Carnival Is…
With mere hours to go before we take to the streets for the 2024 Carnival parade, I find myself thinking a lot about this dynamic festival and what it means to me…and others.
Carnival is a celebration of our identity. It’s a reminder of the power of community. Carnival is a celebration of the boundless power and resilience of our ancestors. It’s a time when we can release inhibitions and surrender to the rhythm of life while connecting with others in a way that transcends language and borders. Carnival allows us the opportunity to be a part of something greater than ourselves.
Ever wondered what Carnival means to some of your favourite artistes?
Well according to 3Canal vocalist Wendell Manwarren, Carnival is a living ritual.
“I like to impress on people that this thing is older than all of us it’s older than the country. It’s at the bedrock of our society and we here in this moment we have the opportunity to enhance it or distort it. Hopefully, it will live beyond us, but in what form? We have to take responsibility for that now. So recognizing that we have this ritual that we participate in year after year.. that’s why in many cultures when you have a ritual you can’t go and change it, you can’t go and mess with it. But we have a ritual that’s malleable but inside that malleability, it still has certain constraints and that’s where respect has to be due, you don’t just go and change it for changing it sake.”
Beat Road singer, Preedy, likened Carnival to a well-endowed woman.
“Thick, but sometimes she does play mad so you does hadda show she ultimate love. Carnival is the fingerprint of the people of Trinidad and Tobago, it’s our identifier. It’s what makes us unique…”
Bajan sensation, Alison Hinds told Your Caribbean Guide “Carnival is colour, no behaviour and amazing times.”
This sentiment was endorsed by Jadel.
“Carnival is peace, love, freedom, unity, togetherness, joy and something that is very unexplainable,” she added.
Lyrikal said Carnival is “Bacchanal, woman, vibes, soca, more soca…”
Destra, meanwhile, has blessed us with a Carnival anthem that continues to stand the test of time. Even so, she blessed YCG with a reminder of her thoughts on this beloved festival.
