Where
The Spread of Trinbagonian Style Carnivals
Wherever, then, there
are African people, you will find a festival like the one we call Carnival.
Furthermore, in an attempt to boost its tourist industry, almost every island
nation in the Caribbean has established a Carnival. The authorities have
coordinated their moves so that there is a Carnival somewhere in the Caribbean
throughout the entire year. The model used for these reconstituted Carnivals
has been the Trinidad and Tobago one. Furthermore, in the U.K, in Canada, in
the United States, and even in countries such as France, Switzerland, Germany,
and Australia, Trinidad and Tobago style Carnivals have been springing up.
It should be recalled
that in all of the Caribbean countries in which new Trinidad and Tobago style
Carnivals have been introduced, there already did exist an authentic “Carnival”
tradition. Even when this “Carnival” tradition was not labeled as such, it
consisted of a festival which is basically the same in form and content as the
festival we call Carnival. Furthermore, Carnival as we know it today was at one
stage of its evolution a Roman festival which was a pale but unmistakable
imitation of the original African festival. At that stage of its evolution, it
was brought in line with the principles and practices of Christianity and given
a European face.
The people and
organizations responsible for setting up Trinidad and Tobago style Carnivals
all over the Caribbean, North America, Europe, and even Australia are, for the
most part, unaware of the rich history of the festival. Clearly, a knowledge of
this history would greatly facilitate efforts at enriching the global community
with the considerable cultural gifts Carnival has to offer.
TO BE CONTINUED
No comments:
Post a Comment