In 1783 the French brought their culture, customs and Carnival, in the form of elaborate masquerade balls, to Trinidad along with African slaves. The period stretching between Christmas and the start of Lent was a time for feasting, fancy dress balls and celebration for both the French and British. Banned from the festivities, slaves in the barrack yards would hold their own celebrations mimicking their masters' behaviour while incorporating rituals and folklore. Once slavery was abolished in 1838, the freed Africans took their Carnival to the streets and, as each new immigrant population entered Trinidad, a new flavour was added to the festivities.
The influence of the African slaves' cultures is felt heavily in the African derived dancing and music that is central to Trinidad's calypso and soca music. Musical competitions make up a large part of Carnival. To win the main competition, Calypso Monarch, is an honor and a highly coveted prize, which includes not only fame but also a trophy, a car, TT $500,000 (approx. US $80,000) and possible endorsements and other contracts. Other major competitions include King and Queen of the Bands, the International Soca Monarch, the Carnival Road March; and Panorama (for steelpan). There are also limbo, stickfighting, and other competitions.
As with other Carnivals, many participants wear elaborate costumes, often decorated with feathers and sequins. Carnival "bands" are organized groups made up of participants who pay for costumes fashioned by a designer and assembled by teams of volunteers. The costumed participants "play mas," which entails dancing through the streets to the sounds of a steel band, a soca band or a d.j. A unique feature of this parade is that locals and tourists alike participate in the parade of bands.
The official Trinidad and Tobago tourism website describes the Carnival festivities:
J'Ouvert
Each year at 4 am on Monday, Carnival begins under a cloak of darkness. Fuelled by exhilaration and the energetic rhythms of soca music, revellers take to the streets for the predawn party of J'Ouvert. J'Ouvert (from the French 'jour ouvert' or 'day open') is almost ritualistic in its celebration of the darker elements of the island's folklore and history. Bathed in chocolate, mud, oil and paint, bands of revellers depict devils, demons, monsters and imps. Choose your medium of expression; J'Ouvert is a time for loosening of inhibitions.
Carnival Monday
Come daytime, the J'Ouvert revelry clears and massive costumed bands of "Pretty Mas" players flood the street with riotous colour. A cast of thousands take to the street "jumping up" and "wining" (gyrating of the hips) to the sound of soca blaring from speakers piled on music trucks. The excitement is at fever pitch, but Carnival Monday is only a "warm-up" for Carnival Tuesday.
Carnival Tuesday begins promptly at 8 a.m. Thousands of masqueraders are in full costume, ready and impatiently awaiting their chance to strut in front of the television cameras as bands cross the main judging points. Each band has its own historical, mythological or tropical concept with various sections depicting aspects of the main theme.
As wild an event as Carnival is, Trinidad is still a very family-oriented place. Children are very much a part of Carnival, and get to "jump up" in their own bands:
To really get a sense of what Trinidad Carnival is all about, you would have to be there, to see the sights, feel the rhythms, and join in the revelry. A distant second is seeing images and listening to the music. Here is a video clip showing some photos and footage of Trinidad carnival, and a sampling of soca:
Photo from www.gotrinidadandtobago.com 
Kim Gamble
kmbearden
Spectrum Voice
Susie Lindau
Lauren B. Davis
racheld
Salon.com
Comments
Bonnie, grumpy is OK. I thought about including a recipe, but see my link at the bottom to a full post I dedicated to the subject.
Lucy: I agree with you. Trinidad has such an unknown culture to much of the world, I am always interested in giving it more exposure (plus learning more over time).
Kathy: thank you for stopping by!
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