A Cosmopolitan Mixture
Like the cosmopolitan mix of peoples and cultures that has shaped Trinidad, Carnival is the results of several cultures -- the Spanish and English colonial settlers, French planters, African slaves, Indian indentured labourers, and a host of other ethinc group.
In 1783 the French brought their culture, customs and Carnival, in the form of elaborate masquerade balls, to Trinidad. They called it Canboulay – a harvest festival, at which drums, singing, dancing and chanting were an integral part.
The period stretching between Christmas and the start of Lent was a time for feasting, fancy dress balls and celebration for both the French and British, but not for the slaves who were banned form the festivities.
Instead, the slaves held their own celebration would often mimicking their masters' behavior while incorporating rituals and folklore.
Once slavery was abolished in 1838, the freed Africans took the celebrations to the streets. It developed into an outlet and a festival for former indentured laborers and freed.
Canboulay
Canboulay was first played on August 1st, Emancipation Day, but subsequently took place after midnight on Dimanche Gras, the Sunday before Carnival.
In early celebration of the festival by the masses activities were held over the three days preceding Ash Wednesday. However in the face of over 60 years of criticism from the upper class about the low standard of Carnival and strong feelings expressed about the desecration of the Sabbath, in 1943 Carnival on the street was restricted to the Monday & Tuesday.
Canboulay Music
Canboulay music is an important part of the music of Trinidad and Tobago notably the use of steel pans which were the descendants of percussion instruments banned in the 1880s.
The "chantwell" or chantuelle who was also an integral part of the celebrations was the forerunner of the calypsonian and later soca music.
Both were banned in the 1880s when conflict between carnival participatns and the police at time. Reports stated "... fighting, throwing of stones and bottles, much obscenity and unmasked bands of disorderly persons through Port-of-Spain armed with long sticks."
Participants replaced the stick with bamboo sticks beaten together, which were themselves banned in turn. In 1937 they reappeared, transformed as an orchestra of frying pans, dustbin lids and oil drums.
These steelpans are now a major part of the Trinidadian music scene and are a popular section of the Canboulay music contests. In 1941, the United States Navy arrived on Trinidad, and the panmen, who were associated with lawlessness and violence, helped to popularize steel pan music among soldiers, which began its international popularization.
