Red Cross Kiddes Carnival (BdC 19/36)

Little masquerader from the Lilliput Children’s Theatre’s Changing of the Guard

It was really hard to choose a photo of this young man, he was playing the hec out of that mas! Calibe Phillip, “I Rule Things” from San Fernando band, Jacqui & Associates presentation – Elements of Life” (full disclosure, I went to high school with his mum, Analisa Brown).

The Trinidad and Tobago Red Cross Society hosts an annual children’s carnival competition every year.  The categories for individual masqueraders include Babes in Arms, and boys and girls groups from ages 3-5 to 12-15, along with floats (as in costumes build on a flat surface moved by wheels), couples, small, medium and large bands.  The babies costumes are often built around walkers or strollers and you can sometimes find a child who you just know will be playing “serious” mas for years to come. Children’s carnival is an opportunity for youngsters in Trinidad and Tobago to participate fully in a big part of the national heritage. Their events occur all around the island from at least the third weekend before carnival (before Dimanche Gras, Carnival Monday and Tuesday), and culminate with big nationally sponsored parades in the capitol, Port-of-Spain, San Fernando, and in Tobago. Many schools and community organizations form bands, several of which include the themes of their band in the lessons taught in class. Carnival is part of the national schools curriculum also. Here are some photos from yesterday’s Red Cross. For more please go to www.studiolafoncette.com or join the Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Studio-Lafoncette-Photography/45398357245