In every culture, there are special events that paint their meaning and purpose. For the capital city in the Port of Spain, Trinidad, Carnival is that purpose and meaning for their culture. Carnival in Trinidad is the one-day they devote their time to wildly express themselves: through ornate costumes, dancing, music and kalenda competitions, and drinking. If one were to be in the midst of these festive activities one might wonder what kind of significance and purpose they have on the Trinidadian culture? To understand Carnival’s significance one must delve into its history, the symbolisms behind the extravagance of the activities and attire, and understand its music and how it is constructed and reconstructed through time. By perceiving the importance of Carnival, it allows the colors of Trinidadian culture to emerge through their communal canvas.
Trinidad’s celebration of Carnival as we know today didn’t come without resistance. The tradition emerged as a form of political protest. During the 18th-19th centuries, when the industrial revolution was at its peak, Westerners were taking over the globe. These Westerners thought they were doing justice, believing they were “evolving” countries they thought were uncivilized Even the way the non-western people enjoyed music was considered wrong in the eyes of the westerners.. In Bonnie Wade’s Thinking Musically, she discusses how what may sound like music to us, could mean something completely different to others around the world, and vice versa. There is no better example than the colonization of Trinidad. When the westerners heard their drumming and endless “noise” as they called, it was considered the devil’s music, and therefore the practice got banned. However, this is what began Carnival. The slaves were able to communicate with each other with different percussive sounds, and utilized items such as brake drums, oil drums, and bamboo (known as Tamboo Bamboo). This was their revolution. The practice of using these instruments is still used today in Carnival, Trinidad’s biggest festival of the year.
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The annual Carnival in Trinidad is an exciting time. The streets are flooded with noise, people wearing spectacular costumes, and unleashing the energetic spirit associated with this delightful celebration. The music performed during carnival is upbeat and dance worthy, somewhat different from the text which may be about something not so upbeat. As mentioned, Trinidad was born out of political protest. While the Trinidad slaves “won” and gained independance from the Western colonials, there is still a great divide between people of light skin and people of dark skin, especially when it comes to economics.The twin island country of Trinidad and Tobago earned a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $24.64 Billion USD in 2013. While that figure may seem impressive, other leading national powers, such as Spain, Canada, and Japan bring in a GDP above at least $1.3 trillion USD. When Carnival comes around, the entire society flips over on itself. The poorest people become the Kings and Queens, and the richest become the slaves. For just a couple of days, society is backwards, and then goes back to normal as if nothing happened. Everything remains fairly calm for the rest of the year, and for good reason. The income of the people negates the chance to celebrate loud and proud for more than once a year. Regardless of annual income, or lack thereof, everyone is able to enjoy carnival for a couple days a year. A chance for the impoverished to cast away their daily woes before ash Wednesday, the first day of lent in which those of the Christian faith give something up for forty days and repent. 
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The importance of Trinidad’s music is the fact that it continues to construct and reconstruct based on the performance context and function. As Dudley explained in his text, performance context is “music genres [that] are conditioned in important ways by their functions, which include dance, storytelling, social protest, rivalry, spectacle, and entertainment” (Dudley, Music in Trinidad, pg 4). Types of music that are specified in that way are calypsos, which are text oriented ballads that address present issues or entertaining moments during the carnival season. In 2000, a calypsonian singer called, Sandra Singing turned the tables of traditional calypsonian competitions in the carnival with her song “Caribbean Man Part 2”. Sandra twists the original Caribbean Man song by Black Stalin, which refers to his idea of gaining unity and racial pride by questioning “the goal of achieving racial pride or solidarity without justice between sexes and families” (Dudley, Music in Trinidad, pg 36). Sandra Singing-Caribbean Man Pt 2. Sandra’s performance was significant in the fact that she reconstructed a communal value and integrated it into the present issue of gender inequality among women. She addressed that if women are treated with inequality in comparison to men and men don’t take on their responsibilities in the family, it separates families and draws Trinidad away from the unity and pride they desire. Sandra also reconstructed calypsonian competitions by becoming the first woman to win the Calypso Monarch. By winning, she gave women a voice and changed the traditional gender roles in performances in carnival music competitions. Without Sandra Singing’s powerful performance, the tradition of the calypso music would stint change and growth in the treatment of women and families, as well as the cultural vivacity in Trinidad. Thus, the construction and reconstruction of traditional music in Trinidad relies on performance context and function because it allows present issues to relate to the community and inspire change, which leads to the growth of their culture and achieving communal values.
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The Carnival season in Trinidad reveals that their history influenced them to rebel the European lifestyle to create their own identity. It also demonstrates the kinds of aspects about the celebration that gives their unique meaning and cultural unity, and their evolving music allows their purpose and cultural identity to continue exist and change in a positive way through many generations. Trinidad shows how they were able to use their city which literally has nothing and turn themselves into something of importance through Carnival. It calls others to reflect and ask what will they paint on their canvas?
Citations:
Dudley, Shannon. Carnival Music in Trinidad: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture. New York, Oxford. Oxford University Press. 2004.
IsDePanInMe. “Singing Sandra-Caribbean Man pt2”. YouTube. 26 Jun. 2008. Retrieved from: https://youtu.be/Iy1IBRll-yM
Credits:
Erika Query: 1st Paragraph and editing
Nick De Los Santos: 2nd Paragraph and editing
Holly Winter: Introduction, 3rd Paragraph, Conclusion, pictures, and editing
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