More Options for 2011!

Things are heating up for Carnival 2011; another new band has emerged with their spin on the bikini/beads/feathers genre. Yuma (Young, Upwardly, Mobile, Adults) is a new band on the scene, with a design team that includes, Crystal Aming Marcus, Richard Dookhdeen, Anthony Hall, Lee Aleong and Gina Maingot. My favourite costumes in the past were from Crystal and Richard and Anthony so I'm not surprised that Yuma's costumes are FAB. Two of their thirteen costumes from their presentation Zodeak were released at their media launch: the Oracle and Aquarius. There are lots of feathers, bling and I'm feeling the sparkly knit dress thingy on the Aquarius costume. Now people don't get chain up; not all of us including myself will look like these models if we decide to wear such a costume so will there be variations or some cover up options? And my verdict is still out on that "upwardly mobile" slogan cuz if that is referring to the finances, Bruce and the Government of Jamaica has ensured that my wallet not upwardly going a damn place. I really believe that masqueraders will be getting a lot of options for 2011 so don't feel the need to bribe, steal, brown nose, or line up like you going for a visa to get into Tribe. As for me, costume pricing will be the deciding factor next year......


*photos taken from the Yuma FB page

The Indian Diaspora in the Caribbean- Check me out!

One of my articles, I found my East Indian Beauty, Locating the Indo Trinidadian Woman in Trinidadian Soca Music was published in the journal, The Indian Diaspora in the Caribbean which was edited by Kumar Mahabir: "The collection in this volume consists of 13 chapters written on a broad range of themes such as indentureship, migration, racism, violence, conversion, acculturation, music, education, politics, identity and globalisation. Four of the chapters are on Trinidad, four on Guyana, one each on St. Vincent, Grenada, Suriname and Martinique, and one on the Caribbean in general. The contributing authors are Neil Sookdeo, Brinsley Samaroo, Ellen Bal, Kathinka Sinha-Kerkhoff, Lomarsh Roopnarine, Kumar Mahabir, Preethy S. Samuel, Leon C. Wilson, Kai Abi Barratt, Ron Sookram, Savena Budhu, Smita Tripathi, Teruyuki Tsuji, Sherry-Ann Singh and Baytoram Ramharack. The volume is the latest, and one of the most comprehensive works published on East Indians in the Caribbean".

You can get your copy for TT$220 (apparently, it's a hard cover so it kind of expensive!)

Signature Lines?????

Spice will be featuring a "Signature Line" which is a level above Frontline! The featured costume will be a Signature Line option, entitled Jubilee, the Signature Line from the Diamonds are Forever "cluster". Now, this costume is gorg...very Victoria's Secret Angels kind of thing...and I lOVE to see a white costume; Spice is also fulfilling their commitment to the bling factor....However, if a backline costume cost me TT$4200 (with corset), this year....I don't even what to guesstimate what "Signature Line" costumes will go for. Does this mean that the backline costumes will look like horrific scale downs of this option???? The position of the backliner will be diminished! Forget media attention backliners because not even the Frontliners will be privy to such attention with these Signature costumes....I'm still not sure what I think about this hierarchy in sections