On Tuesday morning, revelers dressed in carnival costumes featuring wings and crowns leaped up behind sound trucks, which are big mobile stages equipped with speakers, DJ equipment, and steel pans. These sound trucks crawled through the streets of Port of Spain. At Victoria Square, members of the Lost Tribe carnival band put finishing touches on their costumes by securing capes, backpacks made of drapery, and enormous swarms of butterflies. The vibrant sounds of soca and calypso were heard all around the capital city. If there is any noise in the background, it is likely coming from music trucks that are parked on the Avenue.
“Welcome to carnival,” says Valmiki Maharaj, the creative director of the Lost Tribe as well as the bandleader for their performances. He claims to be everything from “head cook” to “bottle washer” in addition to being a designer, editor, strategist, and visionary. The carnival held in Trinidad and Tobago is the largest one held anywhere in the Caribbean. A simple practice evolved into an alluring rite that brings people back to their homeland, and the clothing that people wear is at the center of this spectacular show.
“We’re a strange mix of costuming, performance, entertainment, and party, all in the same thing,” says Maharaj, who is 37 and hails from Barataria, a borough located 20 minutes east of Port of Spain. “We’re a strange mix of costuming, performance, entertainment, and party,” he adds. Never Allow Yourself to Miss a Vogue Moment br>If you become a subscriber to Vogue, you will receive a notepad that is of a limited edition.SUBSCRIBE NOW
The Lost Tribe is a relatively new carnival troupe who only performed their first road march about seven years ago. Since the beginning, the costumes have diverged significantly from the traditional feather and headpiece bikini mas (costume) that the majority of bacchanalists are familiar with and may have even worn.
