Carnival and Community: Conflict and Fusion D
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Carnival and Community: Conflict and Fusion D. Elliott Parris 'frinidad is the home of Carnival had been celebrated in Roman in the Caribbean. While Carnival is Catholic countries for hundreds of found elsewhere- St. Lucia, Gre years. Their historical origin is nada, Antigua, Nevis, the Virgin obscure, but they probably derived Islands, and Haiti-'frinidad's fete from a pre-Christian rite honoring is considered the Caribbean's the new year and the coming of greatest, its most spectacular, its spring. That would explain the trendsetter. The Carnival in Rio de original length from Epiphany Janeiro, Brazil, plays this preemi (January 6) to Ash Wednesday (the nent role in Latin America. first day of Lent). In 19th-century The modern 'frinidadian Carni 'frinidad, the Carnival extended Carnival Preparation- val is a product of the conflict from Christmas to Ash Wednesday. Wirebender and Decorator at work. between two great cultures The festivities were characterized Photograph courtesy of Trinidad & Tobago Embassy, Washington, D. C. European and African. After 1498 by elaborate masked balls and they met, one as master, the other street processions, mainly in car val season, arguing that since it as slave; one sought dominance, riages. Some white revelers was a public holiday, Cannes Brule the other liberation. donned black masks and played could take place and initiate Car Discovered by Columbus in the role of black slaves. Free per nival. But the whites resented this 1498, 'frinidad was part of the sons of color, although not forbid intrusion into what had been ex Spanish Empire until 1797, when den to mask, were forced to keep clusively an upper-class fete. Laws it was captured by the British, in to themselves; the black slaves had and proclamations repeatedly whose hands it remained until its no share in Carnivals unless re sought to stifle or eliminate political independence in 1962. quired to take part for the amuse Cannes Brule. This conflict culmi From 1498-1783 the island re ment of the white elite. nated in the Cannes Brule riots of mained undeveloped and under Immediately after the emancipa 1881. Subsequent suppression populated. Spain then opened her tion of the slaves in 1833, a tradi only drove Cannes Brule under colonies to migrants from other tion was begun among them that ground, where it thrived, promot Roman Catholic countries, leading had great impact on carnival. The ing ritual combat (personified in to an influx of French planters ex-slaves chose to commemorate stick fighting) and social satire in from neighboring West Indian ter the anniversary of their freedom song (first called "kalinda-singing," ritories into 'frinidad. These by holding a festivity each year on then "ca-i-so," and today "calyp French Creoles became the domi August 1. In 1834 they paraded in so"). The Cannes Brule was born nant economic and ethnic group a costumed "Artillery Band" meant as a memorial to the sufferings of in 'frinidad, and their influence on to satirize the militia of the ruling slavery and stubbornly persisted the island's culture remained forces. Quite clearly the practice of as a ritual celebration of the Afri strong even after the island was having some blacks act as field can community's survival. When seized by the British. slaves-their former subservient the elite found that they could not role-was introduced. They black stamp out the Cannes Brule, they The French Catholic elite intro ened their faces, put chains on incorporated it into their Carnival. duced traditional Carnival to 'frini their bodies and were symbolically The 20th century has seen the dad. "Carnival," of Latin deriva whipped through the streets. fusion of these two traditions, the tion, means "put away the meat," Others carried lighted torches, European festival of Carnival and or "farewell to the flesh," an allu symbolic of the sugarcane fires the African festival of Cannes sion to the Christian custom of often set by slaves to protest Brule, into what is known today as entering a state of abstinence and against their oppressors. This Af Carnival. The European practice of spirituality during Lent. Carnivals rican celebration came to be wearing masks (at the "masked D. Elliott Parris, Ph.D. in Sociology, is an known as Cannes Brule (Festival of balls") was easily adopted by the Assistant Professor of Afro-American the Burnt Canes), or Jamet Carni Africans whose own traditional Studies at Howard University, and serves val (from the French diametre, culture and religion employed asfieldworker and project coordinator for meaning "the other half"). masks extensively. Africans the Smithsonian Institution