Carnival has existed in Trinidad and Tobago for over 200 years. What began as a celebration dominated by the white colonial elites, over centuries, has now morphed into one of the greatest cultural representations of our people as a whole.
History
With emancipation came the opportunity for the formerly enslaved peoples to reinvent the carnival previously dominated by the whites. In the beginning they celebrated the anniversary of their freedom (August 1) by reenacting scenes of Cannes Brulées (The burning of canes). They engaged in dancing, stick fighting, mocking the whites and reenacting scenes of past enslavement. Later called Canboulay, this celebration was moved to the pre lenten season where it has remained to this day.
The mimicry that began during Canboulay evolved with the infusion of folklore and over time resulted in the creation of established “Traditional Characters” in the Carnival celebrations we know today. Every year individuals dress up and don the persona associated with these characters, with this tradition usually being passed down through families. Each character has very specific costume elements, which while they can be interpreted creatively still must be represented/showcased as hallmarks of that character. Aside from the design elements, each Traditional Carnival Character also must perform and be showcased by the masquerader in their respective ways. From the sultry dance of the Dame Lorraine to the boastful speeches known as “Robber Talk” presented by the Midnight Robbers to the dances and jigs of the Fancy Sailors, each Traditional character has its own unique form of presentation.
Aside from these Traditional Characters, Carnival is probably most visually known for the portrayals of “Pretty Mas” or “Bikini and Beads”. Images of gorgeous women wearing these costumes are nowadays the most visual representation of our Carnival culture and has led to a growing discourse locally on the future of the artform.
Our Carnival has been recreated both regionally and internationally but Trinidad and Tobago Carnival still remains what we call “The greatest show on earth”.
Cosplay vs Carnival: Similarities and Differences
That being said, at a first glance one can immediately see that the artforms of Carnival and Cosplay have a lot in common. If we were to break up the word cosplay into its constituent parts (costume and play) we can definitely see the direct parallels that exist in Traditional and contemporary Carnival portrayals. To put it simply, participants in Carnival and Cosplay both can dress up as known characters for the most part, each with a distinctive appearance and portrayal.
Aside from the recreation of known/established characters, what is also interesting is that in both Carnival and Cosplay you also have the liberty to create original characters, mashups and your own creations. In fact, you can see a lot of this creativity during J’ouvert celebrations, where people create costumes based on puns, cultural mashups and even political commentary.
Another similarity lies in the fact that much like contemporary cosplay, you can opt to purchase mas produced carnival costumes costumes or you can still opt to make your costume yourself. A number of people do a bit of both for carnival; putting together their own outfits/costumes for J’ouvert and in some cases Carnival Monday and then playing in an established carnival band with a purchased costume on Carnival Tuesday.
What then sets Carnival and Cosplay apart at the core is a combination of the character pools from which inspiration is drawn, the techniques and finishing employed and to many extents the purpose of each form of display. While pop culture has influenced carnival to a great degree it isn’t as pervasive and integral as it is in the world of cosplay. To many extents in cosplay, accuracy (admittedly moreso to some than others) attention to detail, in some cases realism and and the use of a variety of techniques are more at the forefront. Whereas in carnival more emphasis is placed on creating a visual spectacle as costumes are appraised from a distance either individually or as part of a group with hundreds of people. So use of color, size and movement then become incredibly important.
No one is flipping anyone’s seams during Carnival, it is all about making a statement, telling a story and creating eye-catching and visually stunning pieces.
#CarnivalCosplay
So when I came up with the unique way that I combined both Carnival and Cosplay and pioneered the aesthetic, it came from a place of understanding the history of each artform and what makes each one different yet similar and therefore knowing which elements to combine for any given Carnival Cosplay Design.
It’s not about just simply reusing elements from mass produced carnival costumes, or adding feathers and beads to a cosplay costume. It involves a process of creatively breaking down the elements of the character you want to portray and knowing when and how to utilize the techniques and design aesthetics from each artform to create a true fusion of pop culture and Caribbean Carnival culture.
My Carnival Cosplay designs feature techniques such as the traditional art of wire bending, the artform which is the literal backbone of the carnival experience mixed with techniques and materials used pervasively in cosplay such as foam/worbla etc. Everything is designed and built from scratch locally here in Trinidad and Tobago where a lot of the region’s carnival costumes are also produced.
I am incredibly proud to share my culture with the world and if I have inspired anyone to do the same please let me know and feel free to tag me in your creations!