A wide variety of costumes (called "mas") depicting traditional Trinidadian Carnival characters are seen throughout the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. After emancipation in 1838, freed slaves combined African masking culture with French colonial influence to create characters that parodied the upper-class customs and costumes of Carnival. The costumes made by recently free people "poke fun at the original French plantocracy..." During slavery on the islands, French and English colonists did not allow enslaved and mixed-race people to partake in carnival, resulting in people of color to have carnivals in their communities.
In its early history, carnival in Trinidad and Tobago was a form of resistance to the slaveholding class and a way for enslaved and free people to continue to practice African customs. The enslaved combined cultural elements from the Indigenous peoples of the Caribbean and fused it with their cultures from West Africa and other West Indian practices that created carnival traditions in the islands. Over the years, characters would rise and drop in popularity, and by the late 20th century many became overshadowed by more modern, "bikini and bead," costumes. Carnival for Trinidadians and Tobagonians is a time for rebirth, healing, and transformation.
The following is a list of some of the traditional characters, which symbolize the origins of the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, and their costumes.
African Mas
When this masquerade first came about, the costume was composed of rags and the masqueraders would hold spears as props in order to create the image of an "uncivilized Africa" However, a Carnival bandleader, George Bailey, created decorative costumes that portrayed a much brighter depiction of African beauty.
This mas is no longer common in Trinidad Carnival.
Baby Doll
This character is meant to be a parody of a mother who has a bastard child. The main components of this costume are a pleated dress, a bonnet, and most importantly, a doll. Masqueraders would walk up to men on the streets and accuse them of being the father of the child. Usually, the masquerader will continue to embarrass said man until they give her or him some money. Although this costume is mostly portrayed by young women, men will sometimes combine this costume with a high-pitched voice for comedic effect.
During carnival, "They roam the streets during Carnival, accusing male spectators of being their child’s father and demanding immediate child support. Often, the masquerader refuses to leave, becoming louder and more insistent until the alleged father responds with a few dollars." The Baby Doll characters’ performance depicts the sexual exploitation and struggles faced by women. Overseers coerced women into sexual acts, and the law offered them no protection.
Bats
Most bat costumes are black or brown, but white bats are also fairly common. The mask usually covers the entire head of the masquerader and the wings can span up to 15 feet wide. The movements of a masquerader would try and mimic the flapping of bats' wings, but a masquerader will also crawl or dance on their toes (typically called the "Bat Dance").
Burrokeet
The typical costume is made to look as if the masquerader is riding a donkey, which is usually made out of papier-mâché. The "rider" will also wear a large sombrero and clothes with multiple embellishments, especially flowers. The Burrokeet also comes from East Indian descent and has another, female variation called Soumayree.
Cattle
The original carnival character costume was made out of rice bags and covered in the leaves of the plantain tree. The mask, like most character masks was made out of some sort of papier-mâché. Now, most cow costumes consist of a cream-coloured loose shirt with tight pants that have gold accents. The full papier-mâché mask was also replaced by a hat or headband with cow horns. Since this is a costume that is meant to be done in a group, matadors and picadors can also join the group and "challenge" the cows. Other members of the group would dress up as a Mad Bull and charge at the matadors, picadors, and bystanders. The Mad Bull of the group would stop charging at certain bystanders if they hand money to a member of the group.
Clowns
Clowns are dressed in baggy clothing with big red noses, wild hair, big shoes, and sometimes a white face. The bandleader of the costume group would wear a crown to show that he is the King Clown. Older costumes would also have an exaggerated paper mask instead of face paint.
Dame Lorraine
This character originally came about to be a parodied version of a rich planter's wife. The typical costume consists of exaggerated breasts and backside, which were made by stuffing pillows or other fillers into the dress or undergarments of the costume. Over the years, the costume shifted from being worn comedically by mostly men to being worn almost exclusively by women.
Devils
There are multiple variations of the Devil, or devil-like creatures, in carnival costumes. In modern day, the devil costumes all look very similar, but there was once a time when every devil costume was very distinct. The most traditional one is called The Bookman. This character is known for his giant paper mask and the possessions he always has handy: a book and a pencil to write down prospective souls.
