Issue 9 - Commess University

BACCHANAL BUREAUSamedi GrasQueen MacoomehA lil rain fall early in de morning before j’ouvert. Jes’ ah light drizzle to keep away de dus’ in we face later.Right dong along Lakeshore even at dat early hour yuh could see people moving about fixing up tings. De vendorhuts was coming alive, a lil low music playing to keep people spirit up. Dey playing some ole Kitch and Sparrow,ah even hear some Roaring Lion an’ Valentino – yuh done know how we like we ole chunes.Even in de half dark yuh could glimpse colours as people putting up dem pretty pretty fringe around de huts. Ahspot signs fuh Roti, pelau, patty, ice water and coconut water. Ah lady had she place well set up facening DunnAvenue. She selling bake and saltfish, ackra and buljol. Later, by de time de ting start, she souse go be ready.She even put two-tree chairs fuh people to sit and eat while dey listening to de music when bands passing.Mose of de pans arrive awready - park up right dey jes inside de Exhibition Stadium near by Ontario Place. Yuhcould almost hear de tenors trying to hole strain until de panists reach – like dey want to play by deyself. De guitarpans stop like shorty-bom soldiers watching dem miserreble tenors fidgeting. De cello and bass pans relaxingeasy – dem know de riddum backwards and forwards – dey ent worrying at all. De firse pans could do what deywant, nutting go happen until de bass pans start. Is den yuh go feel riddum all dong in yuh foot bottom.Ah notice dey done set up de barrication since lass night. From right outside de Dufferin gates all de way dongnearly to de end. Ah doh like dat too much but ah understand de reasoning. It have some people who doh walkwid dey common sense when dey leaving de house. It have some people – I doh know where dey come from -as soon as yuh leave de stage dey looking to jump in de band and interfere wid people. Before when we was onYonge or University it din have barrication and tings went fine. I doh know where deze new setta people come outfrom. Yuh doh fine dey could pay de lil cahcahdah and buy ah costume if dey want to jump up?De sun rising - it trowing more light now. More people reach and de parking lot getting full. Some volunteers startputting out chairs fuh de dignitaries. Dey setting up de food and drink sections fuh de big pappies. We have plentybig pappies yuh know? Yes man – not de ones who feel dey big but de real ting. All we consul generals, wejudges, we parliamentarians. I wonder if Governor General Jean might come? It would be nice to see she in defestivity.De trucks wid de big costumes coming. Oh gooode yuh could feel de excitement more now. We putting somesee’rous change in de pockets of Budget, Enterprise an’ Penske. Look all dem trailer truck an’ ting - generators,speakers, banner makers. Dey pulling een de stadium.Yuh know what does make meh pores raise? When ah see de masqueraders coming troo tong. Yuh does seedem on de subway, in car on de bus, on de GO train. It does put ah whole diff’rent look on Toronto. Yuh doh fineso too? All de glitter and pretty colours gaddering. De sun ketching de bright colours and it look like ah rainbow introot.Well papa by 10 o’clock, de ruction start in real! Pan playing, DJ playing, calypsonians singing dey lavwey…lawdwhat ah ting! De sun high but it not too hot. Everybody looking nice. People reach in de stands and de hill bywhere de Better Living building is, starting to full up. People come wid dey picnic basket and spread out dey blanketto settle deyself to watch de parade.Marshalls walking up an’ dong – a few have golf carts. City TV done set up by Dufferin long time. Ambalance andpohlice in place.Is a sight to behole when yuh see de firse band move on stage. Is a kine’ah excitement yuh doh fine normally. Demovement and de energy, de music, de way people look like dey doh have ah care in de worl’ fuh dem few hours.Tomorrow we going back to de job and de bills but today is we own and we having fun.Mama look ah mas!For further information contact QueenMacoomeh@hotmail.comSee Nen Nen News® is a subsidiary of Commess University Press© which is a division of Commess University© which is a figment of de Chancellor imagination2

