Urban Culture: Carnival

Urban Culture:  Trinidad and Tobago's carnival the ultimate urban party of Port of Spain.

Carnival bands and trucks traversing  a main street

Introduction

Trinidad and Tobago’s carnival is one of the many urban carnivals found in the western hemisphere which occurs before the start of Lent on the Christian calendar. In Trinidad and Tobago, carnival is a two day event: Carnival Monday and Tuesday. On both days, the capital’s streets and urban spaces are awash with a sea of revelers and spectators of nonstop partying and engaging in a variety of cultural activities.

Conservative and colourful  costumes

Urban Culture

Culture is a complex and multifaceted, meaning different things in different contexts (Hall and Barrett 2011: 165). The urban spaces has always had a source of culture, some of these culture may be taken from other places and modified to suite the city. Some geographers separated urban geography from culture and call it cultural geography, but if it is found in the urban spaces is not it urban culture? Undoubtedly culture, in its many forms, is becoming more central to the shaping of the city economically, politically, socially and materially. (Hall and Barrett 2011: 183). Carnival is a vital aspect of Port of Spain’s urban culture. During carnival, it seems as if the entire country is participating in Mass., The main streets of Port of Spain a closed off, \ and they become accessible only to pedestrian traffic. On Carnival Tuesday, the central business district (CBD) is transformed into a party space, and the streets are filled with people dancing, loud music, confetti, beads, feathers and litter.

Spectators watching a band pass

Multiple sound crew personnel

The Indians are coming.

Conclusion

A city's culture is defined by its history and the local beliefs, every year; new urban cultures are created and join the ranks of a city’s unique cultural offering. Using Port of Spain as the Caribbean’s urban playground sets a postcard background which showcases the culture, people and architecture of the capital. Additionally, it also provides increased international tourism advertisement. The experience of participating in carnival reminds me of the city of Curitiba, Brazil. In Curitiba, owing to the introduction of children painting in the street, the city closed off the streets to make a pedestrian boulevard, which in turn created an urban culture which is vital to its culture. Curitiba’s attitude to children’s art shows that not only cars can rule the street, but pedestrians can also have their day in the streets. Finally, those who have not seen a carnival are missing out on a wonderful experience of urban lifestyles and cultures.

Reference
Hall and Barrett, (2011) Urban Geography London: Routledge. Page 165 and 183.