Bacchanal Season

The carnival season is in full swing in Trinidad and Tobago.  In other words, fete after fete after fete after fete.  I visit for carnival regularly, but usually arrive just a few days before carnival, so this is my first ever full carnival season.

I don’t know where Trinis get their stamina, but I had to slowly rebuild mine.   I asked a friend how they managed to work after feteing all weekend, to which she replied “Normel.”  I started the season with Trinity High School’s fundraiser Soka in Moka.  It was on a Sunday and, although it ended at a relatively early 11 pm, I was barely functional at work the next day.   Even afternoon coffee could not override my urge to sleep.  In contrast, last weekend included a marathon three fetes and I jumped out of bed early Monday morning, had crossed four tasks off my to do list by lunch, and even ended the day with an intense carnival workout session.

Although some have been better than others, I am having a time at every party as each one has a slightly different crowd, vibe and entertainment line-up.  UWI fete, held on the school’s sprawling campus, had an African theme, complete with drummers, dancers and people dressed as lions and tigers.  One Fete had a Middle Eastern theme with an elaborate entrance straight out of a palace, soft glowing lights and dancers.  Yorke fete embellished the natural beauty of Ortinola estate with colorful Chinese lanterns and swings hanging from tall trees.

Many of the fetes are all-inclusives, a brilliant scheme invented by party promoters.  While all-you-can-eat-and-drink sounds good in theory, there is no way I can consume over $600 worth of food and drinks.  Don’t get me wrong, I certainly try.  As soon as we arrive, my friends and I make a bee line to the wide selection of food stalls, and fill up on wantons, italian, arepas, sushi, mini crab and dumplings, corn soup and more.  I usually bypass the pelau because I can make that at home.

Next, we head to the bar where premium liquor flows all night.  To justify their ridiculous prices this year, some promoters have added over-the-top extras sponsored by various companies like a glass encased hair salon and a make up station.  Yes, you can now do hair and makeup in the middle of a party.   You know I not wasting good feteing time on that.

With belly lined and drinks in hand, we usually settle in for the highlight of big carnival parties, the live performances.  Because most of the fetes on my schedule have a social crowd, we can make our way to the front of the stage without being trampled by thousands of partygoers.  As a matter of fact, as an indication of how much feteing is a national pastime, the country’s President has also been up front jumping and waving at several fetes.

I have now seen Kes at every event, and while I love his music, he hasn’t been able to move the crowd like he did last year.  I am usually eating when Roy Cape’s band is on stage, but his frontliners Blacks and newcomer Ricardo Drue seem to be able to hold their own.  Machel will always be Machel but I have not yet seen him turn on his mojo and work the crowd into a frenzy.  Iwer is singing the same song as last year, and for some strange reason that only his Obeah woman understands, he always gets the crowd jumping.  Destra and Kerwin Dubois, who is having an amazing season with songs like Bacchanalist, I am Soca and Runaway, have been my favorite performers so far.

With 20 days to go until carnival, I am taking my vitamin C to get me through the rest of the season.

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