Carnival and the Community in Tobago

When we refer to Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago, we generally mean Carnival in Port of Spain, the “big yard.” Little is said about the regional Carnivals taking place elsewhere, including Tobago. I have been told that, with a few exceptions, Tobagonians did not celebrate Carnival before World War II because of the Puritan influence of Anglo-Saxon churches. However, Tobagonians annually celebrated Emancipation Day— August—in traditional African fashion, disguised to cope with the laws of Church and State. After World War II, two spontaneous Carnivals erupted on VG Day and VJ Day. By  celebrations were again organized; steelbands and mas took to the streets. From  to the s, Tobagonians returned home after working in Trinidad at the U.S. Armed Forces bases with exciting news to tell— real and imaginary—about Carnival. With them came the steelband to join those few traditional characters who, before the war, had challenged the wrath of religious zealots. At this time, Tobago was still a prime agricultural producer; most roads were unpaved; there were few telephones; electricity and potable water were only available in the town of Scarborough. The main means of transporting goods and services was by coastal ships. Nevertheless, Carnival bands and calypso developed in every main village. Here, as in Trinidad, the bands depicted military mas and biblical history (which partially pacified the zealots), with traditional mas played by a few dedicated groups and individuals. There was a cultural resurgence in the year of independence. Each village contributed a village community project, which collectively revealed the rich folk history of the island. Within a year, we proceeded to infuse what we had learnt into Carnival. We had discussions with village leaders, steelband captains, family groups, and county councillors, and showed them how to create ideas from their own experiences, and how to utilize discarded and natural materials in costume-making. What emerged were community workshops in which men, women, and children poured their energies and skills into arts and crafts. This transformation benefited Carnival, the Arts Festival, the Best Village Competition, the cottage industries, and the tourism market, but most important, it gave people a sense of pride, self-esteem, and, for the younger ones, ideas for a career and the vision to reject Eurocentric ideals. In  for the first time Tobago had its own Concert of Champs, bringing the winners from Port of Spain. Tobago has produced a number of well-known calypsonians, including Calypso Rose, Shadow, Tobago Crusoe, Nelson, King Wellington, and Johnny King, whose lyrical