Variations of the Devil include: Prince of Dark (also named Bookman or Beelzebub) Prince of Darkness or Dragon Devil: wears a dragon mask and white clothes Lucifer: the king of the entire band Satan: second only to Lucifer Gentleman Jim or Gentleman Devil: wears a top hat and a scissor-style tailcoat Jab Jab (also known as "Coolie Devils"): The name of this character comes from the French Patois word for "Devil." The costume consists of loose fitting, satin trousers, called "Kandal", with a satin blouse that has bells hanging from the end. The prop carried by this character is a whip that a masquerader can crack at bystanders or other Jab Jabs. Jab Molassie: This is one of the oldest carnival characters. Similar to Jab Jab, his name means "Molasses Devil" because the original character would be covered in molasses. Molasses were a cheap and easily available product to make a costume for freed slaves from sugar plantations. The Jab Molassie is also known for jumping around wildly and scaring bystanders with their sudden movements. An optional addition to the costume is to have a chain tied around the waist for another character to restrain the Jab Molassie. The Devil is also usually part of a band that has a diverse group of beasts. Other costumes or characters that would accompany the devil are: Imps: a "sprightly" version of the devil King Imp: the leader of the imp band Agitania: carries a key to open the gates of hell Marker: carries a flag to direct the band Axe Man: carries an axe Bell Man: carries a bell Scale Man: carries a scale Beasts: King Beast: The leader of the beasts Stray Beast: The costume for the stray beast would be just as elaborate as that of the king. The Stray Beast would walk next to the king and protect him. Key Man: This character is responsible for dancing in order to open any waterways for the band to pass; he is noted for his fear of water. Ladies in Waiting: This is the more decorative, female version, of the Devil costume. Queen Patroness: The leader of the Ladies in Waiting, her costume would be the most decorative of all the ladies.
Dragon Many of the Dragon characters or costumes are categorized with the Devil. The most common exception to this categorization is the Red Dragon, which is also a very old and traditional Trinidadian character. The origins of this character come from the Bible and other religious texts. The dragon character may also be referred as the King Beast if the dragon is a part of a devil band. He cannot cross through water, especially not holy water, so a Key Man is a vital companion for the Dragon.
Indians
The Indian character is one of the most common costume depictions in Carnival because of its versatility in terms of design, price, and band size. American Indian characters in carnivals pay tribute to the Maroon communities that formed during slavery and to the African Indigenous marriages in North America under Spanish colonial rule. During slavery, enslaved Africans escaped and established independent Maroon settlements. Some of these Maroon communities mixed with the local Indigenous population. Two Indian Mas characters the Fancy and Wild Indians, are based on depictions of Native Americans in popular culture and Hollywood.
There are multiple variations of the Indian costume: Indian Chief: his headpiece is sometimes so elaborate that it becomes too heavy for the masquerader's head and must be supported by some other mechanism Fancy Indians: the costume's main purpose is to be aesthetically pleasing. Some Indian bands may focus on one colour, like Blue Indians. According to news article, Trinidad and Tobago Newsday, "...fancy Indians emerged as a moving tribute to the Indigenous people of the hemisphere". Fancy Indians incorporate masking traditions from New Orleans. Wild Indians/Red Indians/Guarahoon: this specific Indian costume is based on a Venezuelan tribe called the "Warao." This is one of the oldest instances of Indian costume in Carnival. Black Indians: similar to the simple Indian costume except that the face is painted black Authentic Indians: Depict an accurate costume of American Indians.
Jamèt In the context of Carnival, especially traditional Carnival characters, the name "Jamèt" comes from the French word diametre which is meant to describe the "other half" (i.e. the underworld). Over the years the context of the name has changed. Jamèt people are retired prostitutes that are always masked. The outfits are very decorated with flowers, feathers, silk fabrics, jewellery, gold chains, and colourful ribbons. Jamèt men are sometimes also named "sweet men"; the male costume is known for having pants with a very low waist-line. Masqueraders would talk to bystanders in sultry voices in order to collect money, and under certain circumstances, the women would expose their breasts by opening their bodices. Because of the obscenity of this character, it became less common after the 1920s.
Midnight Robber One of, if not, the most popular characters of the Trinidad Carnival is the Midnight Robber. This braggadocious character is mostly known for using his "robber voice" for vivid storytelling, which is said to mimic a griot or West-African storyteller. Although his stories are mostly meant to show his own bravery and valor, the Midnight Robber's speeches can also be commentary or parody of current events. The Midnight Robber desires to become the King of the Robbers by out-talking or outwitting all of his rivals. His aspirations come from a history of wrongdoing in his family, which is meant to mimic the emancipation and history that influenced the celebrations of the Trinidad and Tobago carnival. The Midnight Robber does not have one official story; every masquerader or storyteller can give their own version of his story. One version of this story is Nalo Hopkinson's 2000 novel Midnight Robber, which actually depicts a female "Robber Queen" named Tan-Tan.
The costume consists of black pants, an enormous hat, a blouse, and a cape. The black costume, especially the cape, is usually decorated with skulls and tombstones. The hat may sometimes have decorative tassels or skulls hanging from the brim. Although some sources say that The Midnight Robber's hat is influenced by American Cowboy culture, it is more likely that his hat is meant to mimic a chief's hat from the coastal regions of Nigeria. The Midnight Robber also carries a gun and coffin in either hand. The gun, which would be fake, is used to scare bystanders into placing money into the coffin.