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Your Passport To Adventure! |
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AN UNFORGETTABLE CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL EXPERIENCE
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For the past three years, Raymond Lowe, who proudly represents his native Trinidad & Tobago at the festival, has been talking about making a trip to Port of Spain for the Carnival. That happens to be the same time as Mobile’s Mardi Gras. Planning for this trip started a year ago. It finally came to fruition when Joe Davis, President, Gloria Schneider, 1st Vice-President, Chuck Dorn, Board Member, and Estela Dorn, Executive Director, boarded a flight bound for Port of Spain full of anticipation of an experience totally different from anything else! And, boy, were they ever prepared for it!
The MIF officers were official guests of the Consulate General of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago in Miami. Consul Harvey Borris from Miami and Raymond Lowe met them at the airport on Friday evening.
Kiddie’s Parade on Saturday started the celebrations. It had over 9,000 participating children in colorful-themed costumes from different schools all over the country! There were bumble bees, butterflies, fish, birds, peacocks, and more imaginative costumes that just went on for many hours! There were toddlers to young teens. What a wholesome parade for the whole family!
Sunday evening was the Dimance Gras where contestants donned their elaborate fabulous costumes and paraded for the title of King and Queen of the Carnival. It was followed by the Calypso singing contest. Did you know that Calypso is a form of storytelling that tackles topics ranging from social to political issues? Monday at 3:00 a.m. was J’ouvert where paint, glitters, mud, oil or chocolate sauce were painted or thrown at anyone out on the streets! Loud Soca music accompanied the merriment. No, the four were not up at 3:00 a.m. for J’ouvert.
Then there was the Parade of Bands during the day. On Tuesday, the same participants the day before now marched in the Traditional Mas wearing elaborate masks, headpieces or costumes! Both parades have over 12,000 people daily. They were grouped together by “Tribes” and each tribe had their costume design and color and own 18-wheeler flatbed truck with eight or more huge speakers blaring Soca music or steelpan (Trinidad & Tobago’s contribution to the musical world). Paraders danced the samba in unison! It was wild and hypnotic! Interestingly, the moment the Soca music “Get On” was played, one can’t help but move to the rhythm.
With the thousands of people at the Carnival, who would be picked out for a television interview? Believe it or not, Joey, Gloria and Estela were interviewed and the segment appeared in the evening’s news! Yeah … such celebrities! Actually, there were two interviews. One particular interview appeared on the internet covering the Carnival and that was seen in New York and, who knows, where else! Then there was the radio interview arranged by Consul Borris. Each of the four was asked for their experience and the finale was an impromptu samba dance to the music of “Get On”! The amazed look on the faces of the Trinidadians is beyond description!
Consul
Borris provided VIP tickets for all the events surrounding their Carnival.
He also arranged and accompanied the four for courtesy calls on the Port
of Spain Mayor Murchison Brown and the Trinidad & Tobago Tourism Minister.
Trinidadians are very friendly people. It is very easy for them to converse, smile and laugh. People had stopped to talk and ask if assistance was needed. Raymond Lowe and his family is an example of this island brand of friendliness and hospitality. His mother prepared a feast on Sunday consisting of native dishes and drinks. The island and Carnival spirit was felt by everyone. The camaraderie in the right surroundings of tropical plants and flowers with the cool breeze blowing … one can’t ask for more!
People visit other countries. People experience something special from every country. People meet people. This trip to Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, in the West Indies is definitely one for the records. This is one of the highlights in the celebration of the 25th anniversary of Mobile International Festival. It is the hope that a sampling of the Trinidad & Tobago Carnival will be shared with the citizens of Mobile and all attendees this coming November. Wouldn’t that be great?
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