What does South London contribute to Carnival? This feature, edited by Davinia Springer (in costume, left) and Max Boucher, was written in 1995. Although no longer a Vauxhall resident, Barry Vialva still lives in South London.This is the 30th year of Notting Hill Carnival. This feature includes contributions from some of the Lambeth groups who will be taking part in this August's festivities.
In the main article BARRY VIALVA, (right) who grew up in Trinidad, and now lives in Vauxhall Grove, talks about the history of Carnival, both in Trinidad and Notting Hill. Barry has played mas' in a section with the Mangrove Band.During slavery, the French brought carnival to Trinidad because they used to have great balls, as you know they used to have masked balls in the courts of France. The slaves used to watch these people perform in their wigs and gowns and stuff like that and parody them.
It caught on and they started using their own instruments when they got a chance. They were forbidden to, but they would hide and use their own mstruments and dress up like their masters. It was from there carnival stemmed until slavery was abolished. It became more and more a people's thing, the people took part in it. It was a release like for them.
The early music before steel bands was developed was a thing called 'tamboo-bamboo' where they used to have stick fighting.
Steel bands started developing in the later '30s and '40s, but during the war, carnival was banned, parades were banned.
The first carnival I knew as a child was VE day and VJ day. We had music on the road and people beating the early pingpong and bass drums and stuff like that and anything that they could find; paw paw stem - they would make holes in it and use it as a bugle.
The man who is supposed to be the creator of pan is a fellow called Winston Simon Spree and he is the first man to have beat a tune - but all these things are shrouded in myths. Then steel bands just took off. It is one of the few new instruments of the modern world.
As a child I was very afraid of mas because these people used to dress up as devils in weird and scary costumes and I used to run under the bed and hide. Violence was associated witli the early steel bands because of the lack of organisation. It was a territorial thing really. We had great bands like the Casablanca band who played 'Dragon', a band of bats, imps, beasts, devils, and assorted goblins, which was great, I have not seen anything like it.
I would go to the market early in the morning at five and get skins. My uncle was a hunter and he had a lot of dogs and any that died they would bury it in the yard. My cousin would tell me where to dig up the bones. I would get the bones and bleach them and paint them and put on this big massive costume.
Carnival in London
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The five disciplines · Mas': Costumes (the word comes from 'masquerade'. · Steel: Steel bands. · Calypso: Political, social and satirical commentary set to music. · Soca: Traditional music of carnival, a fusion of soul and calypso. · Sound systems: Amplified music featuring large bass speakers. |
It is said that Claudia Jones is the first person who actually organised carnival in London on a proper basis. It was generally focused in Westboume Grove, Ladbroke Grove and West London because that was where most of the Trinidadians lived and most of the people from the small islands. These people knew calypso from back in the Caribbean so it was easy.
It was always my ambition to bring a good-sized band from this area because I feel that it is important that the youths, Caribbean youths and others should learn about carnival and appreciate it.
People could get out of the rut whereby the carnival must be held mainly on the streets of Notting Hill Gate. I feel that the carnival could start in a park and end in Notting Hill Gate and have a longer period of parading, say like some part of Hyde Park and we go through Bayswater Road and end up in Notting Hill Gate and then disperse from there because the streets of Notting Hill Gate are too small to contain the crowds.
This has given the opportunity for a lot of negative things and worst of all a lot of people don't get the opportunity to see all the bands, because they are not sure where the bands are paradmg from and because of the crowds and control of the streets.
Is there a need for more people to get involved in the carnival?
Yes, there is not enough people involved in all aspects of the carnival especially costume-making. More people could actually come and participate and take part in the costume-making. The carnival has suffered from the negative press but that is slowly eroding.
They enjoy themselves. There is more enjoyment for the people here than in Trinidad in a sense because it is not organised as tightly on a financial basis.
Tell us more about your experiences at Notting Hill Carnival
Over the years most of the Mangrove's themes have been 'resistance'.
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1995 PROGRAMME |
| Saturday 19th August, from 12 noon to 12 midnight: GALA AT OLYMPIA. Children's sections will be showing costumes. Free Saturday 26th August, 6pm: STEEL BAND PANORAMA, at Hornimans Pleasance, Kensal Road. Free. Sunday 27th and Monday 28th August, from 12 noon: CARNIVAL ON THE ROAD. Costume bands, music, dancing, food and fun on the streets around Notting Hill. |
We do have some problems at times with the large sound systems, who sometimes don't want to turn down their systems when they're playing reggae or they could compromise. We hope at some time to play calypsos when the band is passing because the bands are usually playing calypsos.
Another aspect is actually reggae and young people, actually having large banks of speakers. It's transferred itself to bands now. Bands hardly use steel bands which was the mainstay of the carnival.
You have bands like the Oval House and Cocoyea - they are very organised, they start very early. It does take months because you have to start by getting your theme drawings, then designers - they will develop the theme.
Why is there a need for a Carnival Centre in South London?
I think it's the lack of education (spreading the word). Because of the background and because their original parents didn't come from that part of the world - Brazil or Trinidad - is no reason for them because many other people get involved in carnival just for the sheer fun of it.
I think if we have a centre there are people in the area who do play carnival like myself and others and we get them together. If we had a place where people would sit together and actually talk - because it's a very informal thing.
Article first published in Vauxhall View, August 1995, a magazine published and edited by Steve Morse. Original article included contact information and photos of three South London carnival bands: Phoenix, London All Stars, and South Connections.
10 Jan 2007