Freelance Contributor
The San Fernando City Corporation hosted a two-day workshop for teachers to become familiar with the Ole Mas character portrayals at Skinner Park, San Fernando.
The workshop, which ended yesterday (January 5), was themed Rej’Ouvertnation and attracted 60 teachers from 40 primary and secondary schools from the Victoria county.
Teachers were schooled on the creativity of the traditional mas and the art of picong, satire, and sloganeering.
Convenor for San Fernando Carnival, Dawad Phillip, said he initiated the plan and included some San Fernando stalwarts who teamed up with emerging talents, Victor Edwards, Valmiki Ramsingh, David Sammy and Meguella Simon, to produce the programme.
Phillip said following the workshop, each school will form part of a grand presentation to showcase what they learned on January 27 at South Park.
“We recognise that the ole mas tradition, even though the J’ouvert is striving, San Fernando J’ouvert is just getting bigger. The authentic traditional aspect seems to be getting lost in the shuffle…They would learn how to develop themes, in the language, and how to turn and twist the language into a pun. They learn how to make placards, how to create, and use the language to maximise impact.” Phillip said.
He also said, “The emphasis now is not to allow it to be next Carnival that we do this, this is just to preserve some of the ole mas traditions in the Carnival. As San Fernandians, we are giving back. We in San Fernando are known as a J’ouvert centre and still are the J’ouvert centre of the world but we have to keep the traditions alive.”
He said teachers represented schools as far as Barrackpore, Monkey Town, Princes Town, San Fernando, Marabella and La Romain.
Phillip said it was a move to involve the children in the ole mas revelry as part of the Children’s Carnival. He said in keeping with the national celebrations, San Fernando’s first major event will be the single pan finals on January 12 at Skinner Park.
