Lycée George-Sand La Châtre

Hello ! We are going to tell you about the carnivals in Trinidad and Tobago.
So, the carnival is a tradition which has been celebrated for a hundred years. Many people of all cultures take part in this event because there is lots of fun to be had and beautiful costumes to see.

The Baby Doll character, which is now extinct, was played up to the 1930s. The masquerader portrayed a gaily dressed doll, wearing a frilled dress and a bonnet. In her arms she carried a doll which symbolised an illegitimate baby. The masquerader would then stop men passing by and accused them of being the baby’s father.

Among the most spectacular mas costumes, Fancy Indians are based on the indigenous peoples of North America. The wearer decides how expensive or impressive he wants this costume to be.
The Fancy Indian is the most popular variety of Indian mas. A popular feature of the Fancy Indians is the language they speak, which is in a call-and-response pattern. It is thought to be an adaption of the Black Indians’ language and characteristic movements.

The Midnight Robber is one of the most beloved characters in the traditional carnival. He wears a black cape and a large hat. He often has a T-shirt with little pictures of skulls, crossed bones or illuminati symbols.
Another name of the Midnight Robber is “Robber Talk” . This is derived from the African Griot, who was a narrator in legends.

The Dame Lorraine, also known as Mother Sally in Barbados, is a character who is usually represented by a large woman wearing a voluminous dress who dances among the people. She was invented in the 18th century by French planters who dressed up like the French aristocracy for parades. Free slaves then imitated these costumes with their own materials and exaggerated certain aspects of them, like the size of the fans, the hats and the dresses.
The major Dame Lorraine performers today are descendants of the original French planters.