Trinidad & Tobago Carnival

Posted: 3rd Oct 2009

Trinidad and Tobago are the "Islands of Carnival" and to tell me any other place in the world can rival this, I'd have to say you're wrong.

OK, I'm biased, but having experienced Carnival in Trinidad, I'll definitely be heading back for years to come.

Carnival is always celebrated two days before Ash Wednesday in the season of Lent. I suggest that you go at least a week before Carnival as there is so much to do in the run up to the event. To plan for next year, Carnival in 2010 falls on the 15th and 16^th of February.

Whether you're going to be a spectator, or you're going to participate, make you sure book your flights and accommodation early. Carnival is big business in Trinidad - as soon as they are done with Carnival for the year, they're already preparing for the next one.

At the event, many participants wear elaborate costumes, often decorated with feathers and sequins.

Carnival ‘bands' are organised groups made up of participants who pay to wear the costumes. The costumed participants dance through the streets to the sounds of a steel band, a soca band or a DJ - this is called ‘playing mas'.

If you want to participate, you'll need to register with a band to get one of their costumes to wear. Details of the bands come out towards the end of July. See the Trindad & Tobago website for all band details - but hurry, it gets sold out pretty quickly.

Weeks before Carnival, you'll find that loads of ‘fetes' have been organised. Fetes are basically big parties in Trinidad, at which you'll find the biggest Soca artists of the year performing their songs live.

This is a must as you'll get to know all the current songs and you'll be dancing and singing away before you know it!

So now that you've got up to speed with the music, head down to a ‘pan yard' where you can hear steel pans being played. Many groups of performers practice weeks in advance on these drums in order to compete to win Panorama - the annual competition for steel pan bands. This is very competitive and an honour to win.

You can't go to Trinidad without sampling ‘Shark n Bake' and ‘Doubles' two of the most traditional dishes on the island. They can be found all over but are best eaten at Maracas Bay, to the north of the island. An old time favourite beach, here you'll find many people limin' - meaning "the art of doing nothing"!

This is what Trinidadians know how to do best, simply sit back, relax and enjoy.

Written By: Nadia Auckburally