Features
Melissa Doughty
The group of bands known as Tribe will be among the previous groups to reveal presentations for Carnival 2025 on its SunsetWKN.
The weekend, from July 5-7, is filled not only with the unveiling of costumes, but also with theater, traditional masses, food and technology. It will run from 3-8pm in Adam Smith Square, Woodbrook.
Tribe creative director Valmiki Maharaj said that July 5 will be the stage of the Sunset group, formerly known as Sunset Theatre. He said different aspects of Trinidad and Tobago’s culture that are not usually seen on the Carnival center stage will be on display there.
The park will be segmented into four main areas emphasizing food, traditional characters and theater.
There will be a Moko Stage where traditional carnival characters will perform and walking workshops will be given.
On the art stage, artists will make 2D and 3D murals.
On the main stage, facing Ariapita Avenue, there will be short plays throughout the afternoon telling the story of Carnival and Woodbrook, Maharaj said.
“Sunset Stage has taken the concept of Sunset Theater — which was our evening parade at the party — and transferred it to an afternoon, community, family event.”
Maharaj promised a surprise at the official end of the event, along with a performance by an artiste.
Costumes for the four groups will be revealed at SunsetWKN’s Launch Land.
Maharaj described it as a “container city” where people could experience the themes of the four bands (Tribe, The Lost Tribe, Bliss and Harts). Previously, the groups Pure and Rogue were also part of the group Tribe.
Launch Land will be at North Park, Queen’s Park Savannah, from 7pm-1am. This event launches the carnival year of the tribal masqueraders, and not just the costumes, Maharaj said.
“What we are building is a carnival amusement park or a carnival playground. When you enter the space and see everything around you, you have to feel like you’re in a completely different space.”
“The road is the stage” is the central thought behind the Tribe Carnival 2025. The concept takes the feeling and energy that the masqueraders get from the individual stages of the races and personifies it, he said.
From this idea was built the construction of Launch Land. A key feature is the use of immersion and gamification. Tribe has always been a technology-forward, smart brand and will lean more on that for its 2025 events, he said. So at Launch Land on July 6, people will be able to experience each group’s themes by playing games on touch screens.
Using Harts as an example, Maharaj said the set has a gem-based theme and will feature “gamification,” adding gaming mechanics to non-gaming environments. People will be able to win goods and enter other contests as well through these games, he added.
Some of the other innovations of the groups will be revealed as the year goes on.
Regarding the group’s use of technology within its sets, Maharaj said the idea of immersion and making the maskers feel like they are inside something or part of something is key to the concept.
“Even the experiences in Friday Park are designed for you to interact with the characters, shapes and traditional food, but in a participatory way rather than as an audience member. More than seeing heritage and culture on a stage and looking at it, we want you to interact with it so you understand it from a different point of view.”
The Carnival group has been holding meetings with the Woodbrook community over the weekend.
“Over the past three years, leading up to where we are now with SunsetWKN, we’ve had a number of meetings with various stakeholder groups, including the residents of Woodbrook, the city hall, the Port of Spain mayor’s office, police… and the information from all of those things over the years has led us to develop the product in the way and space that it is.”
Maharaj said the group does not host many events in Woodbrook and avenues near residential areas, but usually stays in approved party spaces.
As the band leader of The Lost Tribe, Maharaj said the band is celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2025 and his presentation will reflect that. Lost Tribe 2025 will have ten sections representing its years of existence. He said that the ten years have been filled with many blessings, many awards and many struggles that have become learning opportunities.
“Our campaigns will depict and look at everything we’ve been through and seen over the last ten years,” said Maharaj.
