transport. Before the second half of our group parted ways with him, he handed us a grocery bag full of ripe, juicy mangoes. "You bought these for us?" we asked, surprised. He nodded gruffly, and asked us to call him when we arrived safely at the waterfalls. The mangoes were sweet and satisfying as we munched and walked under the warm sun. Beardy is far too kind! I will have to sneak a photo of him when I get the chance next.

A quick note on the purpose of hiking: I suppose everyone has their own goals when beginning a hike. To me, however, a hike is about the path itself and not the end goal. Whether you are hiking to the top of a mountain, an abandoned beach, or the waterfall at the end of a slippery slope... the hike itself is the joy. There is so much beauty to appreciate on the path itself. The waterfall at the end is just the cherry on top of that sundae!


Eventually we relocated ourselves to Balandra Bay on the Atlantic Ocean facing side of Trinidad!


Until next time~

Monday, February 4, 2013

Tangled in Transportation

Good Afternoon!

I cannot believe I have been in Trinidad and Tobago for nearly two weeks now! It feels like I have been a part of this community for months, not a short fourteen days. Yesterday was a jam-packed day followed by a long night of Soca and Sleeplessness. Early in the day, myself and two friends shuffled over to the bus route and climbed aboard to make our way to the mall. During this process, I decided I really wanted to explain the transportation system!

Public transportation here is the absolute epitome of putting your life in a stranger's hands. Maxi-taxis are the most comfortable and reliable, in my opinion. They charge a fixed rate (around $3-4TTD depending on the direction of travel), and can carry a large number of passengers like a shuttle bus. You stand aside the bus route and hold up the number of fingers for your party (i.e. three fingers if you need three seats) as maxis unsettle the dust around you, charging forward with their passengers. A maxi that is full will rush by without hesitation, but if it has a single empty seat the driver will slam the brakes and pull you inside, rushing away again as the door is still closing.

 Maxi-taxis looking harmless at a standstill.

 Like the New York subway system, it is interesting to see the kinds of people who cram themselves beside you in the maxi-taxi. Just yesterday, I sat beside a snoring Jamaican man with a bulbous hat (touching the ceiling) and an arm so thick with bracelets his flesh was hardly visible.

Despite the comfort of knowing you are in a sturdy shuttle-bus, I am always wide-eyed and gripping my seat as we swerve into the opposite lane, pushing incoming traffic onto the shoulder to pass through quickly. Watching drivers is an absolute thrill, like the most lifelike game of Crazy Taxi, or Toad's Turnpike on Mario Kart.

In order to arrive at the mall, however, you must exit the maxi-taxi at the Trincity Taxi stop and take a small taxi car to your destination. These can range from an explicitly labeled taxi, to a youthful man in a shiny blue sports car (Note: Do not attempt this alone or without a well trained local!). These tiny cars wind in and out of oncoming traffic, dive headlong into intersections, and spin their way toward your location (this is just a moderately exaggerated description).

All-in-all, the public transportation I have encountered in my first two weeks in Trinidad has been fascinating. I find this much more entertaining than an enclosed systems of privately owned cars!