Sepia beauties,
colorful costumes, intoxicating libations, and
a little upscale rump shaking all make for an
evening of celebration, titillation and revelry
in the unique style of Carnival. On October 30,
Organizer Antilia presented a preview of Carnival
in Trinidad and Tobago at the Prince George’s
Ballroom.
Although I was
not familiar with the play mas (masquerade), drumming
bands, and costumed groups, the congenial atmosphere
of celebration and community made me feel right
as home as I made my way through the crowd of
well-heeled gents and delicious ladies.
Wyclef Jean
Costumed performers
from three bands—Island People, Elements,
and Spice, entertained the revelers. Multi-platinum-selling
artist, Wyclef Jean wooed the crowd with his Caribbean-styled
melodies. And the double-jointed stilt walkers
jammed to Caribbean-pop crossover artist R-Top
Ray’s “I Like to Move It.”
Ruppee
The Prince George
Ballroom was the perfect venue for this event
with its intimate gallery —where we drank
glasses of Alize and feasted on hors d’oeuvres
of potato bread puffs, tamarind, and breaded chicken
glazed with spicy Caribbean sauces—and its
old world, ornate ballroom, where we were entertained
by Caribbean crossover artists, a costumed fashion
show, and the tropical gyrations of beautiful
ladies clad for Carnival.
The mostly Trinidadian
crowd attended this event in homage to Carnival
in Trinidad and Tobago where music, dance, and
culture come together, and it’s okay to
get a little drunk and be a little naughty. Others,
like European tourists Tina Wallace and Angela
Singh, came specially to see Wyclef Jean.
Even though I have
never been to Carnival in Trinidad, this event
whetted my appetite for the annual recreation
of colorful costumes, pulsating rhythms, and culinary
delights. Who knows, one day you might hear me
say in an island patois, “No lie, dis mas
jus makes you feel good, and feel yuh lookin good.”
A portion
of the proceeds from Antilia Carnival will go
to Common
Ground, an international leader in the development
of solutions to homelessness.
