Mas Quarterly - Issue 1 by Mas Transformation Secretariat

T R A N S F O R M I N G

M A S

I N T O

B U S I N E S S

A CARNIVAL 'LEGACY'

BIG MIKE 14

THE PERFECT BLEND OF BUSINESS AND PLEASURE

MAS TODAY

BSc. CARNIVAL STUDIES

WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY

GRADUATE WITH THIS DEGREE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

CARNIVAL AND HEALTH

'OUTSIDE' THE BOX IDEAS FOR YOUR CARNIVAL FITNESS ROUTINE

ISSUE 1 JAN - MAR 2013

Editorial Team

Publisher Editing & Design Writers

Marketing Consultant Photography

Mahindra Satram-Maharaj Jean-Paul Pouchet Laura Rambaran-Seepersad Gisele Williams Keith Harry Eidetic Publishing Eidetic Creative Alexia Parker Roslyn Carrington Steisha Monderoy Clive Pegus Rubadiri Victor Kenwyn Murray Dr. Jo-Anne Tull Jean-Paul Pouchet Anton Modeste

This information is of a general nature only and is not intended as a substitute for professional information about Carnival and Mas Business. Eidetic Publishing has made reasonable efforts to ensure that the information contained herein is accurate and up to date. To the extent permitted by law, Eidetic Publishing, their employees, agents and advertisers accept no liability (even if negligent) for any injury, loss or damage caused by reliance on any part of this information. Mas Quarterly also contains information supplied by third parties. This information is identified with the name of the source and has been chosen for publication because we believe it to be reliable. To the extent permitted by law, Eidetic Publishing, their employees, agents and advertisers accept no liability (even if negligent) for any injury, loss or damage caused by reliance on any part of this information. Mas Quarterly is to be published 4 times a year by Eidetic Publishing, Gaston Court, Gaston Street, Lange Park, Chaguanas, Trinidad and Tobago. Entire contents are copyright. Reproduction in part or whole is prohibited. Eidetic Publishing is in no way affiliated with companies or products covered in Mas Quarterly. Produced and printed in Trinidad and Tobago.

CONTENTS Chairman’s Message

Minister’s Remarks

Taking The Mas To The Next Level

NCDF - Understanding Its Role and The Mas Transformation Secretariat

10-13

A Carnival Legacy

14-17

‘BIG MIKE’ The Perfect Blend of Business and Pleasure

Occupational Standards In Mas Industry

20-21

Intellectual Property

22-23

Taking Mas to the World

What’s Happening in Mas Today

24-25

Launch of Carnival 2013

26-31

Geraldo Vieira

32-35

Honouring a Legend

BSc. Carnival Studies

36-37

UWI’s Platform for Training

Facts and Figures About Our Carnival

Rosalind Gabriel

40-43

Passing the great Legacy of Mas Down to the Children

Carnival and Health

44-45 05

â&#x20AC;˘ Nephrology Service (Kidney)

MAS QUARTERLY CHAIRMAN'S MESSAGE Mahindra Satram-Maharaj Chairman / CEO Mas Transformation Secretariat A bright and colourful welcome to our inaugural issue of the Mas Quarterly Magazine. This magazine brings to the world the exciting and exhilarating facet of Carnival known as Mas (Masquerade) from a business perspective. Under the reins of the National Carnival Development Foundation (NCDF) and the Mas Transformation Secretariat (Mas Trans), this creative entity is being propelled into a viable and prosperous business, not only locally and regionally, but also internationally. The Mas Transformation Secretariat was formed to implement the projects emanating from NCDF’s Strategic Transformation Plan and is committed to transforming Trinidad & Tobago’s Carnival from being viewed just as a cultural activity and into a sustainable industry. Our projects directly support the country's national objectives of improving the service sector's (including Mas) competitiveness by expanding its access to export markets. The level of services exported by Mas bands, designers/costume makers and Carnival service providers will increase and provide continued economic benefits. This intervention is timely and will also provide a tool for the dissemination of information that facilitates exporting our Mas. Our Carnival entrepreneurs are taking our festival to the next level as they are the managers of viable businesses that contribute to national prosperity. Our cover story highlights a man who is both a Masman and a businessman, a man who has overcome many obstacles on his way to success — Mr. Michael ‘Big Mike’ Antoine (Leader of the Band Legacy). Among our other articles are various projects undertaken by the NCDF. These include a collaboration with the National Training Agency (NTA) and the University of the West Indies’ Department for Carnival and Festival Arts (UWIDCF) to develop National Occupational Standards (NOS, TTNVQs) and criteria for Mas to certify ‘Mas Practitioners’ in the Mas Industry. A Labour Market Survey is also being conducted to determine the labour needs of this diverse industry. Additionally, efforts are being made with the Ministry of the Environment to make Mas environment-friendly and in

the process reducing our carbon footprint. Adherence to global standards is of vital importance when extending our services and creating new investment opportunities locally and internationally. Together with AM in Motion, and its patented technology, Carnival 2013 is expected to be the world's first live Carnival 360° event and the first live mobile 360° streamed event. Viewers will now be creatively immersed into the scene and be surrounded with images seamlessly displayed in every direction, providing a compelling augmented virtual reality experience via PCs, tablets and mobile phones. The NCDF has collaborated with the Trinidad and Tobago Copyright Collection Organization (TTCO) to ensure that Mas designers, bandleaders, artisans and others involved in what is defined as 'Works of Mas' enjoy copyright protection for their work. The NCDF and Mas Trans is reshaping Carnival to have a sustainable global impact. It is a portal for diversifying the Trinidad and Tobago economy, thereby reducing the stresses placed on the Oil and Gas sector. The NCDF continues to contribute to the advancement of the national, regional and international community by providing the opportunity to develop the leadership skills, social and cultural responsibility and fellowship necessary to create positive change through Mas and Carnival. The membership of the NCDF is opened to all persons and legal entities ordinarily resident in Trinidad and Tobago who are producers, owners, designers or otherwise having an interest in the production, performance and management of Mas and Carnival. Mas Quarterly, along with our other projects, is our attempt at making sure Trinidad and Tobago's presence on the World map is indelible. The NCDF is committed towards globally branding Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival. We hope our articles will have a consequential impact on our readers and lead to a better appreciation of the value and business of Mas. In concluding, we express our appreciation to all who have made Mas Quarterly a success, and our sincerest gratitude for all things yet to come. We look forward to bringing you more motivational stories and business opportunities in 2013. The NCDF and the Mas Transformation Secretariat wishes Seasons Greetings and a Happy New Year 2013 to all.

