THA’s Secretary for Tourism has stated that Tobago’s carnivals will be based on the Grenada carnival model and not necessarily the Trinidad model.
Really?
As someone who attended over a dozen Grenada carnivals (usually accompanied by my late brother, former TTUTA President Roustan Job, and his colleagues in that organization, such as Clyde Permell, Trevor Oliver, Carl Lyon, Jenny- Lynne Cyrille, Antonia and Justin DeFreitas, among others), I believe I am in a better position to comment on the Grenada Carnival than a team that visited Grenada for a few days in August this year. As such, contrary to what her delegation may have reported, I can inform the secretary that the Grenada Carnival virtually mirrors the T&T Carnival in almost all its activities and schedule. So to say that THA is modeling Tobago’s Carnival on Grenada’s (which is modeled after Trinidad and Tobago) and not necessarily Trinidad’s is bullshit.
Typically, Grenada’s carnival runs from the second weekend of July to the second Tuesday of August.
It includes various events such as traditional mas (Carnival Tuesday), Jouvert, Monday evening mas, Dimanche gras (including the calypso monarch competition), monarch soca (Carnival Friday), carnival queen shows and a carnival for child. So please tell, how is this significantly different from the Trinidad (and Tobago) model?
The only notable difference is Grenada’s spectacular Monday night midday (where I had my first encounter with grilled tail in the early 90s), which, in my opinion, is the highlight of Spice Mas.
However, the argument could be made that our Parade of Bands on Monday, which is now hardly about Tuesday costumes, is the equivalent of Monday evening mass in Grenada and is just as enjoyable.
While Tobago has sought to include night masses in its activities, I don’t know if it will really be modeled after Grenada’s. Now one difference is that Grenada’s Monday night mass is held in the capital, St George’s (where we happily “brave” the Carenage to the National Stadium), while Tobago’s Saturday night mass will be held in Roxborough.
With the night being held away from the city and several other competitive events taking place at night in more accessible areas (Grenada hardly has any other events on a Monday night), I hope for the organizers’ sake that it will be as successful as that of Grenada.
Another unique aspect of the Grenada carnival is the Jab Jab. However, this is part of their Jouvert celebration and takes place all over the island. I see Tobago has a mud festival after Jouvert, and I think this might be the Jab Jab equivalent of the organizers. However, it is limited to one area. We await the result.
In the future, I will entertain the idea that THA might want to model its activity on that of an island that is a bit far from theirs, that holds their festival only two months before theirs, and whose event is well-known the global carnival map.
What, then, is THA’s unique selling proposition to gain competitive advantage? The Assembly should be aware that these carnivals, among others, are competing to attract the increasingly scarce tourist dollars.
But for now, I would just reiterate that the claim that Tobago’s carnival is being modeled on Grenada’s rather than Trinidad’s (and Tobago’s) is patently unfounded.
Tobago Carnival Pattern
