List of Caribbean carnivals around the world
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Caribbean Carnival[1] is the term used in the English-speaking world for a series of events, held annually throughout almost the whole year in many Caribbean islands and worldwide.[2]
The Caribbean's carnivals have several common themes, all originating from Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, also known as the Mother of Carnival, whose popularity and appeal began well before 1846, and gained global recognition in 1881 with the Canboulay riots in Port of Spain.[3] Trinidad Carnival is based on folklore, culture, religion, and tradition (thus relating to the European use of the word, not amusement rides, as the word "carnival" is often used to mean in American English.[4] Carnival tradition is based on a number of disciplines including: Parade of the Bands /Carnival parade /"Playing Mas"/masquerade; calypso music; soca music and crowning a Calypso monarch aka Calypso King; Soca monarch aka Soca King; Panorama (steelpan/steelband competition); Old mas aka Traditional mas competition; J'ouvert celebrations inclusive of traditional characters such as jab molassie / jab jab, Moko Jumbie, Dame Lorraine, Blue Devil; and a number of other Trinidad Carnival / Trinidadian traditions.[1]