Traditional Characters

Costume individuals which gave birth to the Trinidad Carnival and represent people and circumstances of the early emancipation era (1834 and onwards). Bats, Dame Lorraine (Traditionally played by a man portraying a woman with an exaggerated bosom and bottom referring to the European madams on the slave plantations), Jab Jab (Is an interpretion of the Medieval Court Jester), Jab Molasie (The soul of a slave fallen into a vat of boiling molasses), Burroquid (A horse or donkey head is the main aspect of the costume), Native Americans (Representing the traditional feathered costumes from the American continent), Moko Jumbie (Stilt walkers – African origin), Midnight Robber (A take on the Highway robber), Pierrot Grenade (A supreme jester whose dress represents a satirical or burlesque interpretation of well-known personalities or world figures) and Sailors (A fun and light-hearted interpretation of sailors) are some of the popular representations. Mimicry is the preferred performance mode as these styles all represent an aspect of a past life experience. It is here the street theatre of carnival was born.