Folklife Pro gram. Born in Barbados, he has taught The Africans soon introduced brought the music of the drum, previously at Yale University. their Cannes Brule into the Carni- whose infectious rhythm trans- 10 Caribbean Carnivals in North America Katherine Williams Migrating West Indians have brought their traditions and culture to North America. Theirs is a rich culture compounded of elements from Africa, the Middle East, China and the Far East, North and South America, and Europe. One expression of West Indian culture-Carnival-is practiced Jumping-up in a Carnival band. from Brooklyn and other eastern Photograph courtesy of Trinidad & Tobago dates from the traditional pre seaboard cities, to the Canadian Embassy. Washington, D. C. Lenten season to other times when cities of Montreal and Toronto, their own attention, and that of formed the parade of costumed, and across the continent to Los the tourists who have become in elite individuals content to ride in Angeles. The largest and oldest creasingly important to their carriages into a roadmarch of Carnival in North America began in economies, can be focused specif dancing, jumping revelers. During Harlem in the mid-1940s. The ically on their own festival. In World War II, musicians creqted an Festival was later moved to North America, Caribbean com original musical instrumen~ out of Brooklyn in 1967 and is run by the munities organize their Carnivals discarded oil drums, replacing the West Indian-American Day to take advantage of summer skin drum with the new steel drum. Carnival Association, Inc. weather and to avoid conflicting Thus steel-band music was born. Carnival has become a with any neighboring com And so the Trinidad Carnival, commonly shared and much munity's carnival. whose particular character had anticipated activity among West Caribbean peoples continue to been forged in a history of com Indians who live in North America. engage in the rites of Carnival. For munity conflict and fusion, con It is a time for coming together, a in the world of Carnival everyday tinued to develop its own distinctly time to greet old friends with a social realities recede, at least for "new world" musical sound. "What's happenin', man?," the duration of the rite, as each Community conflicts exist today: accompanied by much hugging, participant connects with another costume bands still reflect societal kissing, and back slapping. People reality- a collective inner world of cleavages based on wealth, status, travel to all parts of the United community from which each re and color. And the Carnival Queen States, Canada, and the turns with a new strength. Competition was dropped recently Caribbean; the flow of people is because of black resentment that Suggested Reading continuous. Carnival is a reason to white and light-skinned entrants Crowley, Daniel J . "The Meanings of enjoy oneself in the traditional usually won. Yet the majority of Carnival," Clarion, Feb. 24, 1954. ways, a reason to be with friends Trinidadians, rich and poor, will ----. "The 'ltaditional Masques of and family. ingly "play mas," many at great Carnival." Caribbean Quarterly. 4 (1956}, Carnival has many names: it is economic expense and personal 194-223. "Mas" in Brooklyn, "Caribana" in sacrifice, and many travel great Elder, Jacob D. "Color, Music and Conflict: Toronto, and Carnival in Montreal. A Study of Aggression in 'ltinidad with It is enjoyed by native-born North distances each year to get home for Reference to the Role of 'ltaditional Music." Carnival. Carnival has seemingly Ethnomusicology. 8, No. 2 (1964}, 128-136. Americans, by immigrants other imbedded itself in the very soul of ----.From Congo Drum to than West Indians, by recent the Trinidadian people. Steelband: A Socio-historical Account of the Emergence·and Evolution of the Trinidad Katherine Williams is a native of 'ltinidad Carnival is an intrinsic part of and Thbago, a country knownfor its community life in many other Steel Orchestra. 'ltinidad: University of the West Indies, 1969. annual celebration of one of the most Caribbean countries and it con coloiful and popular Carnivals in the Hill, Errol, The Trinidad Carnival: Mandate Western Hemisphere. She has served as a tinues to flourish and to adapt to for a National Theatre. Austin: University changing circumstances. Not judge in several Carnival contests both in of Texas Press, 1972. 'ltinidad and Canada. Afree lance writer, wanting to be overshadowed by Soyinka, Wole, Myth, Literature and the lecturer and consultant, she is presently Trinidad's celebration, many other African World. London: Cambridge coordinating the Caribbean segment of the islands have shifted their Carnival University Press, 1976. Folklife Festival, 1979. 11 .