By Essiba Small
“Behind The Mas” is the first in a series of feature articles, where we take you behind the scenes of different mas camps. We will look at the creative process and talk to bandleaders and the team members who bring everything together. This week, we visit Ronnie and Caro Mas Camp, at the corner of Ana and Warren streets in Woodbrook. Ronnie and Caro mas band is the reigning champs in the Large Band category, having won the title six times.
It’s just after lunch, and as the rest of Woodbrook carries on with its 8 to 4 business, Ronnie and Caro’s mas camp is much like Santa’s workshop…the Carnival version of it anyway…
Just beyond the display room – where mannequins are dressed in completed costumes to appeal to the faithful reveller, the curious and the new – is a group of women. They sit behind desks that are littered with colourful fabric, bags of assorted gems and tubes of glue, just chatting among themselves, drowning out the soca music being played on an unseen radio.
From the gemming of arm and neck accessories, headpieces, bikini tops and bottoms template cutting and featherwork, each woman’s contribution to the band’s 12-section 2024 Carnival presentation Bush Fire – the Arising of New Life, is important.
Adanna Clarke, who is one of the longest serving among the women (21 years), didn’t care for any press attention at first. But once we get her talking about the work in front of her, she turns out to be quite chatty.
“I am actually working on Boom Fire, which is the first section,” she says, as she affixes iridescent oval and diamond shaped gems to the front of a fiery red bikini bottom. It is a sample piece, she says.
“I love to see everything come together – from the blank canvas to the glitz,” says Adanna.
“I work on the part of the costume that you wouldn’t see thrown on the pavement—the bra and the panty – because they can’t take that off in the road.”
Laughter erupts from the team at her candid comment.
“No, it’s true,” Adanna continues.
“Sometimes, I see bits of the costumes along the pavement and I say ‘after all that work, we put in to that?’”
At another table, Krissy Carter was busy gluing gems to neck accessories for the Aqua male section.
“I have been here for the last ten years. I used to work in (Caroline’s clothing store) and I fell in love with this.”
Krissy loves the “shimmer, the glitz and glamour” of putting costumes together. But there is something else that also brings her pleasure each day at the mas camp.
“The family vibe we have here is what draws me to this camp,” she says. “And I love my boss (Caro).”
Much like the other women in the room, Krissy also plays mas with Ronnie and Caro every year. She has yet to get in her section for 2024, though.
“I am still not sure which one I am playing in,” she says with a laugh.
“Oh gosh it’s too much choices in my eyes. I am confused…I have to make up my mind soon though.”
Just then…spliitzzzz, the sound of thousands of gems hitting the floor, accidentally tipped over by Krissy.
“Nah, just so?” Adanna says, making light of the situation.
“Yuh feel like picking up plenty beads today?”
More laughter fill the room as two women go to Krissy’s assistance.
Celine Beleron, who has been with the team for the past two years and Maria, are taking it all in from their tables.
Maria speaks a little English, but understands it well to communicate with the team. She was busy in a corner working on the section Sparkle, but caught on to the banter.
Beleron, a young model who has been with the team for just two years, says working with the band gives her the opportunity to live out her dream of being a designer.
“Even though I didn’t design this, I get to be part of a design process.”
At their office, a few steps away from where their team worked, Ronnie Mc Intosh is pleased to report an uptick in foreigner registration for their 20-year-old band.
“I think last year people were still a bit skeptical coming out of the pandemic,” Caroline says, adding, “but even though the season is a shorter one, our numbers have increased and we even have new revellers.”
Bush Fire, Ronnie says, joins the band’s long list of local themes.
“Since we started, we basically stuck to local themes. We keep it simple and try not to run down themes like ancient history and make mistakes, that kinda thing.
“And you know that our costumes are 100 per cent made here, we just bring in the basic supplies.
“What we are doing is creating employment.”
Just like last year, the Mc Intoshes also included three party sections, which cater to those who want to play mas on a budget. The sections were the first to sell out. And even though the band is well subscribed, you can still find a few spots in some sections.
With the addition of their 21-year-old son Justin, to the team, Ronnie and Caro is also attracting young masqueraders.
Justin, who shares the office with his parents, heads the RC New Gen youth committee which boasts 53 members. Not only do the young people lime together at the mas camp, they also play mas together. You will find most of them in the section Black Flame on Carnival Monday and Tuesday.
The Mc Intoshes say they are overjoyed that their son was not forced into following their footsteps and that he is truly happy to be a part of the business.
“He is involved in most of overseas Carnival productions and is excellent at gemming. He is the future of Ronnie and Caro.”
