Carnival in the Caribbean is said to be one of the major catalysts of fostering growth within the orange economy [creative economy] as it encompasses many of the creative and cultural facets. One facet of Carnival, mas making and costume design, was given much needed attention here in Saint Lucia recently through the collaborative efforts of the Cultural Development Foundation (CDF) and the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Dubbed Mas Making Magic: From Vision to Costume, the hands-on costume design workshop was facilitated by Taiwanese master artist Ms. Hsienyu Chuang, internationally renowned for her monumental lantern installations. The activity brought together 20 participants, including some first-time costume makers. The workshop combined the use of aspects of Saint Lucian life and culture with new techniques, including moving parts and LEDs. The programme which was held from August 25 culminated in a public exhibition on September 17 on the grounds of the National Cultural Centre.
There, the bold ideas of participants were proudly revealed as each piece came to life with lights and movements.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the executive director of the CDF, Ramona Henry Wynn, stated that this was not the end but a beginning.
“It’s a beginning of a journey, a journey that was birthed out of an idea that came from our very own minister (of culture), who, during the Carnival season, thought that there was room for us to do a lot more and out of this, this idea was birthed,” she said.
“Today we are very pleased at what we are seeing — the display of art, history, creativity, culture, and craftsmanship.”
“I just wanted to say to all of our artisans, our crafters, and we saw some very seasoned persons joining us in the likes of Dr Adrian Augier as well as Giovanni St. Omer, who came in and gave guidance, gave advice to the groups and the participants, that we really appreciated their inputs into this workshop.”
Wynn noted that there was a lot more that could be done, as there was room for improvement, reiterating that this was not the end.
“See this as the beginning of a journey to develop your craft because it goes beyond Carnival costumes. There are lots of skills that you would have picked up, and there are a lot of stuff that you can do using the skills that you gained, whether it be for stagecraft, whether it be for parties, for weddings, you acquired skills that can be used, and they were diverse,” she told participants.
Her Excellency Nicole Su, the Taiwanese Ambassador to Saint Lucia, was also present and congratulated all the participants.
“It is truly amazing to see that you have brought to life, the vibrant imagination into beautiful Carnival costumes,” she stated.
“You not only applied LED lighting and motor skills shared by our facilitator Ms Chuang, but you also filled these creations with the artistry unique to Saint Lucia.”
According to the ambassador, this was truly creativity and collaboration in the spirit of Saint Lucia at its finest.
Su thanked the facilitator for: “generously sharing your experience and your techniques with the participants.”
Chuang, she revealed, had also visited the Leon Hess Secondary School where she taught students how to make earrings and pendants.
The participants who all received certificates were overwhelmingly overjoyed for the opportunity.
“The process was quite interesting, it was my first time building a costume so it was a welcome opportunity to learn,” one participant stated.
Veteran mas man and costume maker Giovanni St. Omer said that this workshop has been a long time coming.
“My interest for years has been getting other individuals involved in the carnival product so when I was told about this workshop, I was excited and at the same time I was hopeful. When I came and interacted with the individuals within the workshop, I realized that this was a step in the right direction,” St. Omer said.
“It is quite satisfying to hear some of the comments and to see what was actually done,” Minister for Culture and Creative Industry Dr. Ernest Hilaire expressed.
The pathway to the workshop he disclosed came about following a discussion during the King and Queen of the bands competition.
“I mean, we have beautiful costumes that are prepared for King and Queen of the bands and I remember being in Taiwan a couple years ago and seeing some of what is produced in Taiwan, especially introducing mechanics and pyrotechnics and all those movements that they give to their costumes and I thought, how can we just incorporate some of that into what we do in Saint Lucia.”
He noted that the intention was to grow the sector beyond Carnival as the skills acquired could be applied to weddings and other celebrations.
“If we can get more Saint Lucians acquiring those skills, it will certainly be a plus.”
Dr Hilaire also sees this as an opportunity to revive the mas camps with the addition of newly acquired skills and techniques which could be a valuable asset to Saint Lucia and also create livelihoods.
“This is the start of our journey. We’re not going to end here. We will have to reinforce some of the skills that were learned with follow-up workshops,” Dr Hilaire promised.
