HOME | CHECKOUT | ABOUT | FAQ | CONTACT US |
 
Welcome Guest [create an account] or log-in:
email
password

Chapter 27 The Festive Culture of Trinidad and Tobago

DOI: 10.23912/978-1-910158-55-5-3024

ISBN: 978-1-910158-55-5

Published: February 2016

Component type: chapter

Published in: Focus on World Festivals

Parent DOI: 10.23912/978-1-910158-55-5-2822

10.23912/978-1-910158-55-5-3024

Abstract

The twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is simultaneously one of the most industrialized Caribbean nations and the home to the region’s signature annual Carnival, the largest of Trinidad and Tobago’s many festivals. 1 Currently the world’s leading exporter of ammonia, second leading exporter of methanol and the largest supplier of liquefied natural gas to the United States, Trinidad has a lifestyle, an economy, and a cultural diversity harvested from old world civilizations in Africa, Europe, and Asia – all keyed simultaneously to its industrial energy production and its rich festive calendar. A half dozen miles off the coast of Venezuela, this small island republic is partially defined by what it hovers between: urban and rural communities, a kaleidoscope of ethnicities and races, industrial development and multi-ethnic, multi-religious festive celebrations. T&T (as the Republic is often known) is poised between the demands of work and play (Riggio, 2004). Central to this lifestyle is Carnival, which in the late nineteenth century evolved as an African Emancipation celebration masked within the French Catholic pre-Lenten Carnaval (‘farewell to the flesh’). Popularly dubbed ‘the greatest show on earth’ 2 or, ironically, ‘the Mecca’ of carnival performances, Trinidad Carnival coexists with a wide range of ethnic, religious, and secular celebrations.

Sample content

Click here to download PDF

Contributors

  • Milla Cozart Riggio (Author)

For the source title:

  • Chris Newbold, De Montfort University (Editor)
  • Jennie Jordan, De Montfort University (Editor)

Cite as

Riggio, 2016

Riggio, M.C. (2016) "Chapter 27 The Festive Culture of Trinidad and Tobago" In: Newbold, C. & Jordan, J. (ed) . Oxford: Goodfellow Publishers http://dx.doi.org/10.23912/978-1-910158-55-5-3024

References

Adonis, C. with Ferreira, J. (2012) Amerindian Languages in Trinidad and Tobago. The University of the West Indies St. Augustine Campus: eSTAN. April-June 40-45.

Aiyejina, F. and Gibbons, R. (1999) Orisa (Orisha) Tradition in Trinidad. Caribbean Quarterly, 45(4) (December 1999), 35-50.

https://doi.org/10.1080/00086495.1999.11671867

Amegago, M. (2013) Interrogating the roots, elements and crossovers of the Caribbean Carnival: A case of West African celebrations, in C. Innis et al, (eds.) Carnival: Theory and Practice. Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press, 25-34.

Brereton, B. (2004) The Trinidad Carnival in the Nineteenth Century, in M. C. Riggio, Carnival: Culture in Action - The Trinidad Experience. London: Routledge, 53-63.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203646045-3

Brereton, B. (1982) History of Modern Trinidad: 1783-1962. London: Heineman.

Burke, S. D. (2013) Policing the people's festival: State policy and the Trinidad carnival complex, in C. Innis et al, (eds.) Carnival: Theory and Practice. Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press, 107-125.

Chang, C. (2004) Chinese in Trinidad Carnival, in M. C. Riggio, Carnival: Culture in Action - The Trinidad Experience. London: Routledge, 85-90.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203646045-6

Chulov, M. (2014) The Guardian. 3 November.

Chelkowski, P. (1979) Ta'ziyeh: Ritual and Drama in Iran. New York: New York University Press.

Cowley, J. (1999) Carnival, Canboulay, and Calypso: Traditions in the Making. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Crowley, D. (1988) The Traditional Masques of Carnival, in G. A. Besson (ed.), Trinidad Carnival, Port of Spain: Paria, 42-90. (Rpt of original 1956 publication).

