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 Originally made with oil drums, after African percussion were forbidden in Trinidad.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.