Carnival

Question 1

Boyce-Davies

Answer 1

2008

An act of “taking space.”

An act of resistance.

Carnival revealed culture to the mainstream.

Claudia Jones

• Transcendence of the given socio-economic conditions
• Advocated happiness
• A People’s art is their freedom

Question 2

Hall

Answer 2

1996

Metaphors of transformation
- Carnival as a revolutionary moment

Classes with nothing to lose turning the world upside down.

Class binaries transcended

Through carnival we “take subjectivity”

Question 3

Peeren

Answer 3

2007

Temporal and spatial importance of carnival

Site of identity constructions and memory

Performative constitution of black British territory

• Authorities tried to re-territorialize it
• To a fixed location
• Taking space vs taking territory
• Contentious, ideas of ownership

Originated as a way to bring black and whites together post 1958 riots

Freedom from Foucauldian society of surveillance

Bakhtin - carnival = extrapolitical; overt culture, politics not allowed

Donning the mask - position of strength, the RIGHT to be the Other

Question 4

Cohen

Answer 4

1980

Culture and relationships maintained by the lead up/after carnival.

Two dimensional

Steel pan
- link back to history

1965-70
Polyethnic participation
Working classes

1971-75
Wavering hippies 
Tightening of immigration
Rife unemployment
Flyover dislocated communities

1976-1979
W.I youth unemployed
No education, discrimination
Jamaicans appropriated carnival as site for political contest
Site of identity contestation
Increase police
Collective consciousness

CDC - politically neutral
CAD - radical
Split in ideas