The Government of The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Ministry of Arts and Multiculturalism The Honourable Dr. Lincoln Douglas, MP Minister of Arts and Multiculturalism

TAKING THE MAS TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Trinidad and Tobago is the world leader of Carnival. The festival epitomizes the plethora of our creative expression and is reflective of our rich diversity and history. Paramount to the spectacle of Carnival is the Masquerade. ‘Mas’ is the flagship of Carnival and showcases the artistic genius of our multicultural society. The “mas” has the potential to make a significant contribution to the local economy. Trinidad and Tobago Carnival attracts over 40,000 visitors annually. Studies from the University of the West Indies indicate that revenue from the season exceeds US$100 million dollars annually. The message from this is clear: Carnival is Big Business. The influence of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is global. The Masquerade industry, in particular, has been successful in cementing the presence of mas-makers, wire benders, painters, designers, band leaders, characters, performers and promoters at some of the biggest Carnivals around the world. Carnival in the Diaspora generates hundreds of millions of dollars and creates opportunities for our local ‘Carnivalists’ who are entrepreneurs and ambassadors of Trinidad and Tobago. While Carnival has contributed immensely to our cultural identity and the creative economy, the industry is still in the embryonic stages of maximizing its fullest potential. Development is needed in areas such as business planning, management, marketing of products and organizational structures. The seasonal nature of the

festival is a challenge that affects the sustainability of the Masquerade sector in Trinidad and Tobago, but globally the opportunities are limitless. One of the major issues that must be faced is the technological impact and importation of designs and costumes. Out of every crisis emanates an opportunity and the Masquerade sector is abound with the potential to grow exponentially and make greater contributions to the gross domestic product of the local economy, while strengthening Brand T&T globally. Against this backdrop, the Mas Quarterly is a timely and necessary initiative. It can become a vital tool for facilitating and communicating developments within the sector locally, regionally and internationally. The Mas Quarterly has the potential to network the global Carnival sector and encourage greater dialogue and collaboration across the Carnival Diaspora while serving as powerful marketing instrument to attract increased direct foreign investment. The National Carnival Commission has been given a broad mandate to develop all things carnival and expand the opportunities for the involvement of every aspect of the sector. The Mas Transformation Secretariat must be congratulated for conceptualizing and delivering the inaugural issue of this publication. I am certain that this is the beginning of many issues to come. The Ministry of the Arts and Multiculturalism will continue to support this venture as we work together to advance the creative economy of Trinidad and Tobago.

mas Understanding its role in

transforming

For some people Mas is a fun, cultural experience that allows them the opportunity to "free up" on the streets for two days every year. For others it is an opportunity for them to generate income.

Article by Alexia Parker

Getting people to understand and accept that Mas doesn't just have to be one or the other and trying to cultivate the mindset that it can be a lucrative business option has proven to be a challenge to many entities over the years, and one which the National Carnival Development Foundation (NCDF) hopes to overcome with its new Mas transformation initiatives, among them the ICT4BUS project -- a project that is expected to increase the profitability and competitiveness of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in the local masquerade industry through increased access and more opportune use of ICT tools and services. Incorporated under the Companies Act of 1995 in 2003, the NCDF is an NGO that represents almost 300 Mas practitioners, among them Carnival bands, designers, wire benders, kings, queens, characters and artisans, and eleven large Port-of-Spain based bands. It falls under the purview of the National Carnival Commission, and its functions include:

• Developing an awareness and acceptance of the responsibilities of citizenship through Mas and Carnival. • Organizing seminars, workshops and conferences on all aspects of Carnival. • Promoting economic development among its membership. • Bringing members of the Carnival and Mas fraternity together through specially designed activities. • Establishing and maintaining cordial relations with regional and international Carnival associations. • Representing and promoting the cultural, economic, social and legal interests of its members in local and international Carnival. • Controlling, administering, exercising and enforcing on behalf of producers, owners and designers who are members of the NCDF, all their rights and remedies in respect of the exploitation or use of their works, including reproduction by any method. • Collecting and/or appointing agents to recover and collect all royalties, fees and other monies due to NCDF members who are producers, owners and designers and distributing such royalties and fees and other monies in accordance with agreed principles. • Recognizing the contribution of and grant awards for outstanding contribution to Carnival and Mas bands.

ith the support from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment (MTII) and the Business Development Company (BDC), the Mas Transformation Secretariat (MTS) was formed to function as the NCDF's implementation body for its strategic plans. At the launch of the MTS on April 21, 2012, Minister of Planning and the Economy Dr. Bhoe Tewarie described Trinidad and Tobago's creative industries, including Mas making, as a fundamental pillar of diversification with great economic potential.

"There is an economic and business component of this sector; with skills training and local investment the entire sector can grow in the global environment. We can organize this in a strategic way," the Minister said. According to BDC chairman Khemraj Nanhu, when the NCDF submitted a proposal to the BDC for funding for its Mas transformation initiative, it argued that statistics showed approximately ninety-seven percent of leaders of Mas bands end up in a loss or break-even position because they took a purely cultural approach, as against taking a business approach to Mas.

Mahindra Satram-Maharaj, Chairman NCDF and Mas Transformation Secretariat.

The NCDF, he says, highlighted that bringing out a Mas band incurs huge costs. With the high cost of raw materials, music, security, licensing and administrative fees, etc, bandleaders are then forced to pass on the cost to masqueraders. Some Mas proponents have resorted to importing Carnival costumes in order to reduce overheads, an act that creates employment in foreign countries, sidelining the skills of local creators.

"Costume making is essentially a heritage skill and in our view must be supported and facilitated as an industry," and "by the promotion of Mas as a business, the preservation of the cultural heritage/legacy would be automatic," the NCDF proposed. Nanhu says these were all good arguments, resulting in a team effort to revolutionize the Mas industry.

Senator Dr. Bhoendradatt Tewarie, Minister of Planning, Economic & Social Restructuring and Gender Affairs.

