Fête For Days!

Do you like to party? Have you ever partied with West Indians? Well, now is your chance! Composed of varying themes, from all white affairs to camouflage, fêtes are the equivalent of parties in the American culture. Often featuring various artists of different genres of music, such as, Soca, Reggae and Calypso, any fête is an event that should be thoroughly experienced.

 

A traditional Island dish.

  When attending a fête, there are many different elements that are combined to make the event enjoyable. With traditional island food, one is sure to find something that is pleasing to the taste buds. Some of these foods include Curry Chicken, Stew Fish, Sous, Salt fish, Jerk chicken along with their accompaniments such as, rice, Roti, green figs, plantains, and callaloo. A West Indian fête would not be a “fête” if there was no food, right?  The energy and sustenance these mineral and nutrient-rich foods provide, allow for a long night of partying!
The music played at any fête will have you moving your waistline and “wukkin up” Caribbean style! Traditional music from the island of Trinidad and Tobago, such as Calypso and Soca, which is the more modern form of Calypso, along with music from different islands all over the Caribbean are heard at these events. A fusion of music of African, Indian, European, and Indigenous descent, the music of the Caribbean infuses all of these cultures into one of diverse heritage.
These fêtes serve as a nice “lime” with friends or with family. Partying through the night these fetes are one of a kind because they bring so many different foods, music, and people together which all combine to make a great night! A fête should be thoroughly experienced . . . from the food and drink to the music and dance. So, get ready to roll your waistline and experience a fête that you will never forget!

Let's Play Mas!

It’s Carnival time! Playing Mas is all about celebrating Caribbean culture with people from islands all over the Caribbean as they come together to share their pride and love for the people and where they come from. The origins of Playing Mas, similar to the origins of J’ouvert, started with the Masquerade balls of the French that the African slaves could not take part of so they formed their own, parallel celebration covered themselves in mud or oil in order to remain hidden as they staged their own masquerade balls composed of their rituals and traditions, along with imitations of the French and their rituals. Once the slaves were freed from their forced labor, their act of imitating their captors morphed into a celebration of their freedom. 

Playing Mas is just a big parade in which participants are dressed in elaborate costumes and dance down the street to a Soca band, steel band or DJ. When observing mas from the sidelines one will witness many colorful and bright costumes that are often decorated with feathers and sequins. The people wearing these costumes are said to be “playing Mas”.

Led by a King and Queen these participants are organized into what is known as a band, they compete against other bands for the title “Band of the Year”. The King and Queen can be easily spotted from the crowd for they are dressed in extremely large costumes that often require wheels or extensions to assist with carrying it down the street. People wait all year for this event and even though it relies on the same premises the costumes get bigger, the music gets louder, the food gets better, and the crowds continue to multiply. Nothing comes close to this event, it is vibrant, culturally enlightening and just a day of pure fun and enjoyment!