List of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival character costumes
After emancipation in 1838, freed slaves combined African masking culture with French colonial influence[1] to create characters that parodied the upper-class customs and costumes of Carnival.
[6] In its early history, carnival in Trinidad and Tobago was a form of resistance to the slaveholding class and a way for enslaved and free people to continue to practice African customs.
[7][8] Over the years, characters would rise and drop in popularity, and by the late 20th century many became overshadowed by more modern, "bikini and bead," costumes.
[10] When this masquerade first came about, the costume was composed of rags and the masqueraders would hold spears as props in order to create the image of an "uncivilized Africa" [11] However, a Carnival bandleader, George Bailey, created decorative costumes that portrayed a much brighter depiction of African beauty.
The Baby Doll characters’ performance depicts the sexual exploitation and struggles faced by women.
[16] The original carnival character costume was made out of rice bags and covered in the leaves of the plantain tree.
[18] Now, most cow costumes consist of a cream-coloured loose shirt with tight pants that have gold accents.
[13] This character is known for his giant paper mask and the possessions he always has handy: a book and a pencil to write down prospective souls.
[24] The Indian character is one of the most common costume depictions in Carnival because of its versatility in terms of design, price, and band size.
[25][13][26][27] American Indian characters in carnivals pay tribute to the Maroon communities that formed during slavery and to the African Indigenous marriages in North America under Spanish colonial rule.
The outfits are very decorated with flowers, feathers, silk fabrics, jewellery, gold chains, and colourful ribbons.
Masqueraders would talk to bystanders in sultry voices in order to collect money, and under certain circumstances, the women would expose their breasts by opening their bodices.Because of the obscenity of this character, it became less common after the 1920s.
[13] Although his stories are mostly meant to show his own bravery and valor,[39] the Midnight Robber's speeches can also be commentary or parody of current events.
[16] Military costumes have ranged from modern American Soldiers and British Palace Guards to Confederates and Nazis.
[40] Some masqueraders also choose to paint their face white as a parody of real American minstrels that would sometimes dress up with Blackface.
[40] The two-part name of this character means God of retribution (Moko) spirit, particularly an evil one (Jumbie).
Originally the character wore a hat made of dried wild cucumbers, and the stilts were striped.
[41] The name Negue Jadin means "Field Slave" and this character dates back to times when only plantation owners and aristocrats could participate in Carnival.
[16] Instead of a papier-mâché cow mask, the headpiece consists of a small, white knitted hat with two long antennae sticking out of it.
[44] The "Grenade" at the end of his name is meant to show his connection to Grenada, which is what makes him/her a character more specific to the Caribbean as opposed to Pierrot, who is also recognized by the French.
[13] His costume consists of rags and a white mask that may cover the masquerader's entire face or just the outer-most parts of his head.