Khemraj Nanhu, Chairman Business Development Corporation (BDC), presents award to Cedric Lewis of D-Midas Mas Band

"The NCDF commissioned the development of a Strategic Transformation Plan for the masquerade Industry, and the Inter-American Development Bank has provided financial support for the implementation of some aspects of this plan, with the Trinidad and Tobago Coalition of Services Industries (TTCSI) providing managerial support. This was an important factor in the BDC's decision to support this project,"

"In light of this, the NCDF project will help local MSMEs to develop their entrepreneurial skills and operational capacity so that they may maximize on the opportunities presented in the EPA. Moreover, we have the ability to be innovative and creative which enables us to target niche markets by developing new products and services for a demand-driven, ever more sophisticated global market."

Nanhu said, adding that the BDC's involvement will be via the provision of training for the beneficiaries of the ICT4BUS project, which was signed by Trade and Investment Minister Stephen Cadiz on October 28th, 2010.

Cadiz said to date the NCDF had also been instrumental in the initiation of a number of successful projects, including the development of Financing Mechanism for Mas bands, designers, kings, queens, and characters, in collaboration with NEDCO; the development and submission of funding proposal to the Green Fund for the MAS GONE GREEN project, a 5 year project to encourage bandleaders/designers into the use of environmental-friendly materials into costume production and to brand Trinidad and Tobago Carnival as the leader within the diaspora for its â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;greenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Carnival; and partnering with ETECK in the construction/ development of the Carnival Entertainment Complex at Frederick Settlement.

Meanwhile, Minister Cadiz says his ministry is committed to enabling an environment that will foster the creation of globally competitive businesses. He cited the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between CARIFORUM and the European Union as one of the many trade agreements that can benefit existing and new entrepreneurs.

The Honourable Stephen Cadiz, Minister of Tourism.

"Under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between CARIFORUM and the European Union, our manufacturers and service providers have access to the 27 markets of Europe. Moreover, as a member of CARIFORUM, Trinidad and Tobago is well positioned to benefit from the EPA signed with the European Union. It should be noted that the EPA makes special provisions for services providers such as the members of the NCDF, to gain access to European markets which have numerous diasporic Carnivals all through the year.

Joan Yuille-Williams, Former Government Minister poses with Fancy Sailors.

"The ministry applauds the NCDF for its pioneering efforts in carrying out its mandate to ensure that the Trinidad and Tobago masquerade industry be the premier global industry in the design, production, marketing and distribution of the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival," the Minister concluded.

I have that Congo bongo kind of look that makes me attractive to the cameras

BIG MIKE A Carnival 'Legacy'

The perfect blend of business and pleasure His work is well known in the Mas industry, locally, regionally and internationally. Whether it be parading on the streets of Port-of-Spain, along the Eastern Parkway in New York, at the Crop Over Festival in Barbados, or at Notting Hill Carnival in London, the costumes designed and produced by Mike 'Big Mike' Antoine, band leader of the Woodbrook-based Legacy, stand out, as does the man himself. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have that Congo bongo kind of look that makes me attractive to the cameras,â&#x20AC;?

Article by Alexia Parker

Antoine says he designs different costumes for at least ten carnivals around the world annually, with Crop Over being the biggest after Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival. And although he insists he does it for the love of the culture and not the money, he admits that he does make a decent living from it.

WHEN I GOT INTO MAKING MAS I DID IT FOR LOVE AND I DID IT GENUINELY. IT TURNED AROUND AND TOOK CARE OF ME. I DON'T MAKE A KILLING BUT I DO WELL ENOUGH. I WORK HARD AND I MAKE AN HONEST LIVING. However, he says, it took time, dedication and hard work to get where he is today. Mas has taken him around the world, but it would never have happened without proper planning and wise decisions. “I have a successful business, but it didn't happen overnight. I don't sleep much because I'm always working. I work really hard to maintain what I have. I always tell people I used to be a decent vagrant, because I came from nothing.” Although he has been involved in Carnival and Mas for decades, it was not until 1995 that he took on the responsibility of leading a band when he and then business partner Ian Mc Kenzie formed the band Legends. “At that time I thought I was responsible enough to take that step, so I did.” For the first three years the duo paid to have the costumes designed. Eventually, however, Antoine took over the responsibility of creating the costumes.

“When I looked at the cost and the designs I told myself I could do that. I knew I had it in me because I am very creative. I was in the construction business and I worked my way up from labourer to foreman. I practiced reading blueprints then, so it was easy to make the transition from that to designing. I learnt the art of mixing and matching colors from Wayne Berkley and so many others.” When he and McKenzie parted ways in May 2004, Antoine took on the management, designing, public relations and marketing responsibilities for his new band, Legacy. However, he describes his wife, Juliet De La Bastide, as the “engine” of the entire operation. But even while he focuses on his multi-pronged roles as the Legacy bandleader, Antoine never neglects the fun in Mas. Not a Carnival goes by without his buffed presence in the Strong Man and Rude Girls section, which has its roots in the band Savage. Antoine says the concept was his, so when Savage became defunct and he moved on to Barbarossa, Legends and eventually Legacy, the section moved with him. Dressed in a Speedo, his rippled body glistening and draped in chains, Antoine leads the section, which comprises a posse of male bodybuilders and ultra sexy women. “Carnival day is the biggest stage in the world. I am a fitness person. It may work in my favour as a businessman, as well as it may not. Some people may look forward to it, while others may think I'm too vain. But at the end of the day I'm not doing it for anyone, I'm doing it for me. Its my way of enjoying Mas.” He has no formal business credentials and no letters behind his name, but he says his common sense and his experiences helped him along the way. “It's only now employers ask for diplomas and certificates. Back in my day common sense worked for you. Even Bill Gates had no formal education when he started his business and he is one of the wealthiest men in the world.” But whatever the type of business, he says, the basic principles remain the same.

Decide on what you want to do; identify your target market and focus on them; set goals; market yourself well; manage finances and employees well; persevere even when times get tough; and maintain integrity in everything you do. Antoine says for as long as he has known himself he has been involved in cultural activities, which worked to his advantage. Participating in Best Village, playing Fancy Sailor Mas, the organisation of Fresh Fest in the mid 1980s, and working at clubs all played a role in preparing him for his current role as a Mas- and businessman. “The Mas side of it a natural progression of the things I've been doing all my life,” he says, adding that turning it into a profitable business was easy because it is a labour of love. “At one point I was doing about seven other things to make money. But then the Mas started to grow and I knew I couldn't juggle everything so I gave up some of the other things to focus on Mas.” With his core staff of 12, Antoine goes about the business of making costumes year-round. For Trinidad Carnival, because it is the largest, he hires additional staff and contracts the services of factory workers for work that cannot be done at the Mas camp.

