I need me some soca! Antigua Carnival 2011
This video of Myst mas troupe during Carnival in Antigua brings tears to my eyes *deep sigh* I think I've given the uploader an extra 20 views. This is so what I need right now!
Okay, so I'm fast-forwarding the catch-up process a bit, only because I need me some soca, some bright colourful, beaded two piece costume, some fun in the sun, the opportunity to just break free... all this and more has me wishing I could be home for Antigua's carnival, and to play me some mas.
You may have heard about mas before, but then again you may not have, but all you need to know is for those of us from "The West Indies" or the "Caribbean" who are actually into this thing called "Carnival" and "Mas playing", it is an event we look forward to each and every year.
The colour, the music, the dancing, the feathers, the beads, the revellery, the steel pan, the coconut rum, the friends the family, the feteing down the place non-stop, etc. etc, the beads (I said that before didn't I). Once you start to play mas, the feeling is you can't stop, its like you just become a "soca rebel".
Carnival and mas playing - "its in my blood, its in my soul" and its been a while. I haven't played mas since in Trinidad, when I made a bacchanal on the road with my fam... that was so long ago. Actually no that's not true, I did play last year, with our press trip from the UK, see me and my ridiculous red shoes in Didi's article
Hmm, okay well it seems long ago, lol especially as the facebook photos of all the fetes after fetes, after fetes currently taking place, have been showing up in my news feeds.
Not to worry! To the rescue was Antigua Day in Chelmsford, at the Essex County Cricket Grounds, so I got my fix, slightly, listening to some soca, and chilling with the group from Poison UK.
Can you tell, I've got a slight case of costume envy, going on here in this pix :) These are also their costumes for Nottinghill Carnival - They are amazing!! Nice showy headpieces, and ah ton load of beads (You know I love me some beads, and the swishing sound they make when you shake your waist). I could spend the day dreaming of that swishing sound...
Today is 'Clean yuh Flat' day, and I will be blasting my soca along the way. If I was in Antigua, on an ordinary 'Clean my room - not "flat" day - and I was in a soca mood, I would have thrown on my last carnival costume waist band - yes I keep them, they are way too pretty to throw away. But I'm not in Antigua, so I will settle with pretending I'm hearing the swishing sound. Then later today, in a total switch-up :) , reminding me of exactly where I am, I will be off to a JLS and Olly Murs concert. I love them both. JB from JLS was actually raised in Barbuda for the first 5 years of his life. And, Olly Murs, has this cute song, with a Caribbean beat. Listen here.
Okay, so I'm fast-forwarding the catch-up process a bit, only because I need me some soca, some bright colourful, beaded two piece costume, some fun in the sun, the opportunity to just break free... all this and more has me wishing I could be home for Antigua's carnival, and to play me some mas.
You may have heard about mas before, but then again you may not have, but all you need to know is for those of us from "The West Indies" or the "Caribbean" who are actually into this thing called "Carnival" and "Mas playing", it is an event we look forward to each and every year.
The colour, the music, the dancing, the feathers, the beads, the revellery, the steel pan, the coconut rum, the friends the family, the feteing down the place non-stop, etc. etc, the beads (I said that before didn't I). Once you start to play mas, the feeling is you can't stop, its like you just become a "soca rebel".
Carnival and mas playing - "its in my blood, its in my soul" and its been a while. I haven't played mas since in Trinidad, when I made a bacchanal on the road with my fam... that was so long ago. Actually no that's not true, I did play last year, with our press trip from the UK, see me and my ridiculous red shoes in Didi's article
Hmm, okay well it seems long ago, lol especially as the facebook photos of all the fetes after fetes, after fetes currently taking place, have been showing up in my news feeds.
Not to worry! To the rescue was Antigua Day in Chelmsford, at the Essex County Cricket Grounds, so I got my fix, slightly, listening to some soca, and chilling with the group from Poison UK.
Can you tell, I've got a slight case of costume envy, going on here in this pix :) These are also their costumes for Nottinghill Carnival - They are amazing!! Nice showy headpieces, and ah ton load of beads (You know I love me some beads, and the swishing sound they make when you shake your waist). I could spend the day dreaming of that swishing sound...
Today is 'Clean yuh Flat' day, and I will be blasting my soca along the way. If I was in Antigua, on an ordinary 'Clean my room - not "flat" day - and I was in a soca mood, I would have thrown on my last carnival costume waist band - yes I keep them, they are way too pretty to throw away. But I'm not in Antigua, so I will settle with pretending I'm hearing the swishing sound. Then later today, in a total switch-up :) , reminding me of exactly where I am, I will be off to a JLS and Olly Murs concert. I love them both. JB from JLS was actually raised in Barbuda for the first 5 years of his life. And, Olly Murs, has this cute song, with a Caribbean beat. Listen here.
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| I love all the costumes. Nottinghill Carnival this year...maybe? |
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| Colour, colour, colour, yeah! Photo Credits: Essex County Cricket Club |
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