Page 6 EXPRESS Monday, March 2, 1987

IT IS POPULARLY acclaimed — "The Greatest our Carnival its distinct human Show on Earth": that is "We — Carnival". Thousand attraction. The pageant of the of visitors from all over the globe are here. Hundreds Carnival of Rio is a beautiful'( nl thousands have gone also to Rio. Thousands more, spectacle to behold. The pre- in one week's time, will find their way to Basel, a city sentation of bands (Ksailas de that lies on the border of France, West Germany and Samba) before the judges is the Switzerland. These thousands of globetrotters love high point of the festival. But the thrill and excitement of Carnival. They will go there are no street parades of where they can find it. Many, who have hat! the these bands all over the city, privilege to witness the festival in all three places, before and after the judging, as have concluded that our Carnival stands out. It is a Or Cuthbert is done on the two days of our unique human experience with a universal appeal. Joseph Carnival. The bands in Rio Each Carnival has its distinct charm and attrac- present themselves before the tion. It must, however, be assessed in its own cultural panel of judges from about and historical setting. The Carnival of Basel is midnight on Dimache (Iras until early on Monday similar to ours in the spontaneous and contagious morning. After that event, the street Carnival virtual- gaiety, which prevails in the street among spectators ly comes to a close. and masqueraders alike. In Rio, the spectacle of the different bands of The spectacle, also very colourful, is culturally very masqueraders is breathtaking. It "involves intricate different. Masqueraders are heavily disguised. Each samba steps, the melodious chanting of these songs, Carnival band contains a the dignified display of group of musicians, who costumes, the artistic gaily play martial music creativity of designs, the while the masqueraders exciting presentation of march briskly through Carnival themes. In spite the town. The music has of its human appeal, it is a subdued tone. The in- an event which one looks struments are mainly at rather than partici- files and flutes, inter- pates in. In yet other spersed with kettle- respects, Rio Carnival drums. Celebrated every differs fundamentally year, one week after our from ours. The majority festival, the Basel Carni- of masqueraders are tra- val heralds the arrival of ditionally of African ori- spring. It has a limited gin, who live in the European appeal. The slums in the suburbs of themes of the bands are the city. In selecting top- local; for the most part ics for presentation, Car- they are social commen- nival bands are required taries on life in the Ger- to choose only Brazilian man sector of themes. In its disguises, Switzerland. each band is permitted The festivals of Rio to display only its offi- and of Trinidad, howev- cial colours —usually er, have similar cultural two in number. The roots. Both trace their music accompanying origins from the interac- Defending National Panorama champion, Catelli each band is restricted to tion and merging of Ro- Trinidad All Start, who was fourth-placed Satur- percussion instruments; man Catholic and day night in a tie with Fertrin Pandemonium. wind instruments are African influences. Both prohibited. One Brazil- celebrations occur on the days immediately before the ian author has remarked that "the Rio Carnival is a start of lent. Although the pageantry of each is show only for the spectator. But for the masquerader distinctly different, both Carnivals have experienced it is a mission, a mandate, a supreme moment of similar developments. deliverance and self-suf- During the first two decades of the present cen- ficiency." tury, prominent among the masqueraders in Rio was This quotation could a multitude of bats, devils, perriots, sailors and equally be applied to our pirates. These characters continued to be dominant masqueraders. There is, in our Carnival long after this date and are even however, one striking today distinct categories among our mas' players. difference. In our Carni- Before the Second World War, two important val, no barrier exists be- features of the Trinidad festival were disguised balls tween spectator and and the parade of masqueraders on Carnival Monday masquerader. The free- and Tuesday. In this early period, mass participation dom that pervades Trini- in street Carnival was rather limited. Revellers played dad and Tobago Carnival mas' in their various balls. When they ventured out contributes to its unique of the dance halls, they jumped up in open trucks character. There is free- driven on the street. These mas' players were dis- dom of social integration, freedom of Carnival guised in fancy costumes and wore masks and domi- themes, freedom of display of colours, freedom of noes. In that era, there was limited direct contact musical forms. The free spirit of our Carnival brings between the main body out, in a gigantic human of masqueraders and the explosion, the creative crowds of spectators in and artistic genius of our the forum of the street. people. This aspect of Carnival It is this free spirit has since been radically that generates the hu- transformed. manness