“Remember you are not just paying for a costume, you are paying for an experience. I never liked the all-inclusive concept, but everybody is doing it and I have to be competitive. It’s what the people want. The cost of music trucks, security, food and everything else is expensive, and, unfortunately, has to be passed on to the customer.” Antoine is convinced that if bandleaders and the “authorities” get together they can devise a way to get around this. He accepts that like everything else in life, the business of Mas has its ups and downs. He says while getting people to appreciate the Mas for the rich part of the Trinidad and Tobago culture that it is sometimes feels unattainable, he was up to the challenge when he started, and still is.

IF I HAVE TO LIVE MY LIFE ALL OVER AGAIN I WOULD WANT TO LOOK THE SAME WAY AND DO THE SAME THING.

“At the Mas camp we bend wire, cut and stick. But there are things, such as, say, making waistcoats to go with a costume, that we can't do here. We send it to factories to be made. So we are creating employment even out of the camp.” “People think this is a seasonal thing, but is not. All our costumes are made here in Trinidad and Tobago, including the ones for outside Carnivals. Even before the Carnival is finished we start planning for the next year. We have to figure out how we are going to bring it to life.” He laments the fact that with rising costume prices everyone who wants to play Mas simply cannot. Reducing the cost of his costumes to facilitate that, however, is not a wise business decision.

Bodyart for cover photo done by James Paul: 786.0684

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OCCUPATIONAL

STANDARDS IN THE

MAS INDUSTRY â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is best embodied in this old Chinese proverb. TVET is concerned with the acquisition of knowledge and skills for the world of work (UNESCO). TVET provides the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are needed for employment or self-employment. It describes a wide range of training and learning (formal, non-formal and informal) wherever it occurs, be it training centers, workplace, mas camps, schools and institutions. The National Training Agency (NTA) is the central coordinating agency for all TVET in Trinidad and Tobago.

Article by Ms. Steisha Monderoy Sector Development Specialist. Occupational Standards and Sector Support National Training Agency

Mandated to assist, support and encourage the development of training programmes designed to develop innovation, enterprise and entrepreneurship in the nation’s human resources, the NTA in collaboration with the National Carnival Development Foundation (NCDF) and the University of the West Indies Department for Carnival and Festival Arts (UWI DCF) have embarked on an initiative to develop national occupational standards (NOS) to certify ‘Mas Practitioners’ in the Mas Industry. This means that mas practitioners will now have the opportunity to be certified in Masquerade Design Level 2 and Masquerade Design Level 3. One may be wondering, what exactly are national occupational standards of competence? National occupational standards define the knowledge, skills and attitudes required for effective workplace performance, they specify what a person should know and do in order to function effectively in the workplace. They are developed in consultation with lead technical experts in the industry and are benchmarked against international standards. Occupational Standards are the assessment tool for the award of the Trinidad and Tobago National Vocational Qualification (TTNVQ) and the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ). In a recent interview with mas veteran Winston Daniel it was highlighted that the industry is characterized by a number of persons operating within the sector with a repertoire of skills, multiple years of experience and no formal certification. For persons actively involved in the sector an initiative like this is significant in building capacity and further developing the sector. This means that mas practitioners can gain a recognised and portable qualification, better job opportunities, better marketing/promotional opportunities, increased productivity, profitability and competitiveness as well as access to funding/grants. For the industry, it means more stringent industry certification, ensuring an enabling environment for lifelong learning and progression, a pool of highly skilled, adaptable and creative workers and the facilitation of a cadre of workers who are competent to give the industry competitive advantage in the global market.

IN BRIEF, NUMBERS: SPECIFIES WHAT AN INDIVIDUAL NEEDS TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND TO DO THEIR JOB IDENTIFIES THE MAIN ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN AN OCCUPATIONAL AREA DESCRIBES WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR SUCCESSFUL PERFORMANCE INCLUDES OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS INCLUDES ANY STATUTORY OR LEGAL OBLIGATIONS CAPTURES DEFINING OCCUPATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS SUCH AS LIFE SKILLS REFLECTS BEST EMPLOYMENT PRACTICE ARE INDUSTRY LED DEVELOPED IN CONSULTATION WITH LEAD TECHNICAL EXPERTS FROM THE INDUSTRY ASSESSMENT TOOL FOR THE TTNVQ AND CVQ

Taking

Mas

World

the

AS THE MAS TRANSFORMATION SECRETARIAT SEEKS TO FURTHER PROPEL TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO MAS ON THE WORLD STAGE, THERE ARE SOME INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS ISSUES THAT ARE CRITICAL TO ITS SUCCESS.

LINKING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES It must be recognized that taking Mas to the world must link the cultural with the business opportunities. And the business opportunities must not be limited to the use of Trinidad and Tobago designers and producers of Mas, sale of costumes, the engagement of musicians and related Carnival services, but also embrace the commercialization of the intellectual property rights of our producers of Mas and Mas designers.

VALUE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS In

todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

business

environment, the revenue stream from intellectual property rights exceed by far the actual fees paid to entertainers and sportsmen. Forbes Magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s edition of 24th October 2012 estimates that the estate of Bob Marley, who died in 1981 (30 years before 2011), earned US$17 million in image rights, royalties and licensing fees in 2011.

Article by Clive Pegus

GAP IN REVENUE STREAM OF PRODUCERS OF MAS The producers and designers of works of Mas have traditionally not maximized benefits from their intellectual property rights. Their main revenue stream from their Carnival production comes from sale of costumes and, in the case of the winners, competition prizes. Among the reasons for this deficiency is the lack of a specialized intellectual property collective management organization to promote and protect the

intellectual property rights of producers, designers and performers of Mas. The existing organizations of producers of Mas do not have the focus, expertise, resources and organizational infrastructure to manage the intellectual property rights of their members. Their role insofar as intellectual property rights are concerned has been a limited one, mainly to collect monies received from NCC for broadcast rights, whenever there is a distribution.

