By Stephen Weir, as published in the Caribbean Camera
By all rights the
Trinidad red, white and black flag should now have a small maple leaf stitched into
it’s corner tin honour of Canada’s participation in the just concluded Trinidad
Carnival. A large contingent of Canadians came to the island to supply
costumes, pan music, inspiration, comedy and song to the world famous festival.
From the King and
Queen competition, to Panorama, to the J’ouvert and the actual parade, Canadian
carnival experience was put to work. Hundreds more joined bands and jumped up
in the street, or, simply stood on the sidewalk and took it all in.
The annual event
got off to a rocky start when reports of a possible terrorist plot became a
much repeated news item across the Caribbean, The UK, and the US and in
Toronto. Last Thursday, according to the
Trinidad Guardian “T&T Police Service revealed they had uncovered and
prevented a threat to disrupt Carnival activities mere days before the festival
… 13 persons were detained.”
There were no
“terrorist activities” although the Trinidad News reported this Wednesday that
there had been four murders, a series of robberies, shootings and the death of
an elderly United States citizen (who died when a float truck backed over him)
were some of the incidents “that marred this year’s Carnival celebrations’.
“How come so many Canadians in T&T this year? No idea...but we did see quite a few,” said Toronto Mas Maker and artist Jackie Forde. “It probably is because it has been so bloody cold this year in Toronto, but strange as the flights were ridiculously expensive. There were less Americans. Maybe the terror threat scared them off. We had no issues at all and felt quite safe.”
“There were no
problems that I saw during Carnival. None at all. I didn’t play Mas, opting instead
to walk around Port of Spain, taking in the fetes and watching it all,” said Caribbean
Camera’s Alicia Sealey who is currently in Trinidad managing the 32nd Music Festival in Port
of Spain.
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| Ted |
“There were
heavily armed officers carrying machine guns on the street and three and four
officers and inspectors at every major intersection. People I talked to said they were happy that
there was a police presence (given the earlier threat).”
“There is a new
law in place that for the first time forbids a man from coming up behind a
strange woman and winning on her,” continued Ms. Sealey. “ If the woman
complains he is arrested on the spot. I don’t know if anyone was taken in, but,
women feel good about the new rules.”
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| Tony Chankar and friends (TC selfie) |
So who were some
of the Canadians making the Carnival the success it was? The Camera talked by phone, email and
Facebook with over a dozen people taking part in the festival.
Carnival Nationz – Marcus
Eustace was an integral part of this year’s King and Queen Competition at the Dimanche Gras at the Queen's Park
Savannah, Port of Spain on Sunday.
“I designed and
built a King and Queen costume. Both placed second,” said Marcus. “The king lost by one point which prevented me from a
3-peat (Marcus costumes won in 2017 and 2016). My brother Ted Eustace wore the king and Krystal
Thomas the queen.”
Earl Thompson was the 2018 King of Carnival winner in “Death And
The Maiden, The Fancy King Sailor Plays Pegasus” while Ted Eustace grabbed second place with "Los Bandditos”. Krystal Thomas, tied for second place
in the Eustace costume De Head Huntress.”
Mas K Camp - Louis Saldenah didn’t make it to carnival but his brother and son did, with good reason. “Yes. Trini Revellers played a tribute to Harold Saldenah my father (and famous Trinidad Mas Man),” said Louis Saldenah. “My brother lives there and my son Ronnie went down for carnival so we were well represented.”
Tribal Carnival – Although the Toronto mas band wasn’t on the road
this year, their costumes were. Dexter Seusahai and his daughter Celena supplied custom costumes to Canadians to wear in Trinidad.
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| Tribal costume |
AfroPan - Many members of Toronto based oldest pan orchestra were in Trinidad
playing with different local groups. Kerry-Anne Wright performed with the Renegades Steel Orchestra, the winner
of Panorama.
“Hey! Yes I was! “texted
Kerry-Anne Wright. “It was my first
time playing Pan in Trinidad and my very first Panorama. There were a few
others from Afro Pan and a couple other people who play pan with Pan Fantasy with us.”
LaToya Brown, another
AfroPan member joined the Skiffle Steel Orchestra who took second place.
Earl LaPierre Senior. The founder
of AfroPan Earl LaPierre was a radio host for a live broadcast on WACK 90.1 FM covering the Panorama Semis with host Kenny Phillips.
Earl LaPierre Junior was also
playing in Trinidad for Carnival.
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| T&T Camboulay Riots Reenactment Photo by Jackie Forde |
Many of the
entertainers performing both at carnival events and fetes have a strong
Canadian connection including: Singer David
Rudder – Trinidad’s favourite son (and now Toronto resident) at the
Socadrome and on the road with Lord Nelson and the Etienne Charles' Street Party. Comedian Sean Paul was in Trinidad for Carnival, as was Connector the Canadian Soca Monarch.