Delano, P., and Riggio, M. C. (eds.) (2008) In Trinidad: Photographs by Pablo Delano. Kingston: Randle Publishing Co.

Elder, J. D. (1998) Cannes Brûlée, in M. C. Riggio, Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. The Drama Review, Special Expanded Edition. Fall, 1998. 48(3) 38-43.

Ensfelder, S. (2013) The African heritage in Trinidad Carnival: From cultural resistance to identity formation in Earl Lovelace's The Dragon Can't Dance, in C. Innis et al, Carnival: Theory and Practice, Trenton: Africa World Press. 53-62. Funk, R. Rituals of Resistance: the Canboulay riots re-enactment, in Caribbean Beat, Issue 108. http://caribbean-beat.com/issue-108/rituals-resistance#ixzz3hPOHcjGm

Gibbons, R. (2015) Personal Communication with Rawle Gibbons, August 12.

Green, G., and Sher, P. (eds.) (2007) Trinidad Carnival: The Cultural Politics of a Transnational Festival. Bloomington: University of Indiana Press.

Hall, T. (1998) They want to see George Band: Tobago Mas according to George Leacock, an Interview by Tony Hall, in M. C. Riggio, Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. The Drama Review, Special Expanded Edition. Fall, 1998. 48(3), 44-53.

https://doi.org/10.1162/105420498760308445

Hall, T. (1998) The legacy of George Bailey, in M. C. Riggio Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. The Drama Review, Special Expanded Edition. Fall, 1998. 48(3), 172-173.

Hall, T. (1998) Lennox Pierre, an interview by Tony Hall, in M. C. Riggio Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. The Drama Review, Special Expanded Edition. Fall, 1998. 48(3), 41.

Henry, J. (2013) Carnival/Masquerade in Trinidad: Resistance through Performance, in C. Innis et al, Carnival: Theory and Practice. Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press. 65-78.

Hill, E. (1997) The Trinidad Carnival. Austin Texas: The University of Texas Press, 1972. Paperback edition, London: New Beacon Books.

Honore, B. (1988) The Midnight Robber: Master of Metaphor, Baron of Bombast, in M. C. Riggio, Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. The Drama Review, Special Expanded Edition. Fall, 1998. 48(3) 124-131.

https://doi.org/10.1162/105420498760308517

Innis, C., Rutherford, A., and Bogar, B. (eds.) (2013) Carnival: Theory and Practice. Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press.

Korom, F. (2003) Hosay Trinidad: Muharram Performances in an Indo-Caribbean Diaspora. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.

https://doi.org/10.9783/9780812202526

Liverpool, H. (1998) Origins of rituals and customs in the Trinidad Carnival: African or European? in M. C. Riggio, Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. The Drama Review, Special Expanded Edition. Fall, 1998. 48(3), 24-37.

https://doi.org/10.1162/105420498760308427

Liverpool, H. (2001) Rituals of Power and Rebellion: The Carnival Tradition in Trinidad And Tobago, 1763-1962. Research Associates School Times Publications and Frontline Distribution International.

Millette, J. (1970) The Genesis of Crown Colony Government: Trinidad, 1783-1810. Trinidad: Moko Enterprises. Ministry of Planning and Sustainable Development Central Stastical Office. Trinidad and Tobago 2011 Population and Housing Census Demographic Report. Port of Spain: Government of Trinidad and Tobago, Central Statistical Office, 2012. Online.

Minshall, P. (1998) A Voice to add to the Song of the Universe, an interview by Richard Schechner and Milla C. Riggio, in M. C. Riggio, Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. The Drama Review, Special Expanded Edition. Fall, 1998. 48(3), 170-93.

https://doi.org/10.1162/105420498760308544

Minshall, P. (2013) Nignorance and enwhitenment, in C. Innis et al Carnival: Theory and Practice. Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press.

Newsday (2015) Sights of Chowtaal Sammelan, Port of Spain: Newsday. March 2, 2015. Np. Online.