BACCHANAL BUREAUCOMING IN FROM THE COLDQueen MacoomehWe change a place. We bring warmth to it - add colour, sound andlife. It is who we are - it is the fabric of our nature as Caribbeanpeople.Ours is a unique history and perhaps one of the most rounded andinclusive. Even the darkest era of human history– slavery – could notwithstand the blazing heat and abiding joie de vivre that emanatesfrom the Caribbeansoil.Name the ethnicity orreligion and it is agood bet that it ismirrored somewherealong that archipelagoof jewels – not as astandalone or even inoriginal form but probablyblended andfused and welcomingof its neighbour. It hasbecome the Caribbeanculture.We borrowed fromeveryone, put it all intoa pot of new worldspices and createdsomething far greaterthan the sum of itsparts.In the latter part of the1800’s, there emergedthe seedlings of whatis today one of the greatest shows on earth – the Trinidad andTobago Carnival.The word “carnival” comes from the Italian word “carnevale” and theeven earlier word “carnelevare”. It literally means ‘removal of meat’from the latin term “carn” meaning ‘flesh or meat’ and the word‘levare’ meaning to ‘remove’.Carnival referred to that period just before the Catholic Lentenseason when one ‘removed carnal longings’ and prepared for aseason of penitence and cleansing.In Trinidad and Tobago near the turn of the last century, there was astirring of revelry, with street pantomimes making fun of the rulingclass and land owners. Rudimentary costumes were worn to mimicor parody the powers that be. Jesters and clowns were common andas the revellers grew in numbers, other costumes evolved. Art trulybegan to reflect life and a blend of people and cultures emerged.There were costumes like the ‘Dame Lorraine’ – usually played by amale dressed as a female with large breasts and posterior. The ‘PierrotGrenade’ – that character dressed in rags and tatters approachinglookers-on with smooth-tongued boastings of vast knowledgeand education. The ‘Jab Molassi’ – devil mas (masquerade) thatterrified and delighted children and adults alike. The ‘Moko Jumbie’ –stilt walkers - some stilts as tall as 12 feet or more!The intriguing ‘Midnight Robber’, dressed all in black with bandolerotype gun straps over the shoulder and a large decorated hat withfringes and tassels hanging down. This masquerader approachedyou with “robber talk’ of impending gloom and doom and tales of darkdeeds in a well rehearsed speech designed to fill you with a sense ofdread.Artistry and imagination collided, becoming seamless. Costumesgrew larger and more elaborate, spilling onto the streets in a riot ofcolour and splendour.In the mid 1960’s, that splendour arrived in Toronto when Caribbeanimmigrants got together and began what is now referred to as theToronto Caribbean Carnival (Caribana).It was derived from its parent, the Trinidad and Tobago carnivalbut was even more inclusive, paying tribute to its new home inCanada. These pioneering Caribbean immigrants sought tonurture the warmth of ‘home’ and do what we do so well – blendit with the society and create something new.This new carnival-life belongs to Toronto. It grew from a handfulof participantsalong a city streetto thousands ofperformers inbrightly coloured‘mas’ costumes,traditional fancysailor costumesand steelbands,c o m m a n d i n gattention on LakeshoreBlvd.This year 2006,promises to beeven more thrillingwith the return of apopular carnival artform called “OleMas” - a hilariousand oftenpoignantly satirizedcommentary oncurrent affairs inpantomime.Toronto’s carnival isarguably the largestparade of its kind in North America – certainly the largest inCanada attracting tens of thousands of viewers. There is also achildren’s carnival costume competition that takes place twoweeks before the main parade - but there is more to the festivalthan parades.The Toronto Caribbean Carnival (Caribana) includes Calypso,the music of carnival, with its roots in social commentary. Localcalypsonians (calypso singers) vie for the Monarch Crown atthis event. This year that takes place on July 29th at the ThornhillCommunity Centre.At the Lamport Stadium at King and Dufferin, on Thursday,August 3rd, there is a spectacular event for the largest mascostumes where ‘individuals’, kings and queens of the bandscompete for the coveted titles. A feast for the eyes!The Pan Alive steelband competition takes place on the nightbefore the main parade August 4th – again at LamportStadium. Toronto’s steel orchestras challenge each other – andthe judges – to be the best of the best in their compositions andrenditions, playing selections from classical to calypso.The main parade happens on Saturday of the Simcoe Dayholiday weekend (August 5th). It starts at 10am at the CNEstadium and dances west along the Lakeshore Boulevard.On Sunday and Monday the festivities are on the OlympicIsland for music, dancing, Caribbean food and family fun.All over the city there is a vibration of excitement and a kaleidoscopeof colour.Caribbean people change a place. Apart from the intangibles –the fun and joy and sense of community, the Caribbean peoplehave gifted Canada with bona fide art forms that generatemillions of dollars in direct revenue and millions more in residuals.We have contributed substantially to the multiculturalaspirations of this country by proudly giving of self.Bienvenue…For further information contact QueenMacoomeh@hotmail.comSee Nen Nen News® is a subsidiary of Commess University Press© which is a division of Commess University© which is a figment of de Chancellor imagination3