In the last centuries the carnival in Trinidad and Tobago has developed to the most important National Festival of the twin-island republic.It was already called the biggest Folk Festival in the western world and has become one of the greatest shows on earth.

What are the unique features of the carnival in Trinidad and Tobago? -
Mass participation (more than 10% of the 1.25 million people go to the masquerade), no exclusivity (everybody, visitor or native, can participate on the colorful activities), spontaneous (everytime through the carnival season), own indigenous music (Calypso and Soca), and of course the own musical instruments (Steel Drums), the one and only developed musical instrument in the 20th century.

The development of the carnival is caused in the encounter of the Europeans with the earliy settlers (the Amerindians) on Kain, the former name of Trinidad.

This combination of the cultures got two very significant additions later on:
1783 the Cedela de Poblacion invited and settled thousands of Catholic French speaking people and Patois speaking Africans. With the Emancipation 1834 everybody could participate to the carnival.

The arrival of hundreds of thousands of East-Indians (1845 - 1917) and other small ethnic groups of various religions, who all settled in Trinidad, enjoyed the freedom and participation of the carnival celebrations. They all took part to the continous creation of the carnival.

Remarkably people of all economic and social origin have always danced together in their bands (playing mas). They represented all possible themes in the band of their choice.

The most important base component of the rhythm comes from the music, which you can hear during all hours of the three-day highlight of the celebrations. “Wining”, the local dance based on movement of the hips and waist without much acton in the upper body sustains on the pulsing rhythm of the music to drive it. The rhythm of the carnival varies from the orchestral magnificence and power of the huge Steelbands to the anthemes of the Soca.