NEED FOR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANISATION FOR PRODUCERS OF MAS Trinidad and Tobago has a modern intellectual property legal framework and Intellectual Property Office to facilitate greater benefits to producers, designers and performers of Mas. There is the potential for producers, designers and performers of Mas to increase their revenue earning capacity from royalties for the use of their productions, designs and performances. However, in order to achieve any improvement in this regard, there must be a specialised collective management organization for administration, protection and promotion of works of Mas. This organisation should be authorized to license others to record and transmit their productions and performances whether on television, internet, DVDs, videos, Carnival magazines, posters and cards. There are other means of exploitation of their works such as the production of figurines of famous Carnival designs, the sale of images for book publications, merchandising, use of footage for music videos, films, etc. The organisation would need to strengthen the administrative or institutional capacity and the technical expertise available to the Mas community as a whole to manage copyright issues effectively or to promote and market the potential rights subsisting in the Carnival industry. There is need for a comprehensive database of Carnival images; and for specialised administrative, licensing, collection, accounting and distribution systems in place for the management of copyright in the works of Mas.

MANAGEMENT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IN CARNIVAL COMPETITION The producers of Mas are required to assign their copyright to the organizers of the Carnival Mas competition, without any clear understanding of what benefits would be due to them and their designers from the broadcast of their presentations. This is not a healthy situation. There must be clear rules as to what rights are granted to the organizers of the Carnival Mas competition and what rights are retained by producers of Mas and what benefits are to be derived as far as the commercialization of their intellectual property rights are concerned.

MEDIA RIGHTS AND CARNIVAL PRESENTATIONS In addition, there must be clear rules and arrangements regarding the media rights for the reproduction broadcast of Carnival presentations. Valid issues have arisen over the years concerning the scope of the authorization granted to the exclusive media rights holder by producers of Mas. There is no commercial logic in granting exclusive media rights to one agency to broadcast Carnival presentations when that agency does not cover all competition venues throughout Trinidad and Tobago. It makes sense for different media rights packages to be sold to different media houses in respect of the different competition venues. For example, one media house could be given the right to cover Carnival presentation. This would allow for both greater revenue to producers of Mas through royalties and an equal opportunity for media houses to compete. The organizers of Carnival should also develop more transparent processes for the granting of exclusive rights. Media houses should be invited to bid, even though the process may not have a different result. The organizers should also limit the assignment or licensing of copyright and neighbouring rights received from Mas bands to the official competition venues and leave it to the individual Mas bands or their organizations to make their own arrangements with respect to the broadcast of their performances on the streets outside of the competition venues.

INTERNATIONAL LINKAGES The Trinidad and Tobago work of Mas is becoming increasingly integrated in carnivals throughout the world. Trinidad and Tobagoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s producers and designers of Mas participate in Carnivals in major metropolitan cities where citizens of Trinidad and Tobago and other Caribbean people have settled such as London, New York, Toronto, Miami and many other cities in Europe and North America. The absence of an international framework dealing with the work of Mas means that outside of Trinidad and Tobago, the work of Mas is protected only as an artistic work. This means that the rights of the designer are protected but that of the producer and performer of the Mas are not fully protected. In order to ensure that all authors of original intellectual creations and producers of all derivative works are protected internationally, the Government of the Republic of the Trinidad and Tobago should promote the formal recognition and application of works of Mas under the Berne Convention and the WIPO Convention. In addition, there is the need for the promotion of reciprocal arrangements and/or niche protection for the protection of its membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; works in carnivals abroad.

WHAT’S HAPPENING The countdown to C2k13 is on, and Mas camps are abuzz with activity in preparation for the timely delivery of costumes to the thousands of masqueraders who will parade the streets of Trinidad and Tobago come Carnival Monday and Tuesday. At the Woodbrook-based camp of Mike 'Big Mike' Antoine's Legacy camp, 41-year-old Sheldon Charles is doing what he loves; assembling Mas costumes — bending, cutting, sticking. “I work on the floor. I do everything. Putting pieces together from start to finish, decorating, you name it,” he says, his passion evident. The Legacy team is preparing for both St. Croix and Trinidad and Tobago Carnivals, which take place in January and February respectively. They are working on costumes for five sections for St. Croix, and fifteen sections for Trinidad. “The prototypes are ready to go out to St. Croix and the work on the costumes for Trinidad is almost finished. Now we just have to put the feathers in the headpieces and put appliqués on the bras.” Its a very intricate process and Osbourne strives for nothing less than perfection. He outlines the components of a costume, minus the bra and panty/Speedo/shorts. “There is the head piece, the arm piece, neck piece, waist piece, wrist piece and leg piece. I work on all of them, including braiding the edging of the soft wear pieces for both male and female.”

Article by Alexia Parker

IN MAS TODAY And although this interview was done on a Friday afternoon in the height of the Christmas season, while the rest of the country was either preparing to go Parang or hustling and fussing over curtains, ham, pastelles and Yuletide stuff, Osbourne was about his costume-making duties as usual. “Mr. Antoine gives us fair hours depending on what we have to do at home, but there are times when I have to choose and I put aside my Christmas chores to get the work done here,” he says, with no regrets. He admits that sometimes the work can become overwhelming, but “Overall, we get all the work done on time.” Meanwhile, 29-year-old Shakeela Daniel says she has learnt to manage her time wisely to get both her Carnival and Christmas work done. “As it is now I usually work from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., so I do my Christmas stuff after work. But as it gets closer to Carnival the working hours get longer.” Daniel is a supervisor on the production line, and her job is time-consuming and involves numerous tasks. “I am required to interact with staff on a one-on-one basis, as well as ensure that the details on the costume they are working on are correct. I have to make sure its is neat, while getting them to meet our deadlines.” Certainly no easy feat when dealing with different personalities and working on a total of 20 different sections. Its a lot of work for Daniel and Osbourne, but seeing the finished product in all its glory at the Greatest Show on Earth is totally worth it.

C2013 THE LAUNCH OF

ARNIVAL

While the industry has witnessed growth over the years, the potential of Carnival to boost the local creative economy is largely untapped. I am committed to working closely with the National Carnival Commission and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that we tap the unexplored potential of Carnival. As we aspire to strengthen the efficiency, marketability and economic viability of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival the Ministry of the Arts and Multiculturalism is also working on bolstering the legislative and regulatory agenda as it pertains to the creative economy. To this end, the National Cultural Policy and the Policy Framework for Multiculturalism will be completed in 2013. This will be a monumental step towards protecting and promoting the creative genius of Trinidad and Tobago. Dr. The Honourable H. Lincoln Douglas Minister of the Arts and Multiculturalism

Spice Carnival

Showtime

Spice is the best recipe for Carnival, with a focus on fresh faces, concepts and innovative ideas, our goal is making Carnival better!

