Usually nothing can get me out of my sweet comfy bed early on a Sunday morning, but with Brain Mac Farlane's launch scheduled to be held in Tobago (which I had been eagerly looking forward to all week), I made sure to get up, get dressed and was out of the house by 6:15am and on my way to the airport.
After a minor mix up with my photographer's (hubby) name, we checked in, boarded the plane and started our journey.
Almost immediately on landing, we were whisked off in the chartered coaches to Pigeon Point Heritage Park where we had some light refreshments of coconut water, fruit and vegetable quiche.
With our bellies filled the rest of the festivities began with the bele dancers and drummers making their way to the pier, and the media to the awaiting boats where we were told we would be ferried over to the Buccoo Reef sandbar.
The boat ride was nice, smooth sailing under the warmth of the sun.
As we approached what appeared to be an outcropping of rocks, the boats began to slow and as we got even closer, we saw something gold glittering in the sun among the rocks.
As we got even closer, it seemed as though the rocks began moving.
Closer still and we realise that it is not rocks but people in costumes lying down on the sandbar.
Very close the sandbar now and a drum beat rings out over the ocean and a jab jab gets up and cracks his whip in the air. *CRACK*
*CRACK*
The drum beat gets faster now and more of the 'rocks' begin to reveal themselves.
We see a gold sequined bat, baby dolls, pierrot grenades, minstrels, sailors and a midnight robber (Mac Farlane) in the mix all decked off in varying shades of bronze, gold and cream.
The drum beat break out into a full riddim section now and all hell breaks loose on the sandbar and is level jamming!
The media go paparazzi on us and start taking pictures like crazy! (Myself included)
While all the jamming is happening on the sandbar the intrepid cameraman and his accompanying reporter Roger Dwarika, who were on our boat, jump into the water to be part of the action! Dat is journalism for yuh money...go where de story is!
After getting their shots (and nearly getting left back as the performance was finished), they get back on the boat and all the boats headed back to the Pigeon Point jetty, and everyone is talking about how amazing the experience was.
There was a bit of a mixup when we got back to Pigeon Point as we were supposed to have been taken to Buccoo. So we jumped back on the boat that took us to Buccoo and the villa where, according to the itinerary, we would get some refreshments, see the costumes and get the opportunity to speak with the man himself, Brian Mac Farlane.
As we appraoched the villa, someone said that this was the very same villa that the Real World/Road Rules MTV people used for The Gauntlet 2 which was filmed in Tobago.
We were greeted with at the entrance of the villa to some delicious fruit and rum punches, pan music and the trademark Mac Farlane framed prints of his costumes.
The food provided was extremely tasty and we had a wide array to choose from including samosas, stuffed crab shells, shrimp, fried plantain (one of my faves), kibbi and so much more. At this point in time and because of the mix up with the boats that occured earlier we were running behind schedule.
When all of the coaches arrived at the villa, Mac Farlane took the opportunity to address his audience. He spoke of his reasons behind selecting Buccoo Reef for the staging of his presentation as the destruciton of the reef symbolised the destruction of the mas, hence the need for the ressurection of the mas.
Mac Farlane also took the opportunity to thank the persons involved, including his brother Jeffery, who allowed him use of the Pigeon Point Heritage Park, the Buccoo Reef at no extra cost, as well as the owner of the villa Keith, who he also presented with a token of appreciation.
At this point in time we were running WAY behind schedule and hastily made our way to the awaiting coaches to be shuttled back to the airport and head back to Trinidad.
I did take the opportunity to purchase the requisite red mango/tambran/pawpaw balls ans sugarcake, which btw is now a hefty $8 each! More on that robbery a next time.
The plane was noticeably missing journalists as I think some ofthem took the opportunity to extend their half day to a full one in Tobago.
Kudos to the Mango Media team who organised the entire day!
Overall, this launch was one of THE BEST launches I have ever been to, form amazing start to amazing finish, and I am already looking forward to see what he comes up with next year!