Phillips, E. (2013) The Politial Calypso: A sociolinguistic process in conflict transformation, in C. Innis, et al, Carnival: Theory and Practice. Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press.

Riggio, M. C. (1992) Interview with Mr. Ganpat, Cedros.

Riggio, M. C. (1994) Ta'ziyeh in Exile: Transformations in a Persian tradition, in Comparative Drama, 28 (Spring, 1994) 115-140. Rpt. Johann Christoph Bürgel und Stephan Guth, Gesellschaftlicher Umbruch im Zeitgenössischen Drama der Islamischen Welt, Stuttgart, Steiner, 1997, 235-258.

Riggio, M. C. (ed.) (1998) Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. The Drama Review, Special Expanded Edition. Fall, 1998. 48(3), (T159).

Riggio, M. C. (1998) Resistance and Identity: Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago, in M. C. Riggio, Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. The Drama Review, Special Expanded Edition. Fall, 1998. 48(3), 7-23.

https://doi.org/10.1162/105420498760308418

Riggio, M. C. (2004) 'Play Mas' - Play me, Play we, in M. C. Riggio Carnival: Culture in Action - The Trinidad Experience, London: Routledge, 93-108.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203646045-7

Riggio, M. C. (2004) The Carnival story: Then and now, in M. C. Riggio, Carnival: Culture in Action - The Trinidad Experience, London: Routledge, 39-47.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203646045-1

Riggio, M. C. (2004) Time out or Time in: The urban dialectic of carnival, in M. C. Riggio Carnival: Culture in Action - The Trinidad Experience, London: Routledge, 13-30.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203646045-02

Riggio, M. C. (ed.) (2004) Carnival: Culture in Action - The Trinidad Experience, London: Routledge.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203646045

Riggio, Milla Cozart. (2007) 'For the sake of Allah and all humanity': A jihaji journey into Trinidad, in S. Rastegar and A. Vanzan,(eds), Muraqqa'e Sharqi: Studies in Honor of Peter Chelkowski. Repubblica San Marino: AIEP, 2007. 145-162.

Riggio, M. C. (2010) Performing in the lap and at the feet of god: Ramleela in Trinidad, 2006- 2008, in The Drama Review (TDR), 54(1), 2010. 106-149.

https://doi.org/10.1162/dram.2010.54.1.106

Riggio, M. C., and Gibbons, R. (2015) 'Pay de Devil, Jab Jab': Festive devils in Trinidad Carnival, in M. C. Riggio, A. Marino, and P. Vignolo, (eds.) Festive Devils of the Americas, India: Seagull Books, Distributed by the University of Chicago Press, 189-220.

Sankeralli, B. (2004) Indian presence in Carnival, in M. C. Riggio, Carnival: Culture in Action - The Trinidad Experience, London: Routledge, 76-84.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203646045-5

Stegassy, R. (1998) Interview with John Cupid, in M. C. Riggio Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. The Drama Review, Special Expanded Edition. Fall, 1998. 48(3), 96-107.

https://doi.org/10.1162/105420498760308490

Walsh, M. (1998) Jouvay Mornin' with the Merry Darceuils: A small neighborhood band on carnival morning, in M. C. Riggio, Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. The Drama Review, Special Expanded Edition. Fall, 1998. 48(3), 132-146.

https://doi.org/10.1162/105420498760308526

Walsh, M. (2004) The Blue Devils of Paramin: Tradition and improvisation in a village carnival band, in M. C. Riggio, Carnival: Culture in Action - The Trinidad Experience, London: Routledge, 146-156.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203646045-10

Available

Chapter 27 The Festive Culture of Trinidad and Tobago [Details]Price: €5.99*Licences / Downloadable file

Published in Focus on World Festivals

Chapter 27 The Festive Culture of Trinidad and Tobago [Details]Price: €5.99*Licences / Downloadable file
Hardback format [Details]Price: €122.00Copies / Delivery by post
Terms and conditions of purchase | Privacy policy