The Peoples (Mas) Band

[Razzman]

The Peoples band, paid for by the government of Trinidad and Tobago!

Should foreigners and Trinis living overseas be allowed to play mas in this band....for free?

[Solachica]

Stupes.

[bigzack]

The Peoples band, paid for by the government of Trinidad and Tobago!

Should foreigners and Trinis living overseas be allowed to play mas in this band....for free?


Dah band goh hah one setta pickpockets.

I not going in dat band at all.

[trinialex]

BZ.......Jambolassie does ha pocket.....?????

[Wayne]

The Peoples band, paid for by the government of Trinidad and Tobago!

Should foreigners and Trinis living overseas be allowed to play mas in this band....for free?

I in dat.

[Amelia]

I love the idea... provided there is enough security.
Its a great way to experience carnival without having to endure the exclusivity and the pretentous poser ppl.
I go be dey :) (provided there is enough security)

[Chicabonita]

Scary.

[Solachica]

I hearing plenty people saying they in tht. It wud be bus loads of people going there.

I wud be far away.

[sacky]

Scary.

you dont quite the masses do you chica ?

[shield_2006]

it is a foolish idea that if successful will cause more problems than Gypsy can handle.

imagine a disorganized band of 8-10,000 PP people on the loose Carnival Tuesday--talk about congestion

[Amelia]

it is a foolish idea that if successful will cause more problems than Gypsy can handle.

imagine a disorganized band of 8-10,000 PP people on the loose Carnival Tuesday--talk about congestion



Ppl letting loose on carnival tues.. shocking!
Sorry mammoo, but what exactly is CARNIVAL to u? A neat lil parade of small groups of ppl?
Aside from the issue of costumes and theme (which one may argue is lacking in any true sense in ALL bands), what would be the difference?
Or is it that once u doh pay 3000+ u are not entitled to join the upper echelons of the carnival experience?

Lets not just throw out random words of dispproval. WHAT exactly do u foresee the problem being?

[Solachica]

So who paying for this big street fete? I thought Treasury empty.

[shield_2006]

ams--sweetie--it have to do with congestion on the route--I say anybody who want to what they want for Carnival--good for them--BUT-- we have a problem with congestion with bands for Carnival and now they propose to return to the Savannah stage, which will add to the difficulty. Most Carnival bands have some level of organisation with people having fun around a plan however basic it may be. This band of disparate revelers will cause untold difficulties--especially with this peoples band theme and the predilection of Trinis to do what the dam well want.

I periodically play mas and I have had to wait for hours on Charlotte Street to cross the stage and the delay is usually caused by band flow, We are yet to conquer this monster.

I have no problem with the idea as long as it takes into consideration the realities and it can be controlled--people coming form any and everywhere in whatever they want does not strike me as a good basis for control

[sylvestter]

gypsy say the band eh crossing any stage. lemme see they control that when the people DEMAND to cross the stage, and block-up the route for everyone else!!!

[trinialex]

yuh control de music an yuh control de band.....an de police does really wuk fuh carnival...ah eh kno if is becaw de gyul playing mas or what....but dey does keep it fairly clean....how ah wish dey cud do dah whole year...

[Wayne]

Foreigners and Trinis living overseas will DEMAND and RECEIVE such SERVICE?....................I think NOT.

[snowbird]

Foreigners and Trinis living overseas will DEMAND and RECEIVE such SERVICE?....................I think NOT.

Wayne-o dem people in T&T eh kno dey already 'paying' fer we tuh play mas up here

...Aye Shields, yuh fren Mikey well nice... an he hav deep pockets too....we in foreign love T&T lol

[snowbird]

People, all that Gypsy is proposing is that Carnival go back to it's roots...back to a time when it was all inclusive (all citizens could take part if they wanted to) ...back to the days before 'exclusive bands', cost prohibitive prices, and loans to pay for mas.

He wants to ensure that if a Trini want to play mas....they can still feed their children that month, pay their rent/mortgage, and not beg for the 'first hand in a sou-sou'.

Trinidad Carnival has gone so far away from the original mold and intent that it is not funny.
Gypsy is right.... if you have, or can make a costume....why should you not be able to take part if you want to?
Why should you have to go out year after year and pay thousands of dollars for the same costume, only in a different colour?

