While many came to Carnival to revel, the Tribe of Twel came to remind Saint Lucia of its roots. With breathtaking portrayals like Madame Vaval and Unto Us a Child Was Born, the band does more than compete; it challenges, stirs and reignites conversations about what the festival truly means.
At the helm is veteran mas man and creative visionary Adrian Augier, whose relationship with Carnival spans over 40 years. His work, he says, has always been grounded in deeper meaning.
“Carnival is, in fact, ritual… dressing up, dancing, theatre, portrayal and meaning with substance,” he said.
Tribe of Twel was born out of resistance to the “increasing commercialisation and superficiality” of Carnival. “We were tired of it,” Augier explained. “It started to get very exclusive and VIP… it was becoming quite a racket.”
So, in 2010, after disbanding his previous group, Rituals, he founded Tribe of Twel with fewer than 50 people, a tight-knit community of creatives focused on authenticity, storytelling and purpose. “We’re not trying to be all things to all people,” he explained. “We just want space to thrive.”
The band’s portrayals are developed collaboratively, beginning with Augier’s vision, often a story, image, or question. “The process starts with me… I bring an idea, and we shape it together. There’s always a thematic narrative. It has to be a story because we are a people of stories.”
This philosophy was central to Madame Vaval, a haunting meditation on the soul of Carnival itself. “She comes down to play her pretty mas… but when the good times are over, what’s next?” The costume flipped to reveal its darker half, evoking the lost traditions of Ash Wednesday and spiritual reflection. “We are losing our memory,” Augier warned. “What is our mas really saying?”
In contrast, Unto Us a Child Was Born celebrated light, reverence and sacred traditions. “It’s about the good news of the birth of Christ,” he said. “It had what I call a divine shape, a tear and a flame, grief and hope together.” The portrayal focused on a simple Nativity scene, rendered in gold and stained glass, with no fluff or excess. “It was clean, truthful, unadulterated.”
More than just artistry, Tribe of Twel is a meritocracy — a crew of writers, sewers, builders and students who thrive on the creative process. “We are not imitating anybody else. We are expanding imagination and enjoying the process,” said Augier.
Their headquarters, Warehouse 11, transforms each year into a mass camp and soon, a planned Carnival museum.
Still, the mission remains humble. “We’re not trying to take over Carnival,” Augier said. “We just want to be cherished and valued, to feel that what we’re doing is a little bit important.”
In a world of fleeting distractions, Tribe of Twel seeks to build something enduring. “We have breathed life back into the Carnival,” said Augier. “We are the people of stories. Let us never forget that.”
Tribe of Twel with the creative visionary Adrian Augier at the helm understands the true meaning and the story behind carnival. Both narrative and depiction is awesome with Tribe of Twel…….if you want a real carnival experience Tribe of Twel is the way to go for sure.
Adrian Augier is a visionary. Tribe of Twel was the winner before they ever displayed a single costume. Bel Wad ek Soulyé is Saint Lucian to the core.
The resistance against the complete commercialization of carnival is key, otherwise what is our mas? While other bands offer repackaged cutting room floor scraps from larger festivals, ToT keeps creativity and our raison d’etre at the core.
Mr Augier understands that our culture is more than thongs, alcohol , celebrity influencers and not everything in our culture needs a price tag for the highest bidder.
This is excellent work by Mr Augier and Tribe of Twel. Government of St Lucia pay attention to our roots. Celebration displays do not have to be vulgar encouraging vulgar behaviour. Keep Lucian heritage safe!