Carnivals of the Caribbean and Its People by Carolyn J. Curran
So Yu Going To... CARNIVAL Magazine Carnivals are a dynamic
blend of African rhythms, colors and sensuous movement,
sometimes with European religious connotations, combined with
the Caribbean people's unique flair for hospitality,
entertainment and all around great fun. The Carnival format is
based on several hundred years of development, arising as it did
out of the slave culture with its feeling of momentary, ecstatic
release from bondage. Carnivals are so popular, they have spread
in the last 30 years or so throughout the Caribbean (with the
granddaddy being Trinidad) and to major North American
population centers where large numbers of Caribbean peoples have
settled. Most, if not all, of these Carnivals, now numbering 45
or more, share common features that make them an artistic and
cultural achievement. They are often the artistic climax of an
entire year of effort for the artists of the particular island
or region. In many instances, a signif