Showtime Mas Band 2013 Theme: â&#x20AC;&#x153;kitch: man, music, legend..â&#x20AC;? a tribute to Lord kitchener the late Calypso Singer

Tribe

Legacy

Tribe 2013 presentation for Trinidad Carnival will be, Butterflies, Beasts, Bacchanal.

Legacy’s presentation for Carnival 2K13 is “Trinbago to Rio”.

Colorz Fuh So

K2K Alliance

Colorz Fuh So Mas presentation “The Conquest” seeks to make a big splash with their debut on the main stage for carnival 2013.

The K2K Alliance and Partners will present “The Human Race” for Carnival 2013.

Harts

YUMA

Harts continues to produce cutting edge designs and top quality costumes with their 2013 presentation â&#x20AC;&#x153;Je T'aime Carnivalâ&#x20AC;?.

Young Upwardly Mobile Adults, YUMA, calls Their next generation of mas - YUMAVIBE.

There are many people more qualified than me to talk about Geraldo Andrew Vieira - so it's with great humility that I approach the task. As such I will only talk about the Geraldo I know, analyse his contribution - and sprinkle that with historical information that I feel should be known about this unique genius.

GERALDO VIEIRA 1938-2012

The last time I saw Geraldo, he was speaking at 'The Elder Lecture Series' a project that we at the Artists' Coalition of Trinidad and Tobago (ACTT) staged with the Ministry of Planning. It was a conversational forum for geniuses in traditions like Mas, Hosay, and Ramleela. Geraldo was supposed to speak for 15 minutes, and instead spoke for more than an hour. We didn’t stop him. What we ended up with is probably the last recording of him… and he was on song. He was nostalgic, witty, and engaging. It was collector's item of biographical storytelling, and we got it all on video. Someday soon we shall gift it to the nation... Geraldo belongs firmly to Trinidad's Golden Age generation, that phenomenal period of creativity and

Article by Rubadiri Victor

nationalist self-determining power that riffled through this country from 1930 to the 1950s. During that period, Geraldo—who was born on the cusp of World War II in 1938—would have been in his teens apprenticing with genius Masmen and artisans in East Port of Spain. The Golden Age generation to which he belonged was responsible for the formative eras of Pan, Mas, and Calypso. In communities all over Trinidad they were consolidating ethnic festivals. Male secret societies were imprinting their community's character on the landscape and the trade union and Independence movements were booming. T&T's fine arts—literature, scholarship, and painting—were also in a classical age. Giants were walking the earth...

Like Geraldo at the time of his death, that generation is now 75 and over. They have been passing on for more than a decade. In 2000 I calculated that there were 20,000 genius elders in all traditions- science, business, the Arts, politics- whose stories were indispensable to this nation. I also calculated that we had until this year 2012 to record, honour, and pass on their pathways, knowledge, and skill before we lost most of them. We did not... We must insist the systems be put in place so that the Memory and Skills of this nation be collected, curated,

and transmitted for the good of our nation.... But in the absence of this we may all need to record the Elders in our lives with whatever means we have at our disposal. Geraldo Vieira first played Mas in 1953. In 1959, he presented his first band the legendary 'Fruits and Flowers', along with the late master Cito Velasquez. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I started bending wire in the yard of Cito Valesquez, one of the great wire benders. We brought fruits and Flowers; Cito was in charge of the fruit section and I did the flower section.â&#x20AC;? (Making Mas, Milla C Riggio).

The band was the doomed band mentioned in Lord Blakie's classic 'Steelband Clash', which was near completely destroyed by the riot of 2 rival bands. Geraldo worked consistently during this period, becoming known as a formidable craftsman. "In the 1950s, wire bending was the popular method used in costume-making and Vieira mastered it, using it for some of his larger and more elaborate work. He replicated birds, fish and even the human form in wire with elaborate detail and accurate proportion. Vieira developed a fascination with craft and learned pattern-making as a trade." His son Geraldo Vieira Junior told C News: "... he could take a pattern from anything, from an engine block of a car to the motors of an engine of a large ship. Anything that you could pull a pattern from, he can do it." Geraldo himself adds: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I like being able to fantasize things and then bring them to life... To study a crayfish or an ant or an insect and then give it life and movement in three dimensions, that is what I love. Using a creature as a model, I recreate its life in wire. I try to conquer its movement in the three-dimensional form.â&#x20AC;? (Riggio). Geraldo pioneered the use of plastic mouldings in his designs. His moulds were made of wood, concrete and machine filler, leaving most of his traditional artisan peers behind. He was virtually alone in the way he embraced this future. He became the go-to person for the spread of Carnival. This led to the design of costumes for virtually every diasporic Carnival, as well as regional Carnivals. In the first year of his business Advance Plastic Products, Geraldo confides that he made $1 million from less than a $20,000 investment! The importance of Geraldo is that he was the pioneer in the industrialisation of Masâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;with all its attendant gifts and complications. The scale of Mas

replication increased geometrically once it was freed from hand-crafting assembly lines to machine reproduction. This was certainly one of the drivers that increased the number of people playing Mas, not just here but globally. Geraldo supplied costumes all across the English, Spanish and Dutch Caribbean, in America, Europe, and Africa. Geraldo, thus, is one of the primary persons responsible for the consolidation and expansion of the 300 Trini-styled carnivals globally. It is unfortunate that the growth of Geraldo's business came at a time of the decline of the skill of mold making and the artisan skill of the Golden Age, and although it would be tempting to blame the 'plastification of Mas' as one of the reasons for this decline, the larger reasons would be the lack of the supportive institutions. But before Geraldo was an industrial pioneer he was an artisan. His son recollects, "I was a little boy and we made costumes out of pearl headpins. He was passionate with his detailed work. He was a giving man. Anyone who came through the door was welcome to learn his craft." From 1970, Geraldo started producing costumes for Kings of Carnival, racking up an impressive list of wins including 10 Kings of Carnival, 9 second places, 1 Queen of Carnival, 1 Carnival Queen of the World, 3 Junior Queens of Carnival, and 2 Junior Individuals Of The Year. (Trinidad Express Sep 28, 2012 ) He was involved with the Prime Minister's Best Village Trophy Competition, and produced the gowns and costumes for the La Reine Rive entrants from Barataria. His queens won three La Reine Rive titles, and he won many awards and trophies. He was also asked to judge on several occasions.

