All the pre-carnival bacchanal is over. We have a Calypso king, Groovy and Power Soca Monarchs, King and Queen of the Carnival band, new and repeat Panorama Champions in the various categories and Dimanche Gras with its new format all in place. So what do we have now? Fete till daylight then it is mud and mass! Mud and 'Ole Time Mas' portrayals (expect street theatre with the Ole Mas presentations) keep the traditions of Carnivals of past but one may also expect to encounter oil, body paint and in a few cases chocolate (mmm delicious). This is J'Ouvert (Jouvay) morning and even though we have a sea of tired humanity, the feting is just about to begin - now is the time for street mas!
The feting frenzy is at its best around this time of the morning (2:26 AM Trinidad Time as I write this post) and people are now thinking about what is next... hit the road and go home or get ready to hit the road with a band of revelers and party till the sun comes up or the cows wake up. This is the time for early morning mud mas and mischievous 'ole mas' portrayals and just chipping down the road and having a good time. This time is the joy of being in the mix and simply relieving all of your stress and jut 'have ah good time'.
There will be some judging this morning but the sea of humanity will spread out and soon make way for another form of mas as the sunshine bathes the land. Later today the devil mas, mud mas and blue devil mas players will hit the streets of Port-of-Spain to the sounds of cow horns and traditional devil mas music. Of course later today will also see some of the 'pretty mas' on display. So be prepared for a day of fun and if you are now preparing for J'ouvert in Arima, Sangre Grande, Chaguanas, Couva, San Fernando, Port-of-Spain or in Scarborough in Tobago then go our and have fun, play yuh mas but always remember to show respect when you play mas and drink yuh sowers! Live Carnival Feed from D'Savannah: Mas in D'Savannah!
Differentology (RythemicSounds Jouvert Roadmix) - Bunji Garlin