of the festival, An important feature thereby accentuates the of Trinidad Carnival to- sublime with the ridicu- day is its street charac- lous and the profane. ter. For all participants — masqueraders as well Our Carnival is capa- as spectators — the ble of dramatizing any main stage of Carnival . conceivable theme of hu- has shifted to the street. man experience with our Masqueraders and spec- multi-racial people as ac- tators of all races, sexes, tors. colours, classes and It is perhaps this fea- creeds, converge in One ture that gives our spec- Spirit on the street. This tacle its unique universal appeal. Carnival band contains a group of musicians, who costumes, the artistic gaily play martial music creativity of designs, the while the masqueraders exciting presentation of inarch briskly through Carnival themes. In spite the town. The music has of its human appeal, it is a subdued tone. The in- an event which one looks struments are mainly at rather than partici- files and flutes, inter- pates in. In yet other spersed i with kettle- respects, Rio Carnival drums. Celebrated every differs fundamentally year, one week after our from ours. The majority festival, the Basel Carni- of masqueraders are tra- val heralds the arrival of ditionally of African ori- spring. It has a limited gin, who live in the European appeal. The slums in the suburbs of themes of the bands are the city. In selecting top- local; for the most part ics for presentation, Car- they are social commen- nival bands are required taries on life in the Ger- to choose only Brazilian man sector of themes. In its disguises, Switzerland. each band is permitted The festivals of Rio to display only its offi- and of Trinidad, howev- cial colours —usually er, have similar cultural two in number. The roots. Both trace their music accompanying origins from the interac- Defending National Panorama champion, Catelli each band is restricted to tion and merging of Ro- Trinidad All Stars, who was fourth-placed Satur- percussion instruments; man Catholic and day night in a lie with Fertrin Pandemonium. wind instruments are African influences. Both prohibited. One Brazil- celebrations occur on the days immediately before the ian author has remarked that "the Rio Carnival is a start of lent. Although the pageantry of each is show only for the spectator. But for the masquerader distinctly different, both Carnivals have experienced it is a mission, a mandate, a supreme moment of similar developments. deliverance and self-suf- During the first two decades of the present cen- ficiency." tury, prominent among the masqueraders in Kin was This quotation could a multitude of bats, devils, perriots, sailors and equally be applied to our pirates. These characters continued to be dominant masqueraders. There is, in our Carnival long after this date and are even however, one striking today distinct categories among our mas' players. difference. In our Carni- Before the Second World War, two important val, no barrier exists be- features of the Trinidad festival were disguised balls tween spectator and and the parade of masqueraders on Carnival Monday masquerader. The free- and Tuesday. In this early period, mass participation dom that pervades Trini- in street Carnival was rather limited. Revellers played dad and Tobago Carnival mas' in their various balls. When they ventured out contributes to its unique of the dance halls, they jumped up in open trucks character. There is free- driven on the street. These mas' players were dis- dom of social integration, freedom of Carnival guised in fancy costumes and wore masks and domi- themes, freedom of display of colours, freedom of noes. In that era, there was limited direct contact musical forms. The free spirit of our Carnival brings between the main body out, in a gigantic human of masqueraders and the explosion, the creative crowds of spectators in and artistic genius of our the forum of the street. people. This aspect of Carnival It is this free spirit has since been radically that generates the hu- transformed. manness of the festival, An important feature thereby accentuates the of Trinidad Carnival to- sublime with the ridicu- day is its street charac- lous and the profane. ter. For all participants — masqueraders as well Our Carnival is capa- as spectators — the ble of dramatizing any main stage of Carnival . conceivable theme of hu- has shifted to the street. man experience with our Masqueraders and spec- multi-racial people as ac- tators of all races, sexes, tors. colours, classes and It is perhaps this fea- creeds, converge in One ture that gives our spec- Spirit on the street. This tacle its unique universal is the reality of chil- appeal. dren's Carnival. This is the essence of Monday For this reason, our and Tuesday Mas'. Car- Carnival should be nival today is mass viewed annually by not street theatre with mass only the thousands who street participation of visit our shores, but also spectators. It is perhaps TCI. (Trinidad Cement Ltd) Skiffle Bunch, win- by a world-wide audience this quality more than ner of the pan-round-the-neck competition Satur- through satellite commu- any other that has given day night at the Queen's Park Savannah. nication.