Carnival Launch Party!

Hello all! I haven't had much to update on so i apologize for the lack of blog posts recently. BUT, i have something very interesting to update you on today. Yesterday i went with about 4 other volunteers to the SpiceMas 2010 Carnival Launch Party held at the old National Stadium. Carnival is the largest celebration of Caribbean culture and travels throughout the islands over the course of a year. Here in Grenada, Carnival is held August 9-10. The Caribbean's Carnivals all have several common themes all originating from Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, based on folklore, culture, religion,and tradition, not on amusement rides. Carnival tradition is based on a number of disciplines including: "Playing Mas"/Masquerade; Calypso Music and crowning a Calypso King or Monarch; Panorama (Steel Band Competition); Jouvert morning. In anticipation of the upcoming Carnival celebrations the island held a launch party to get people excited and officially open up the Carnival season. I'm very excited to see such an integral cultural experience for the first time in Grenada and i hope it is a blast!

One of the highlights of the Launch Party last night was the Jab Jab. Jab Jab is a devilish carnival character of the Caribbean islands that is more mischievous than evil. Like many other masqueraders at carnival time, they smear themselves with black oil, and wear horns to play at being the “diable” (French for devil). They often carry around pieces of meat in their mouths, dead animal heads, chains and plenty of USED motor oil. Disgusting right? The minute they reached our area the smell of a mechanics shop filled the air. After the initial shock of bloody meat in their mouths and motor oil all over the place, me and the other volunteers started to ponder the cultural significance of the Jab Jab and after some research i found it fits right into the cultural history of Grenada.

I have attached some pictures of the day. If you have a weak stomach please scroll really fast. haha.