It is obvious Trinis have two different needs in Carnival

..... on the one hand, you have the die hards, who must 'make a statement' year after year (as with everything else in Trini)...they pay whatever is asked (making some mas producer rich)....donning next to nothing while convincing themselves...yes, this costume is nicer than the one I had last year (not, it's the same); these are the same people who would spend half a day jumping/chipping/wining on one spot just to wait in line to go into competition.

....on the other hand, you have people who just enjoy what Carnival truly represents..... a freeing up of the spirit....these people don't really care what their costumes look like....what the theme is.... or even if there is one.....all they want to do is enjoy the music and move with it, where ever it takes them.

Gypsy is simply offering a way to fill both needs....don't be selfish people there is room for all of you.

[vaio]

hmmm interesting idea, play mas but doh spend all that money

[simplecandice]

The Peoples band, paid for by the government of Trinidad and Tobago!

Should foreigners and Trinis living overseas be allowed to play mas in this band....for free?

This band shouldn't even be created, wasting tax payers money.

[Chicabonita]

you dont quite the masses do you chica ?

Not about "the masses", I don't like carnival period.

[kemist]

If they can get the logistics right, i think it will be a good idea. But Trini's are not well known for their organizational skills lol So we'll have to wait and see how this turns out. I don't play mas, but i like watching it on tv for a few minutes. I only tend to participate in the events surrounding mas-playing during carnival time, like the calypso tents, comedy fests....On carnival mon & tues i prefer to go beach or river. I'm actually thinking about liming in one of the other islands during next year carnival; Bdos or Dominica, ah hadda start organizing ah crew from now oui.

[Solachica]

Kem ah might see yuh if ah flying out to lol

[Wayne]

Not about "the masses", I don't like carnival period.


Carnival is Trinidad........Trinidad is Carnival.........Every country has their Culture;Steelband,Calypso and Mas is Trinidad's Culture.

[vaio]

I usually don't leave my house on that long carnival weekend cos i am not really a fan either but i doh have an issue with carnival and ppl enjoying themselves

[Chicabonita]

Carnival is Trinidad........Trinidad is Carnival.........Every country has their Culture;Steelband,Calypso and Mas is Trinidad's Culture.

Yes, I know it is part of the culture, I was just stating that I do not like it...because I do not have to like it right? ;)

[Solachica]

Chica not all Trinis like Carnival either.
But who like it good for them.
They does shut down the country for 2days although its not official holidays.

[Chicabonita]

Chica not all Trinis like Carnival either.
But who like it good for them.
They does shut down the country for 2days although its not official holidays.

Yes I know lots of Trinis who don't like Carnival...

[snowbird]

Well not being on the forum over Carnival (I don't think I was) ...and being busy for a few months after .... | never did get a chance to re-visit this thread.

... now that I have... I am disappointed that no one ever updated the site to say if ..... the people's band was a success... if it was a failure, why?

What ever happended last carnival to the peoples band....did it work?

just curious

[bigzack]

http://media.trinidadexpress.com/images/1299551930564n12.jpg
WITH D' PEOPLE: Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Winston "Gypsy" Peters, Prime
Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, centre, and US Ambassador Beatrice Wilkinson
Welters play mas in D' People's Band on the big stage at the Queen's Park
Savannah, Port of Spain, yesterday. Minister of the People Dr Glenn
Ramadharsingh is in the background. See Page 3. —Photo: Stephen Doobay

[snowbird]

^^^

So was it a success or a failure? How many people ended up playing in the band?

Obviously it was not thousands as 'Gypsy' said he wouldn't take the band across the big stage (and jam up the place).... but from that picture, they are on the stage ... No?

It was about this time last year that they floated the idea to have this band.... are they going to do it again?

[shield_2006]

snow--it failed miserably--which is a prerequisite for it to be attempted again--bong to happen---is not personal funds.

[snowbird]

well I'm not so sure why it failed.... my feeling is ....because it was a new concept... it just didn't catch on with 'die hard' mas players who would still rather 'play' lol it safe.....wait for someone else to test the new product then say....."Aye, boy we had ah good time"...then they may try it.

that church band also failed miserably ... I think for the same reason .... although there were big names behind it....there were just not enough people willing to 'test' it.

... too bad as that 'peoples band' would have been the closest thing to 'old time carnival' where it was everybody's festival.... not just those who could afford the expensive costumes....boy I remember the days where.... as long as you had a 'hot shirt and dungarees'....or a flour bag sailor suit..... you were in lol

Trinis seem very resistent to change lol