Geraldo constantly experimented and explored, and acquired an extensive knowledge of working with raw and synthetic materials. Some say he built some of the most complex and intricate plastic injection moulds in the world. He also produced disposable cutlery for the fast food industry, molded plastic signs, skylights, toys, household items, and customised plastic vacuum form mouldings for the refurbished lobby area of the Trinidad Hilton Hotel. Still, however, the translation of Carnival artisanship into industrial applications was something that Trinidad—and Geraldo did not do. It remains an unexplored frontier. It was one of the boats we missed upon his death...

almost every category. “That was when I began to change. We had gotten stuck on insects, animals, birds. I realized it was time to go ten steps further...”. (Riggio)

"As a master technician and structural engineer, Vieira worked with the likes of not only Cito Valesquez, but also Harold Saldenah, Stephen Lee Heung, Wayne Berkley, Peter Minshall and Hilton Cox. As an engineer, he pioneered many developments in the construction of large costumes and how they were carried by the masqueraders. He developed both the shoulder harness and the body harness, an improvement he first made for Sherry Ann Guy in the Peter Minshall designed costume ‘Splash’ in 1979 that made her a queen of Carnival in that year." (MASSASSINATION)

The costume was reported to be 22 feet tall and 300 pounds and comprised many bulbs and switches, it even had its own power supply and pyrotechnics that went off on stage, it was the first fully self-illuminated costume to win the competition (Riggio). This technological advance in Mas caused some controversy as some of the other designers and kings voiced the opinion that this costume broke the rules of the competition. (MASSASSINATION)

"The 1980s into the mid 1990s saw names such as Berkley, Minshall, Eustace, Derek, and Correira dominating the King and Queen finals at the Queen’s Park Savannah. The generation that dominated the headlines of the 60s and 70s were by the 90s either retired to the annals of Carnival history, or playing diminishing roles in a cultural festival that saw their techniques and style as outdated and traditional. After failing to make the finals of the King competition in 1992 for the first time in his career, Vieira took note and made changes to his style, so in 1993 he produced a winner." (MASSASSINATION) ‘Splendora, Glory of the Sun’ won

"In 2006, Geraldo Vieira designed Trini Revellers’ Rome: The Empire, winning the Large Band category. In 2007, his band was called The French Revolution, a theme which had not been explored before in Trinidad Carnival. It won second place in Large Band of the Year, and Vieira’s costume won second place in the Carnival King category. In 1996, Vieira created history when his son, at age 19, on his first appearance, became the country's youngest king, portraying "Rainfest." (MASSASSINATION)

Vieira again created history when at 67 years old, on his first appearance as a king of Carnival, he became Trinidad's oldest king, portraying "The Might of Rome". Just before his death, Geraldo said that his next accomplishment was to create a Queen of the Band costume for his wife so that she would become the oldest Queen of Carnival. Who knows if he might still be able to pull it off from beyond the grave... For biographical research, this article is deeply indebted to: MASSASSINATION.: Geraldo Vieira. (1938 - 2012) : The Lord of Time; the Trinidad Express 28th Sept 2012; and NIHERST Icons in Science, Technology, and Innovation.

The

CARNIVAL Studies Unit UWIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PLATFORM FOR TRAINING IN THE CARNIVAL ARTS For almost two decades, the Department of Creative and Festival Arts, UWI, through its Carnival Studies Unit, has given focus to developing the human resource capacity within the masquerade industry and the wider cultural economy of the Caribbean. The Trinidad and Tobago masquerade industry is considered a pivotal component of the Carnival arts landscape locally, regionally and internationally. It is also the component that appears in need of capacity building for its creative work force. In this vein, the Carnival Studies Unit continues to develop and expand its programme offerings to address the needs of this sector, particularly in the area of 1) creative enterprise management and entrepreneurship 2) Cultural Studies and 3) Mas Design and Carnival research. To date, academic programmes specifically on Carnival masquerade design are few worldwide, in spite of the over 150 Trinidad-styled carnivals across the diaspora and the world. This may in part be attributed to the general tendency to view Carnival masquerade outside of visual arts practice and academic study. The Carnival Studies Unit seeks to fill this void through its BA Carnival Studies degree and its recently approved and soon to be offered Practitionersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Certificate in Carnival Arts. The Carnival Studies degree currently exposes students to a dynamic package of courses that prepares them for engagement in the Carnival and Creative industry as leaders in innovation, cultural research and festival management. In the first year of the degree the student is exposed largely to the historical context of the Carnival phenomenon through the courses Carnival and Society and Mas: History Development and Meaning. These courses serve as pathways into the Carnival topic for both beginners and those seeking a deeper engagement with the festival through academic exploration. This initiation into the Carnival Studies degree is supported by the courses Introduction to Cultural Research Methods and Introduction to Business for the Arts.

Article by Kenwyn Murray and Dr. Jo-anne Tull

THE PROGRAMME FOCUSES ON MASQUERADE DESIGN, HONING PROFESSIONAL AND PRACTICAL SKILLS FOR THE CARNIVAL ARTS FIELD, AND ON NURTURING AN UNDERSTANDING OF CARNIVAL AS A PHENOMENON WITHIN CARIBBEAN LIFE.

The second year of the degree rapidly expands into creative enterprise management and entrepreneurship. The courses Economics of Culture and Enterprise Internship in the Arts vigorously expose students to the Cultural industries from both a theoretical and practical perspective. The historical and cultural investigation of the Carnival and Festival environment continues at this level through the courses Trinidad Calypso: History, Development and Meaning; Festivals, Drama and Society and Critical Readings in Caribbean Arts and Culture. The final year of the Carnival Studies Degree is, without a doubt, the most dynamic of the three, and the year which distinctly impacts on the student as well as the programme. The primary stimulant is the year-long course Festival Project, in which students have the opportunity to initiate their own arts-based, multi-disciplinary project. Many student projects emerging from this course have become business models, events, community projects in their own right beyond their final year assessment. A strong reinforcement to Festival Project is the course Festival Management, which comprehensively exposes the student to the key components of events and festival management (planning, marketing, market research, financial planning, audience development, event staging, impact assessment, etc). The final course that achieves the Carnival Studies Degree programme is The Economics of Copyright which is designed to take students beyond the legal framework of copyright and expose them to the political economics of copyright, highlighting the dynamic nature of the topic and how it impacts on the creative Industry. In keeping with the Unit’s vision to continually redefine its programmes to directly address the needs of its stakeholders, the Carnival Studies degree is currently being restructured to expand training in mas design and mas systems management. This is considered necessary to give an avenue of continuity for those seeking further training at the degree level, after completing the Practitioners’ Certificate in Carnival Arts.

