Carnival lingo
Bacchanal
That what the carnival is about. Party, have fun, and be wotless!
Calypso
A musical genre that is the basis of most Caribbean music nowadays.
Some Calypso bands still exist. Here is a nice sample.
Fete
The fete is the French for ‘party’.
Trinidad was once at the hand of the French (and the Spanish and the British).
Fun Mas
A section of a carnival band that may not have extravagant costumes, but is still fun to be part of (and cheaper!)
Jab Jabs
From the French: Diable (devil). A procession of people dress as devils. Frequently seen at the Caribbean carnivals, not so much in the Notting Hill Carnival.
J’ouvert
From the French ‘jour ouvert’, this is a traditional pre-dawn procession, before the masquerade floats take over.
Palance
One of the consequence of being wotless. Palance is about jumping up and let it all out.
Play Mas
To participate in the carnival, being part of a masquerade or j’ouvert float.
Steel Pan
The traditional sound of Trinidad. Originally made with oil drums, after African percussion were forbidden in Trinidad.
The sound has evolved and artists such as Andy Narell have brought it to a whole new level.
Soca
The most popular music in Trinidad. The best way to get get to know and to love soca is to Play Mas!
Then you’ll just wish you were Trinidadian.
Wine
To dance and move your hips the Trinidadian way.
Not to be confused with twerking, a pale copy of the original. Make sure you practice your moves before Playing Mas!
Wotless
The attitude people are adopting, particularly at carnival time, to just enjoy the moment and not care about anything at all!
Here’s the song that sums it all.