Rosemarie Kuru Jaggesar (BdC 14/36)

Rosemarie Kuru Jaggesar, backstage at the NCC Queen of the Bands Semi-Final Competition, Carnival 2010

When I interviewed Rosemarie Kuru Jaggesar, she said had been playing mas for over 30 years. She said she just wanted to be on stage that first time, and she found it hard to leave the role of queen, she could not imagine herself not being there – a sentiment shared by so many Mas women and men. She told me that part of her motivation was that she wanted to prove that “indian mas could win nationals”, and she was sticking around because as long as she had strength she would try. This year will be her 29th year as queen. Ms. Jagessar has also raised four children while managing a business as a florist and event manager. For the past 32 years she and her husband, Lionel Jaggesar, have produced bands in San Fernando, in south Trinidad. She doesn’t know when she’s hanging up her mas boots, and says that she hopes to eventually work as a carnival judge.  In her 30-plus years in mas, last year was her 16th time in the finals, her 26th time in the semi finals and her 28th year in the National Queen of the Bands competition. That night her portrayal, Waka-Nisha – The Sacred Water Carrier, from the band Sioux Nation received enough points to enter the finals at Dimanche Gras in 4^th place and for Dimanche Gras, Ms. Jaggesar was crowned the Queen of Carnival 2010. Check out our interview, you can hear her for yourself.