The Practitioner’s Certificate in Carnival Arts is intended to offer a more targeted intervention into the field of Carnival arts and design. The programme focuses on masquerade design, honing professional and practical skills for the Carnival arts field, and on nurturing an understanding of Carnival as a phenomenon within Caribbean life. Accordingly, the programme intends to: expose students to the craft, design and construction of Mas; teach and facilitate innovative practices and solutions within the field of Carnival arts and design; offer a platform for research and interrogation of the Caribbean-styled Carnival and its relevance and impact on regional and diasporic societies.

The programme structure is as follows: SEMESTER I: Elements of Design Introduction to Material Innovation Mas Design Project I Caribbean Lab SEMESTER II: Mas As Art Traditions of the Caribbean Masquerade Mas Design Project II Movement and Choreography

In sum, the Carnival Studies Unit, will address the growing need among Carnival stakeholders for a platform of training and professional development that would allow for improvement and expansion in their artistic, professional and entrepreneurial capabilities. In so doing, the CSU’s proposed pillars of development can serve in establishing the St. Augustine Campus as a leader in Carnival arts design, innovation and practice, as well as the premier institution regarding research, discourse and interrogation of the Carnival phenomenon.

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Carnival Facts and Figures

About Our

WHERE DID THE WORD “CARNIVAL” COME FROM?

Hundreds and hundreds of years ago, the followers of the Catholic religion in Italy started the tradition of holding a wild costume festival right before the first day of Lent. Because Catholics are not supposed to eat meat during Lent, they called their festival, carnevale - which means “to put away the meat.” As time passed, carnivals in Italy became quite famous; and in fact the practice spread to France, Spain, and all the Catholic countries in Europe. Then as the French, Spanish, and Portuguese began to take control of the Americas and other parts of the world, they brought with them their tradition of celebrating carnival.

Within the past decades, the Trinidad and Tobago Masquerade industry has become one of the flagships of the Carnival industry landscape of Trinidad and Tobago. Carnival visitor arrivals have grown by 60 per cent since the late 1990’s with thousands of visitors who spent approximately US$28 million, over 10 per cent of the annual visitor expenditures. There are over 450 micro and small enterprises involved in the Masquerade industry. Most recent data from the Central Statistics office (CSO), coupled with University of West Indies (UWI) research show that three weeks of revenue from Trinidad and Tobago’s carnival exceeds US$100 million. There are over 160 Mas band presentations for 2013’s Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago.

FUTURE CARNIVAL DATES IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 2013

11th & 12 February

2014

3rd & 4th March

2015

16th & 17th February

2016

8th & 9th February

2017

27th & 28th February

2018

12th 13th February

2019

4th & 5th March

2020

24th & 25th February

Sources Projects ICT Innovation for the Development of the Masquerade industry of Trinidad and Tobago – TTCSI www.carnivalpower.com/history_of_carnival.htm

Rosalind Gabriel PASSING THE GREAT LEGACY OF MAS DOWN TO THE CHILDREN

Rosalind Gabriel is without a doubt the best known and most successful Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Carnival bandleader in T&T. She is a formidable force at any competition, and is widely acknowledged as THE BAND to beat. Not only has she dominated the field locally over the build-up to Carnival, but her work has graced the stages of Trini-styled Carnivals throughout the Caribbean, and in several US and European cities. Her imaginative, show-stopping designs so epitomise the spirit of Kiddiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Carnival that she is regularly asked to round up her merry band of masqueraders to perform at State and cultural events, and to entertain visiting dignitaries and personalities.

Article by Roslyn Carrington

THOUGH SHE DIDN’T GROW UP IN A MAS-LOVING FAMILY, SHE REMEMBERS AS A YOUNG GIRL DARTING OUT OF HER HOME IN STONE STREET TO PEEK EXCITEDLY AT MAS BANDS PASSING DOWN ARIAPITA AVENUE...UNTIL SHE WAS CALLED BACK BY AN ADULT. “THAT INFLUENCED MY LOVE OF MAS,” SHE REMINISCES. SHE SEES HERSELF AS BEARING THE HEAVY MANTLE OF THE GREATS WHO HAVE LONG LEFT US. “WHEN I’M DOING MAS, I TRY TO THINK, IF GEORGE BAILEY OR HAROLD SALDENAH WERE AROUND TODAY, HOW WOULD THEY FEEL? PEOPLE RUNNING TO THE CORNER TO SEE MY MAS; THAT’S WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO WANT TO SEE MY BAND. I LOVE THE SPECTACLE, AND THE PEOPLE SEEING IT AND GETTING ENJOYMENT FROM IT. THAT’S WHAT DRIVES ME.”

KEEPING KIDDIES’ CARNIVAL WHOLESOME AND SAFE Gabriel holds the interests of children so dear to her heart that, over the years, she has been instrumental in pioneering many changes that work to the betterment of their experience. For example, noting that the State-sponsored music was so few and far between during the big parade on Carnival Saturday, she became the first to hire her own music trucks to keep the band jumping. Also deeply concerned by the lewdness and crass lyrics the children are exposed to at Carnival time, she imposed a strict ban on coarse soca, wining and other vulgar displays, whether it be from the masqueraders or their parents. “I have seen bands where parents are showing children how to wine. What are we teaching the children?” She is convinced that her ‘clean’ atmosphere of her band is a major selling point. “I even ask the parents to dress properly, because you are a role model for your child.” She also ensures that their young bodies are discreetly covered. “In some bands, you can still see some stomachs outside.” To her mind, it’s not just a lack of judgment on the part of the designers, but also a matter of economics. Less fabric means a cheaper costume.

FAMILY MAS Another of Gabriel’s innovations is the Family Band, in which parents and kids masquerade in the streets of Port of Spain on Carnival Monday and Tuesday. Although she has been met by some opposition by the traditional adult bandleaders, she perseveres, happy to see entire families sharing the love of Carnival and their love for each other together.