The crowd gathered in the quiet dark of Carnival Friday morning was astonishing and ranged in age from children to older folk.
The drums rang out, heralding the start of Canboulay, the riots which helped form the beginning of Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago as we know it today.
The event took place at the historic Picadilly Greens, a site rich in history and meaning for Trinidadian people.
Canboulay stems from the French ‘cannes brulee’, or burning canes, from the sugar canes which were lit at night to lit the way for the festival.
Carnival began in satire after ex-slaves donned petticoats and masks to make fun of the plantation owners and their luxurious fêtes.
The British soon sought to stop the festival, and the slaves rebelled.
From the creativity and passion of these early struggles, the many creative elements of Carnival were born, including calypso, which was developed from chantwells, members of the group who were chosen to pass down the community’s oral history.
Other characters such as the Midnight Robber, Pierrot Grenade, Dame Lorraine, and more.
The re-enactment is well worth waking up early for and has become one of my favourite Carnival events to attend.
Alina Doodnath 
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