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Carnival at Eastern Boys' Primary School
First Year Infants Place 1st Performing "Ah Playing Mas"
TriniSoca.com Reporters
Event Date: February 14-15, 2007
Posted: February 25, 2007
The Eastern Boys' Primary School, situated on George Street, Port of Spain, hosted its 2007 Carnival activities on two consecutive days beginning on February 14, 2007.
The boys, who ranged in age from about four to eleven years old were able to break from the academic aspect of their education to engage in some fun activity which allowed them to participate in a part of their cultural history.
The pupils of the Eastern Boys' Primary School began their two day Carnival special with their Calypso competition. The students gathered around the makeshift stage comprised of some school desks put together at the courtyard of the school. Most of the students sat at the front of the stage while others stood at the side or sat indoors in the school's corridors. The students were generally well-behaved although a few found it difficult to contain their excitement. However, teachers were always on hand to get them back in order.
There were many brave students from different classes that stood before their peers in competition. The Calypsos they sang ranged from social commentary to jump and wave tunes. The contestants were backed by students from their classes who sang the refrain for their songs. Unfortunately for some, they were unable to stretch their voices enough for the judges to hear them. However, all the contestants received warm appreciation from their fellow students who did a good job in making all feel like winners.
Some of the students also improvised by beating desks as drums to provide some sort of musical accompaniment for the contestants. They did excellent jobs at adding extra energy to the performances.
The winners of the competition were placed according to category: Infants and Juniors and Seniors. The winners are as follows:
Infants and Juniors
Placement / Pupil / Class / Song
1st / Group / First Year Infants / Ah Playing Mas
2nd / Kevon Samuel / Standard 1 / Abusive Fathers
3rd / Jayon Lares / Second Year / We Living in Jail
Seniors
Placement / Pupil / Class / Song
1st / (Group) The Relators / Standard 5 / Corporal Jack
2nd / Malik Pierre / Standard 3 / I am Young but Wise
3rd / Jabari Daniel / Standard 5 / Rise Up Black People
1st Year Students' Zoo Parade Band at the Eastern Boys' Old Mas Competition
The second day of their Carnival activities began after noon with a Carnival Jump-up. Although the music blasted since the early hours of the morning and students did jump up to the tunes, all waited anxiously for the evening's activities. Pupils from first year to standard five participated in the Old Mas competition in which they utilized satirical costumes to demonstrate their themes. The students began to parade their costumes at around two in the afternoon. Fellow pupils, teachers and some parents of the children crowded the courtyard to witness the Mas.
The students certainly enjoyed themselves displaying their simple costumes and their signs which were attached either to the back of their clothing or on poles. The judges did have a hard time in choosing winners as all demonstrated wit and humour. Some of interesting costumes were: Cricket World Cup, B-Limp, Road for So, Ac-Chong and High Food Prices which came under the categories, Eye in the Sky, Spy and Do You Know? The infants in the Zoo Parade also did a great job in portraying some of the creatures in the animal kingdom. The winners are as follows:
Placement / Class / Song
1st / Standard 2 / Do You Know?
2nd / 2nd Year / We Calypsonians is Jokers
3rd / Standard 5 / Eye in the Sky, Spy
4th / 1st Year / The Zoo Parade
While the staff of the school along with parents were able to pull off their Carnival activities, much could be done to improve the school facilities. The school should get internet and proper telephone access among other amenities which are currently lacking.
Sponsorship of the events at the Eastern Boys' Primary School along with better facilities could have given the children a wonderful Carnival treat, without cost to the children.
Eastern Boys Carnival 2007 in pictures:
www.trinisoca.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=67751
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