 |
| Little Tinkerbell & Mwatiya |
I took on the task along with my godchildren’s mother to get them into some costumes this year for Carnival (outside of school). The portrayal is Welcome to Fairyland. Our mas “band” consists of two fairies: Tinkerbell and Mwatiya.
It is customary for Carnival bands to carry a write up about the costumes (that is dramatically read by the announcer before they enter the stage. Here is the Welcome to Fairyland story:
Tinkerbell and Mwatiya come together from two different corners of the earth to make beautiful mas in Trinidad. Tinkerbell hails from the forests of Scotland, Europe. She uses magic to fix pots and pans. She is adorned in gold and green representing the trees which are her home and the metal that she makes look brand new. Mwatiya hails from Ghana, West Africa. She is found at the bottom of Flamboyant Trees and loves to dance but no man has ever seen her (until today). Her colours are of the colours of the rainbow. Tinkerbell and Mwatiya flew to the islands to spread messages of love and unity using their fairy dust. Together they Welcome you to Fairyland to meet the Fairies of the World.
Tinkerbell and Mwatiya come together from two different corners of the earth to make beautiful mas in Trinidad. Tinkerbell hails from the forests of Scotland, Europe. She uses magic to fix pots and pans. She is adorned in gold and green representing the trees which are her home and the metal that she makes look brand new. Mwatiya hails from Ghana, West Africa. She is found at the bottom of Flamboyant Trees and loves to dance but no man has ever seen her (until today). Her colours are of the colours of the rainbow. Tinkerbell and Mwatiya flew to the islands to spread messages of love and unity using their fairy dust. Together they Welcome you to Fairyland to meet the Fairies of the World.
I called the National Carnival Band Association and found out about the community or regional carnivals. Yesterday, they went to Gasparillo to take part in that area’s kiddies Carnival. I was quite pleased with the quality of mas at this event. There was a variety in portrayals albeit only about three bands and a few individuals participated and the children were actually performing and taking on the roles of their portrayals. There were also two little boys who sang calypso. The other progressive aspect of the Gasparillo Kiddies is that whether or not you win a prize, all participants receive a token of appreciation for participating. Please enjoy photos below!
Zahra Gordon 
Leave a comment