News Americas, PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, Tues. April 16, 2013: Trinidad and Tobago’s most renowned festival – carnival may have been over in February but it was brought back to life this week in Port-of-Spain.
Delegates of the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s 14th Sustainable Tourism Conference, hosted by the government of Trinidad and Tobago, were given an exclusive taste of T&T’s carnival as dozens of mas players, representing a fusion of the island’s Indo and Afro-Caribbean cultures, turned out in full splendor to thrill the some 200 tourism experts and the media.
The intro to mas for some began on Sunday night, April 14th at the pan yard of Phase II, the 2013 Panorama winners, where the band trained by Boogsie Sharp was not only on display providing entertainment, but the evening included African type dances and drumming along with Indo-Caribbean and Chinese dancers, complete with costumes.
The opening ceremony on Monday night, April 15th gave attendees a glimpse into T&T’s carnival that is world famous for its phenomenal costumes and high energy mas playing.
But the Ministry of Tourism for Trinidad saved an even more spectacular treat for their guests on Tuesday night, April 16th in Chaguaramas, as mas took over the Anchorage for at least an hour.
Delegates arrived to the venue and were greeted by fire breathing red “devils” and costume clad revelers dancing on giant black pillars on the side of the street. In the mix were African inspired drummers whose infectious put a pep in many steps as they walked into the Anchorage.
Once inside, the beat picked up pace with a group of eight performers, who fused together violin performances with musicians on the sitar, harmonica and tabla drums.
The fusion of the Indo and Afro-cultural rhythms set the tone for the evening in a country that is truly a cook-up of races, cultures and cuisines.
But T&T’s minister Stephen Cadiz and his staff saved the best for last as the after-dinner performances kicked off with Naresh Chetram, a multiple Indian Rising Star winner and led into the Queen of Soca herself, Denyse Plummer, who rocked the house and brought many to the floor.
And as the infectious soca rhythms left many swaying, several bands of carnival took to the stage, showing the artistry, vibrancy and sheer energy of the performers and artists of mas.
Check out the scenes from “Carnival In April” below:
