Written by
Janine Mendes-Franco -- Global Voices
“La Belle Dame”, one of the costumes in the 2017 Carnival band “Cazabon — The Art of Living”. Photo by Gary Jordan Photography, used with permission.
In Trinidad and Tobago, it's the time of year that masquerade designers unveil their creations for Carnival — the annual two-day street festival that attracts revellers from all over the world.
The roll-out has gone smoothly thus far, with leaders and designers of carnival bands (as the often thousands-strong troupes of masqueraders who parade in the streets are called) posting images of their 2017 offerings online, and Carnival enthusiasts debating their choices of bands and costumes.
Except in the case of one band: after its October 21 launch, Brian MacFarlane's 2017 presentation, “Cazabon — The Art of Living”, provoked a social media firestorm over what some felt was the glamourisation and belittling of both the country and the region's collective history.
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Was Carmona’s costume disrespectful?*
CONTROVERSIAL: President Anthony Carmona and his wife Reema Carmona cross the stage in Brian MacFarlane’s Cazabon -The Art of Living on Tuesday at the Queen’s Park Savannah. —Photo: ANDREA DE SILVA
For many, the Carnival costume worn by President Anthony Carmona was simply a representation of the diverse culture of Trinidad and Tobago. But for some devout Hindus, it was seen as a mockery to Hindu priests. Carmona wore a Dhisha Moorjani design as he participated in Brian MacFarlane’s 2017 Carnival presentation, Cazabon—The Art of Living, as a masquerader in the section Apna Desh. Carmona’s costume was a white dhoti, kurta, turban and sacred chains worn by pundits while performing Hindu rituals.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/20170301/news/was-carmona8217s-costu...
ODW
I don't think Trinidad All Stars was being disrespectful when they dressed like East Indians while playing Curry Tabanca during the International Panorama. The situation is everything.
But he should never do it again since an issue was made of it.
bugs
Peter deLight, when I grow up I would like to be just like you, all women love ah slick talker and U R ah silver tongue devil.
I'm so glad that your wife is pleased with her new wooden floor, I was confident that you would lay down some good wood, ah man like you must have done ah few floors in your day.
I was happy when my wife told me she wanted our kitchen floor done also, yes, I chuckled, my time to lay down some wood, my elation was short lived when she told me because of my bad back she wouldn't need me, she hired someone to lay down ceramic tiles.
It's good when you are ah "jack of all trades" you save money, and you are always around the house, women love that they will just keep the jobs coming, when yuh finish laying down the piping I know D wife already have your next job lined up. HAPPY WIFE GOOD LIFE.
All this Love and Happiness is good fuh married life, but Trinis are too traumatized to accept a portrayal of the "Beautiful" woman and her "Love toy" in Plantation mas...George Bailey must be turning in his grave.
Just a morbid attempt at cheap politics.
It lookin like some people ain't too please that McFarlane bringing back out he band, they know that once he in the mix everything change.
Buh yuh eh lie nah, Boye.
De new tork is dat lots ah peepul in dah Mas Camp dong Duke Street gehing reele nervous now dat dis band comin' bak out.
Who else cud really challenge dah Duke Street band wen it cum to winning Ban-Ah-De-Year title in recent times! Cheups man.....
As yuh say — now de mix changing. And is time!!
Dem Duke Street peepul reel greedy, yuh kno.
Dey or-reddy have bawse pan musik. For 2 whole dam days!! Now dey fighting fer Ban Ah De Year again. More cheups .....
Is time dey share de goudeness all rong.
If not, we cyanival going rite ovah a precipice. Ooopps .....ah mean ah pressy-wee-wee.
[Doh wanna offen no one, right? :-) :-) ]
Nuff respect to the Duke St. people, they BIG, and will always be a force to reckon with.
Was just teasing and trying to add a little lightheartedness. We've got to retrieve our humour. Sometimes it seems we've misplaced it.
Dr. deLight: I am not trying to curry favor with you so that I can come to stay at your house for Carnival 2017 and eat up all food and drink up all your liquor. But you are a consistently LIGHTHEARTED and humorous man on this forum -- which I find extremely entertaining.
You never updated us on the quality of the wuk yuh put down on the linoleum.
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