When people think of Carnival, they think of Brazil, whose early February extravaganzas beat all when it comes to spectacle and size. With all the press it gets, one might think that Brazil is the only place that holds such a celebration. However, Brazil is not the only place to experience carnival. Trinidad, the largest island in Trinidad and Tobago, is also home to the biggest and best in the carnival celebrations in the Caribbean.
Like the cosmopolitan mix of peoples and cultures that shaped the island, Trinidad’s Carnival has many influences. The Spanish and English colonial powers, French planters, African slaves, Indian indentured labourers, and the many other ethnic groups that settled here have all left an indelible mark on the festival. In 1783 the French brought their culture, customs and Carnival, in the form of elaborate masquerade balls, to Trinidad along with African slaves. The period stretching between Christmas and the start of Lent was a time for feasting, fancy dress balls and celebration for both the French and British. Banned from the festivities, slaves in the barrack yards would hold their own celebrations mimicking their masters’ behaviour while incorporating rituals and folklore. Once slavery was abolished in 1838, the freed Africans took their Carnival to the streets and, as each new immigrant population entered Trinidad, a new flavour was added to the festivities.
For more information on Trindad’s Carnival, please visit Go Trinidad and Tabago
PHOTO GALLERY [CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE]
Courtesy of Jean-Marc /Jo BeLo/Jhon-John, Creative Commons License
Photo Courtesy of Agência Brasil
