TRIBE Carnival

TRIBE Carnival

Trinidad Guardian – Carnival Tribe Dazzles

Trinidad Guardian – Carnival Tribe Dazzles

Published on The Trinidad Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.tt)

 

Carnival Tribe Dazzles

 

By matthew_v

 

Published: Thu, 2011-07-28 21:15

 

Photos: David Wears

 

Carnival Tribe launched its 2012 Carnival presentation to a massive crowd at the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port-of-Spain on Saturday. The theme, Take Me To, epitomised journeys to various destinations, among them Rio, Las Vegas, South Beach, Manhattan, Johannesburg, Fiji and Dubai. The bikinis and beads remained a constant, as has been the case for the past decade. However, the colours presented generated some chatter among the crowd at both the media showing and later at the official presentation. Among the models this year, was T&T’s Miss Universe representative, Gabriel Walcott, who paraded designer Monique Nobrega’s fiery red costume, Ibiza. The band continued its legacy of providing top-notch customer service, wining and dining the media and other specially invited guests prior to the showing, at an area specially reserved for the purpose. Among those spotted were President George Maxwell Richards and his wife Dr Jean Ramjohn-Richards, two-time Road March winner, Shurwayne Winchester, Tuco president, Lutalo “Brother Resistance” Masimba, Big Mike Antoine and Juliet De La Bastide, Ian McKenzie of Genesis and his wife Nina.

 

Calls for stakeholder/ government partnership

 

The women of Tribe were presented to the media and described as the hearts, soul and backbone of the prominent band. Bandleader Dean Akin, in his speech prior to the media presentation, said Tribe would be taking patrons to various destinations across the world. “Everyone, especially people in Trinidad and Tobago, loves to have a good time. For Carnival 2012, Tribe is gonna take you to the top parties and destinations around the world. Carnival Monday and Tuesday, 2012 Tribe will take you on a world wind party spree. Our latest presentation seeks to showcase our newfound creativity and culture, in a very unique way,” he highlighted. On another note, Akin expressed his desire to partner with government and other Carnival stakeholders to create a viable Carnival industry. “Tribe believes that with meaningful consultation and discussion, we can put the controversial costume tariff behind us. Rushing to implement the tariff may not be in the best interest of Carnival stakeholders, who live for the glorious annual celebration that is Trinbago mas,” he said. He called on all Carnival stakeholders and government to work together to formulate a three to five-year-plan, with the aim of developing the labour skills, increasing the quality and machinery, and increasing and sustaining the productive capacity of the local mas industry. Akin said the mas industry created about 10,000 jobs each year for Carnival, and the band believed that given the choice between strangling and suffocating the industry by implementing tax, or partnering with stakeholders to take Trinbago Carnival to a higher level, the latter would be ideal for all involved.

 

Winchester eyes the models

 

The costumes, an array of sexy, colourful pieces created by Tribe designers, Gail Cabral, Sandra Hordatt, Solange Shaw Gopaul, Peter Elias, Ruanna Booker, Valmiki Maharaj, Lana Nobrega and Monique Nobrega, were modeled in fine style by slender, beautiful women, a glimpse of what masqueraders who choose to play with the band can expect on the road next year. Soca artiste Shurwayne Winchester smiled when asked of his thoughts on the sections. “I couldn’t get past the ladies,” he laughed, but added the costumes were great too. The party that followed at the Savannah was indeed well orchestrated, free drinks and all.

 

Source URL: http://www.guardian.co.tt/entertainment/2011/07/28/carnival-tribe-dazzles

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