"What do I do?" - Masqueraders - Basseterre - St.Kitts

St.Kitts is one of the few Caribbean islands that celebrate their Carnival (Mardi Gras) immediately after Christmas continuing until the New Year. Most of the others do their celebrations before lent or during the summer months. The structure of this costume is 'standard' but the colors and patterns of the ribbon-type trailers vary considerably. Athletic shoes ("Soft-Mash") are always worn. The music played has a traditional and old-fashioned feel to it - fife and drums mostly. The rhythm encourages "Wuk-up" ("Work-up" or vigorous dancing) to the point of being in a trance-like state.

It reminded me of a religious shaker church in another island where I spent my formative years where the rhythm of those drums could put one in an induced spiritual state. There was a 'helper' who worked in our home whom I knew attended one of these Shaker churches and being a bit of a mischievous lad, I played one of Bach's fugues on the piano and tried to mimic that Shaker drum rhythm. Our helper, with a wide grin, warned me that if she broke into a dance, I would have to pour water in a circle to get her out of the trance like state.  I smiled. Part of me wanted to continue but visions of wild dancing , maybe chinaware being thrown across the room with subsequent explanations to my parents caused me  to stop playing. Uncharted waters indeed! 

PS I forgot to mention that I chopped the heads of everyone except the young person. For better or worse - it was a artistic decision.

Musicians for Masqueraders

This is really nice and I enjoyed reading your commentary.