J'ouvert and Carnival Tuesday

J'ouvert (also spelled as Jouve) and pronounced 'juuvay', is a large street party during Carnival in the eastern Caribbean region. J'ouvert is a contraction of the French jour ouvert, or day open (morning)~ Wikipedia

Steel pans of Trinidad

What I understand of this celebration prior to coming to T&T is it involves a lot of eating and food on the street for the few days before leading up to the huge Carnival that is so popular in this region.

Oh, how wrong I was.

J'ouvert is the welcoming of the carnival, and starts Monday morning.
Early.

Once again, our dear housemate came to our rescue by inviting us to her house down in Marabella, near the city of San Fernando. We spent the night there, listening to her father play pounding music the whole night long, playing PSP with Jaheim, her little nephew, cutting up our costumes for the next day and also trying to catch a few hours sleep in between.

Yes, as Khadija's father was part of a The Silver Surfers band, we were invited to take part in the march through the high streets of San Fernando with his family.

TT150 for the costumes - a silver shirt, silver skirt and a silver head-kerchief.



We got up at 3am, dressed and while the moon was still in the sky, made our way towards the already human infested streets of the small town.

All the street parties I'd experienced in the past is nothing like the street party here in Trinidad.

When people here say "Party", they REALLY mean - P A R T Y.

First of all, get yourself covered in paint.


Second of all, wine or grind your way through with every singe person you meet.



Third of all, go deaf with the blaring of the music through speakers the shape of houses.


and last of all, enjoy the different types of entertainment you come across and don't be shy to stare.



or laugh.



The loud music, wining, dancing and drinking went well into midday.

In my honest opinion, different bands with different colours, people covered in paint/mud/water from head to toe, those wearing next to nothing, not to mention those with layers of fat peeking out over their not-quite-there tights, trucks carrying large speakers with people just jumping about was quite over the top.

Aiyo...

I mean, getting up at an unGodly hour to party so extensively, nursing an over-vibrated eardrum, concentrating on avoiding and not having someone's dingdong rubbed against my ass constantly took what little mental strength I had to overcome each task. Good thing I had an umbrella with me. Made the latter problem so much easier to deal with.

We finally got home at around 10am and spent a good half an hour scrubbing the paint off our skins.
Ouch.


The next day was Carnival Tuesday.


T&T's biggest importer of tourists, the annual Carnival is unique with its own flavour, full of attitude, colours, and hey, wining.

Well, my idea of food and eating while street partying of the Carnival is so totally wrong.


What Carnival encompasses is a procession through the streets of Port of Spain, each team with it's own colours and costumes, blaring soca music and also trucks shaped into moving bars and even a toilet along with it.

Truck no 17 : Wee Wee Truck!

The costumes were truly amazing and beautiful.

From Africa... thanks for taking the pic with us

Feathers, feathers all around...


Body art cleverly blended with the costumes...


Performers dancing on the street, more than happy to pose for a shot...


Floats...

pulled by human

human part of the float

Dinosaurs...

looks like the monster from the Ultraman cartoon

Swat Team also got?

and of course...
Eye candy.

We shall not forget the ever wining/grinding that goes on and on throughout the whole day as they make their way down the roads.

You cannot escape it.

So, what I make of it all?

Play mas (ie dress up and parade) if you can. Dressing up is always fun. If not, go and look as a girl but be careful of all those winers - bring an umbrella;) , whereas if you are a boy- go and get wined at.

Good enough to pass as part of mas?

Careful of your dingdong though.