By Paras Ramoutar, IANS
Port of Spain : It’s billed as the greatest show on earth, the place where creativity, splendour, charm and beautiful women are on display – or just plain Trinidad’s carnival. Critics will have a very hard time judging between Trinidad’s carnival and the more famous one in Brazil’s Rio De Janeiro.
This twin-island, oil-rich republic is locked down for two full days as masqueraders, revellers and the man on the street join forces to add glitter to the spectacle that traps one’s imagination.
Only hospitals and medical centres remain open. Banks, schools, corporate organisations and government offices, all shut down for the festival in the most southern island of the archipelago that makes up the Caribbean islands of just a million people, over 40 percent of whom are of Indian origin.
The genesis of the carnival, which will be celebrated Feb 4 and 5, has its origins in British colonialism when African slaves were brought to the Caribbean islands and America to work on the sugar, cocoa and cotton plantations.
When slavery came to an end by an act of the British parliament in 1838, the slaves in Trinidad started beating bamboo joints and other kitchen utensils to make music for dancing and singing to celebrate the historical occasion. Following this, Indians from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were brought here to replace the freed slaves.
The carnival has now become an integral part of the Trinidad and Tobago lifestyle and culture, and the entire population joins in the frenzy.
This weekend is the grand finale of several preliminary and semi-final rounds of steel band, calypso, queen of the carnival and other individual competitions.
The carnival in Trinidad has to be seen to be believed because one can witness government ministers, corporate leaders or the president of the republic hugging, jumping and dancing with street cleaners or even adversaries.
There are scores of small, medium and large bands accompanied by as many as 2,000 masqueraders who play the part of ancient kings and queens, enact historical events or catastrophes as well as the day’s news stories on issues ranging from international affairs to local politics or communal issues.
A village leader or even an inmate just released from prison can become a king or queen in the bands, just for the carnival’s two days.
Despite warnings and advisories from several countries, some 40,000 tourists from Canada, the US, Britain and other parts of Europe, the Caribbean and even India have come to Trinidad and Tobago to attend carnival.
Minister of Tourism Joseph Ross said the country can “look forward to another milestone in carnival celebrations” this year.
Since the country’s crime rate is spiralling with each passing day, the security forces are on alert to ensure that the carnival is celebrated peacefully. Over 5,000 special security guards have buttressed the strength of the forces.
Results of the competition of the parade of bands are announced by late afternoon on Ash Wednesday.
While Port of Spain is the hub of the carnival, several other urban and semi-urban areas like San Fernando, Chaguanas, Arima, Tunapuna and Point Fortin also stage similar shows.