Carnival day for many Caribbean people, from many different (Caribbean) countries, is the best day of the year.
In this article, we cover the main reasons why we love Carnival so much.
Carnival Is Extraordinary.
One of the best things about Carnival is it is a day that drastically stands out from the other 363/4 days of the year. As a reveller, your expectations on Carnival day, are very different from those of a usual day. Carnival is very people-centric. So one of the things a reveller is expecting, is to meet a lot of people on Carnival day.
On this most special and exceptional day, everybody got the memo!!!! There is none of that, oh, I will have to miss the lime because I have other committments!!!! Once Carnival has arrived, everybody present is there to enjoy the proceedings. Moreover, you can meet someone that you last saw a long time ago. You also, can meet brand new people that you’d never met before. Although everybody is there to revel, it low key is still a great day to network and meet people.
2) Costumes and Colors.
One of the best things about playing ah mas is picking out your Carnival costume. Although you’re a part a certain section in a band where you are all wearing the same costume. Your choice of Carnival costume is still an expression of your individuality because the costume is your favorite costume, from your favorite band.
Carnival day is an opportuntity for you to show off you, in your costume and Carnival Body, with thousands of people present. There is a huge element of self love involved in this as well as a liberation, from caring what other people think. For this and many other reasons, Carnival is an opportunity for something that money is unable to buy. Nevertheless, may Carnival Bands reduce their prices as soon as possible, please and thanks!!!!
In addition to whatever you as an individual have going on. The icing on the cake is that you are a part of something bigger than just yourself. As throughout the day, your eyes get to feast on the visual display of Carnival. Together, revellers form a sea of color, as every color of the rainbow is worn. Every color from white, red, gold, silver, orange, pink, etc, etc, can be seen. Factor in the beauty and general attractiveness around and it is fair to say that the day is a sight for sore eyes.
3) Music.
Music is the pulse and the gas (driving force) behind Carnival. If there was one thing that organizers should bear in mind, it is the quality of the sound system/equipment and the DJ’s. At this point, a high number of revellers have played mas before. They’re already sold on the idea of playing ah mas. All they need is for there to be a non-stop selection of high quality music to be played from beginning to end.
Considering that Carnival is an annual affair. Getting the sound system and DJ right is a must. Anything less than this is unforgivable, point, blank, period. Moreover, a general rule of thumb is that Soca Music is the Music of Carnival. As mentioned in a different article, Soca Music has already been wrongly categorized as a seasonal genre of music.
The last thing Soca should then ever have to do, is play second fiddle to any other genre of music (except at Jamaica Carnival).
Furthermore, Carnival should be a celebration of local music and artists. Grenada Carnival should feature Grenadian artists and music primarily and the same should go for every other Carnival. Local artists and music should be championed on Jump Up Day because if we wanted to experience something else (other than what’s available locally) we would have gone somewhere else (i.e. there).
Masquerading in a band is that rare place where songs come to life and create memories. Memories that help give birth, to Road March Winners. On Jump Up Day, Music, is our muse.
4) Alcohol Consumption.
As experienced revellers we know exactly how to responsibly consume our Rum as we jump up. We also know that Rum may help make us make some bad decisions. However, taking a risk, being free of judgement by ourselves or others, is what makes revelling so special.
For one day in the year, we are going to consume copious amounts of alcohol. We are going to be care free. We are going to drink as much as we want, when we want but, we are going to do it wisely. As, we are far from new to this, on the contrary, we are true to this. Between the music, the rum and other things. We are going to get so high and feel so free, that the memories of it all will warm our hearts and bring a smile to our faces. Even if we fail and have a sub par mas, we’ll find comfort in the fact that we tried.
5) Whine.
As mentioned in a previous article, one of the best things about Carnival is getting some top tier whinery from another reveller. Real whiners know, there is something about whining that can never be put into words. Whining your waistline to a top tier Soca song is liberating and pleasurable enough. However, when you get to combine your whine with that of someone else’s, the levels of sweetness reached, are too high to put into words.
Even more than the rum, the costumes and most everything else, whining with someone else on Carnival day encapsulates why we play ah mas. It is precisely this feeling that likely motivated Alison Hinds to sing: “De whining must never stop…inside of de mas“.
May we never ever forget that as much as we may sometimes like to have our alone time and space when we are chipping down the road. That nothing compares to whining on and with someone else. Moreover, if there is a day for that sort of behaviour, it is Carnival Day!!!!
6) We Own It.
Carnival belongs to us, is a confirmation of our identity and expression of our freedom to play ah mas and be us.
According to Thomas Mann in Reflections Of A Non Political Man – everything is political. Arguably, the powerful, push a version of history that makes them look great and the Caribbean insignificant. During Carnival day, we get to forget about reality and history.
We get to do us and be us in ways that speak to our deepest roots i.e. Africa. On this day our role is anything but insignficant. We get to take in front and play ah mas, like only we can. We get to sing (Soca) songs rooted in the region that we call home and escape the harsh realities of the past and present.
Much like our ancestors, we get to find joy, happiness, love and many other positive emotions on Carnival day. Moreover, if it is done right, the division of you and I also ceases to exist or matter, as we all become one on the road. Admittedly, it is a temporary/fleeting feeling (Tabanca is real) but at least for a day or two – because of Carnival, everything feels alright.
