Search for:. Share this: Twitter Facebook. Like this: Like Loading Follow Following. Traditional Carnival:. Sign me up. Already have a WordPress. Log in now. Loading Comments The burrokeet is constructed from bamboo so as to give the illusion of a dancer riding a small burro or donkey when he put his head through the hole in the donkey's neck and the body of the animal fitted around his hips and carries the reins in his hands..
The costume is comprised of a donkey's head made from coloured paper on a wooden or bamboo frame, while the body was covered with a long satin skirt with a sisal tail, sometimes decorated with flowers.
The bit and bridle are made of coloured cord. The "rider" wore a satin shirt and a large matador's hat or straw hat and dances in a way that mimmicks the antics of a donkey and also bows to the accompaniment of guitars, cuatros and shac-shacs. He performs a dance called Burriquite, which originated in Venezuela.
Clowns Traditionally clowns were considered "fools" and carried all kind of antics to entertain and interest a crowd. These clowns were dressed in baggy clothing with big red noses, wild hair, big shoes and often, white faces. Closely following the traditional clowns would be your Fancy Clowns who are connected with carnival with their own dances and usually a major player in a Fancy Sailor band.
These clowns show the beauty of the design of many of the original or old time masqueraders. Cow Bands The Cow Band, which dates back to the days of the Canboulay was traditionally played by abattoir employees. On Carnival Monday it consisted of a small group of men dressed in gowns of sacking made from rice bags. These gowns were completely covered with dried plantain leaves. In later years, on Carnival Tuesday, the Cow Band came out in brightly coloured costumes, with picadors and a matador who would challenge the cows.
The cow character's costume consisted of tight-fitting breeches of yellow velvet or satin, with gold braid and spangles along the sides and around the bottom at the knees, a tight-fitting maroon satin long-sleeved blouse completely covered with a sutach decoration of gold braid, gloves, cream stockings and alpagatas footwear.
A cap on the head with mounted pair of cow horns. A short section of the hairy part of the cow's tail was attached to the seat of the breeches. An imported wire gauze mask was used on Tuesday which replaced the cow mask played on the carnival Monday. Members of the band would frolic and move through the crowds behaving like real cows. The bullfighter sported a black matador's or admiral's hat.
The 'bull', with wore tail and horns held in place by a head tie would attack bullfighter and bystanders alike. Male singers and the musicians wore yellow breeches, maroon shirts with billowing sleeves tight at the wrist, a sash around the waist and red beret. The women wore yellow skirts, red or maroon bodices, and headties. All wore masks of the wire gauze type, those of the women being decorated with gold braid along the forehead and at the sides, with gaudy earrings dangling from them.
Music was provided by such string instruments as the mandolin, teeplay, bandol, banjo, cuatro, guitar, violin and chac-chacs maracas. They performed two sophisticated dances of the period. The first part featured a parade of people dressed in costumes of the 18th century French aristocrats.
A haughty butler introduced arriving couples, after which a stately dance was performed while a slave gaped through a window at the proceedings. In the second part the butler was transformed into a schoolmaster calling the pupil's roll. The pupils dressed in ragged imitations of the aristocratic costumes displayed in first performance, had exaggerated physical characteristics suggested by their names : Misie Gwo Koko, Misie Gwo Lolo, Ma Grand Tete.
The liberated slaves recreated these costumes, complete with elaborate fans and hats in their own fashion, using materials that were readily available, such as assorted rags and imitative jewellery-type items. Male and female players alike were masked and danced to a tune played by cuatro and bandol groups. The tune which became associated with the Dame Lorraines still exists, and is played whenever they appear in groups at cultural events.
The major Dame Lorraine performers through the years however, were descendants of the French planters and persons of some respectability, who hid behind masks, mainly of the fine wire mesh variety, and found their way into the downtown Old Yards, where they paraded and danced for all and sundry.
Dragon Inspired from the Jab Jab or Devil Mas, the Dragon sometimes refer as King Beast mas is one rooted in the understanding of good and evil and all its elements.
The Dragon is designed as a dragon, an overall costume of scales, a dragonhead with a movable tongue and a long scaled tail. Chains are tied around the beasts that are also held by Imps, in order to restrain it. The Dragon is the fire-beast from hell, coming to earth as a bringer of destruction.
However, when the Dragon is unfortunate enough to come across a pool of water in the road, then the real dance begins. Instead his Imps, usually led by the King Imp, taunt him and finally the Dragon must dance in submission and then with much effort leap over the water in order to continue. Fancy Indians Among the most spectacular mas costumes, Fancy Indians are based on the indigenous peoples of North America.
The wearer decides how expensive or expansive he wants this costume to be. The headpiece in its simplest form, has grown over the years in splendour and size is worn with feathers sticking up, and more feathers making tails down the back. More elaborate headpieces are built over bamboo or wire frames supported by the masquerader's body.
A masquerader's 'wigwam' is worked with ostrich plumes, mirrors, beads, feathers, papier mache masks, totem poles, canoes and ribbons. Bands of Indians can comprise a warrior chief and his family, a group of chiefs, or a group of warriors. The Fancy Indian is the most popular variety of Indian mas. A feature of this mas is the language or languages they speak, in a call and response pattern, possibly adapted from the Black Indians of the New Orleans Mardi Gras and their characteristic movements.
Other kinds of Indians that are disappearing are generally known as Wild Indians. There are also Black Indians or African Indians. Jab Jab The name of this mas is derived from the French patois for 'Diable Diable" meaning a pretty devil mas resembling a mediaeval jester's costume. The costume consists of a Kandal or satin knickers, and satin shirt which are divided into panels of alternating colours with points of cloth at the waist, from which bells hang. On the chest, there is a shaped cloth panel which is decorated with swansdown, rhinestones and mirrors.
Stockings and alpagatas are worn on the feet, while the headress consists of a hood with stuffed cloth horns.
The Jab Jab has a thick whip of plaited hemp which he swings and cracks threateningly. These whips can reduce the costumes of other Jab Jabs to threads.
The simple costume consists of short pants or pants cut off at the knee, with a wire tail, mask and horns and a pitchfork.
The jab malassie would carry chains, and wear locks and keys around his waist, and carry a pitch fork. The whole body is smeared with grease or mud, red, green or blue paint. The jab molassie "wines" or gyrates to a rhythmic beat that is played on tins or pans by his imps.
While some of his imps supply the music, others hold his chain, seemingly restraining him as he pulls against them in his wild dance. Midnight Robber The Midnight Robber is one of the most beloved colourful traditional carnival characters. Originally inspired by cowboy costumes, the Robber sports an oversize hat with fringed brim, the crown assuming different shapes graveyard, coffin, The Red House ; a flowing cape decorated with symbols of death and destruction; black satin shirt and pantaloons generally in black and shoes or boots resembling an animal with moving eyes.
He summons and dismisses his audience with the blow of his whistle while threatening them with a gun, sword or dagger and a wooden money box in the shape of a coffin.
0コメント