J'ouvert!! J'ouvert (pronounced joo-vay) occurs the night before Carnival Monday. Well, actually it begins on Carnival Monday at about 2 AM. You still sign up for different bands like you do for Carnival and you still follow around a series of huge flat-bed trucks; one filled with a dj and speakers, one filled with a pan band, and numerous drink trucks. The music is still deafening and people are still jumping and dancing (chipping and wining) in the streets.
The thing that differentiates J'ouvert from Carnival (which is also called "pretty mas" because everyone dresses up in their fancy outfits), other than the partying from 2 AM until 8 AM, is that you are covered in...something. Some bands use paint, some use mud, some use oil. The band that me and my friends played was called the Hard Wining Devils, or more aptly called, Cocoa Devils. Yes, we were covered in cocoa.
Me, Katie and Aaron - sporting our new look for evening. Aaron is doing his best Blue Steel.
As the morning progresses and as you wind through the streets of Port of Spain, you often come across another band. Sometimes there is room to pass along both sides of the street, but often one band waits while the other passes. But what is certain to occur whether you are passing or waiting, is that the substance of choice from the different bands get passed back and forth between each band. And as you can see below, people get pretty colorful.
Me, Nick & Gina, Ginger, Meredith and a two of N&G's friends who came down from Canada for Carnival.
With all this splashing of mud, cocoa, paint, etc., one has to think ahead a bit. If you have ever spent time in Port of Spain around Carnival, you'll see nicely painted walls with paint smears on it and big splotches on the streets and sidewalks. And if you're not careful where you park, your car might get hit a bit too. Here's a couple that I saw as I was driving home.
My car was on a side street, so I escaped unscathed. Although I did find some cocoa on my seat when I went out later that day. Oh, and I've been told that with a 2-3 good washes, most cars come clean.
After the night of revelry, everyone heads back home. Some to clean up and immediately head back out for Carnival Monday. Some, like myself, clean up and go to bed. I can't even begin to say how much fun this was. Even though I did not play pretty mas, I am very happy that I have this to take away from Carnival this year. It was a most incredible experience!
I have found a number of ways in Trinidad that when the adults play, they still get the pleasures of being a kid and don't mind getting messy. It's such a great feeling!!
