Caribbean Civilization portfolio by Katrina Annamunthodo

Cultural festivals in the Caribbean are an important part of the cultural landscape. The festivals of the Caribbean reflect our rich, diverse culture. In Trinidad alone, there are several examples of festivals that illustrate a diverse background. Trinidad's carnival for example is an example of how a festival can unite the various cultural groups in the country. For a brief five days each year, the beliefs and traditions of many cultures come together and the whole country forgets their differences to celebrate life. Carnival reflects the faces of the many immigrants who have come to the Caribbean.

Carnival was introduced to Trinidad around 1785, as the French settlers began to arrive. The tradition caught on quickly, and fancy balls were held where the wealthy planters put on masks, wigs and beautiful dresses and danced long into the night. The use of masks had special meaning for the slaves because for many African peoples masking is widely used in their rituals for the dead. Banned from the masked balls of the French, the slaves would hold their own little carnivals in their backyards using their own rituals and folklore, but also imitating their masters’ behaviour at the masked balls.

For African people, carnival became a way to express their power as individuals, as well as their rich cultural traditions. After 1838 (when slavery was abolished) the freed Africans began to host their own carnival celebrations in the streets that grew more and more elaborate and soon became more popular than the balls.

Many of the characters traditionally played during Carnival reflect the complex history of the island, due to the many different waves of influx of immigrants. For example, the Dame Lorraine costume echoes the dress of 18th- century French aristocrat women and is stuffed in the hips and bust. Another costume featured is the Burrokeet, a "donkey-man" character constructed so as to give the illusion of a dancer riding a small burro or donkey. This masquerade was brought to Trinidad by Venezuelan settlers.

Carnival provides an intangible good for society because it provides recreation and relaxation. It offers a dynamic tool for self-expression and exploration, a tool to seek our roots, a tool for unification, to discover what we all have in common and to celebrate what makes us different. The lyrics of the song "High Mass" by David Rudder encapsulates the unity Carnival brings, "Our Father who has given us this art, So that we can all feel a part of this earthly heaven, Amen Forgive us this day our daily weaknesses, As we seek to cast our mortal burdens on this city, Amen Oh merciful Father, in this bacchanal season, Where some men will lose their reason, But most of us just want to wine and have a good time."

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