Browne - High mas: carnival and the poetics of Caribbean culture

HIGH MAS

HIGH MAS

CARNIVAL AND THE POETICS OF CARIBBEAN CULTURE

PHOTOGRAPHS AND TEXT BY
KEVIN ADONIS BROWNE

University Press of Mississippi / Jackson

www.upress.state.ms.us

Designed by Todd Lape

Publication of this work was made possible in part by a generous donation from the University of the West Indies Campus Research and Publication Grant.

The University Press of Mississippi is a member of the Association of University Presses.

Copyright 2018 by University Press of Mississippi

All rights reserved

Manufactured in China

First printing 2018

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Browne, Kevin Adonis, author.

Title: High mas : carnival and the poetics of Caribbean culture / Kevin Adonis Browne.

Description: Jackson : University Press of Mississippi, [2018] | Includes bibliographical references and index. |

Identifiers: LCCN 2018000774 (print) | LCCN 2018010235 (ebook) | ISBN 9781496819390 (epub single) | ISBN 9781496819406 (epub institutional) | ISBN 9781496819413 (pdf single) | ISBN 9781496819420 (pdf institutional) | ISBN 9781496819383 (cloth : alk. paper)

Subjects: LCSH: CarnivalSocial aspectsCaribbean Area. | Popular cultureCaribbean Area. | Street photographyCaribbean Area. | CarnivalCaribbean AreaPictorial works.

Classification: LCC GT4223 (ebook) | LCC GT4223 .B76 2018 (print) | DDC 394.2509729dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018000774

British Library Cataloging-in-Publication Data available

For My Children
Layla and Kyle Browne

For My Grandfathers
Radcliffe R.B. Browne and
Newallo John N.J. Wright

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

As you might imagine, I am not the only one wrestling with the crippling claustrophobia of black and brown existence in these times, dealing everyday with the reality that while there appears to be no safe space for us, there is more than enough space for our art, our music, our dance, our grief. Everything about us, just not us. Nor am I the only one grappling with the necessity of doing work in the midst of this reality, and forced to find my self in spite of it. But, having spent far too many hours alone, it has been my tendency throughout this project to behave as if Ive had to endure its hardships on my own. This, I know, is both unfair and absurdno doubt a consequence of the arrogance Ive had to cultivate so I could see it through to a satisfactory end. But now that this particular work is donenow that I am satisfiedthere is the greater and more pleasurable work of returning to a humbler place, before and beyond the grind, where gratitude resides.

My thanks go first and foremost to the named and unnamed subjects of this work.

Blue Devils

Ashton Spooky Fournillier, Steffano Steffi Marcano, Andrew Nykimo Nicholas, Alexie Lexington Joseph, Deon Froggy Letren, Frenchy, Emilio Constantine, Jeron Pierre, Ricardo Felicien, Ncosi Joyeau, Jamal Joseph, Roger Holder, Brandon Redman Reese, Renaldo Uno Constantine, Nigel Capo Son Pierre, Amaron St. Hillaire, and Shane St. Hillaire

La Diablesse

Tracey Sankar

Moko Jumbies

Stephanie Kanhai, Jonadiah Gonzales

Jouvay Ayiti

Marvin George, Fabrice Barker, Keon Eccles, Larry Richardson, Joel Chimming, Orlando Hunter, Angelique Nixon, Jabari Taitt, and Brittany L. Williams

The best of this work, without a doubt, is because of you and because you have trusted me. Thank you.

I have been fortunate to meet a number of people whom I consider archetypes of what I call the Caribbeanist photographer: Terry Boddie, Kibwe Brathwaite, Leah Gordon, Abigail Hadeed, Francette Hart-Ramsey, Nadia Huggins, Jason Hunte, Marlon James, Michele Jorsling, Mariama Kambon, Wayne Lawrence, Warren Le Platte, Chad Lue Choy, Mark Lyndersay, Maria Nunes, Sarita Rampersad, Chris Shand, and my brother Gerard Gaskin are among the ones who come immediately to mind. Gerard, you remind me that I am part of an evolving photographic tradition. I continue to learnto move the needleeven as I insist on teaching myself to see. Elizabeth Nunez, my mentor, you put me on this path and have let me find myself along the way. I see your influence at every milestone. Christina Sharpe, my great friend and scholar, you are unfathomable. In all the ways that matter, you are for me what I hope to be for young thinkers/feelers/seers who strive to make a way in this place, or out of it, who exist and flourish in the wake of things. I adore you selfishly for the writer youve helped me to become. Grace N. Ngugi, you are an absolute treasure; through you, Ive been able to sustain my hope in words at every stage of their disrepair. Special thanks go to Ayanna Gillian Lloyd, who read or listened to me read aloud, for your insistence on clarity when I thought to soar too loftily or burrow too deeply in my search for meaning to accompany these images. Joan Morgan, your timing in all things remains impeccable, lending spirit and form, strength and light to my abstractions. Gloria R. Ntegeye and Michelle Bachelor Robinson, youve kept me grounded as I wrote, without ever grounding me. Schuyler Esprit, youve given me courage, understanding, and space when no one else could or would. Your genius and generosity have given me life and live for me now in this project.

Im also deeply grateful to Dionne Brand, Carole Boyce Davies, Yaba Blay (meh sistren!), Jessica M. Johnson (siempre mi hermana!), INasah Crockett (for Demon Days), Kimberly Juanita Brown (for afterimages), Robert Anthony Young, Martin Baptiste, Keithley Woolward, Rawle Gibbons, Grgory Pierrot, Keguro Macharia, Franka Phillip, Attillah Springer (Jouvayist extraordinaire), Soyini Grey, Collin Brooke, Krista Kennedy, Casey Boyle, Nicola Cross, Asia Leeds, Cristian Grini, Simon Lee, Lorraine J. Charles, Paula Cumberbatch, LaVaughn De Leon, Elizabeth Olivier, Paul Nicholas (Horsey), Donahue Letren (Two Bars), Chevron Romain (Poison), and the legendary Narrie Aproo. Thanks also to Alan Vaughn because you have designed Mas for Touch de Sky Moko Jumbies with such grace, care, and deep respect; to Jesu Fournillier, Spencer Tardieu, Anil Kamal, and Mootilal Teelucksingh because you facilitated my requests without question; to Adrian Young (Daddy Jumbie), Shynel Camille Brizan (De Jab Queen), Tekel Kidale Sylvan (Salti Lingo, D Jab King), and Russell Grant (Blue Jab) for your humility, your insight, and your brilliance; to Akem Job, for being always perfectly placed. Marvin George and Camille Quamina, you are indispensable touchstones in this work, helping me to honor the inherent radicalism of my Caribbean spirit.

Im blessed to have met Dawn Cumberbatch. It was you who first encouraged me to show Seeing Blue when I lacked the courage to do soin Paramin, no less. And, as I have worked on this project, youve managed every aspect of