After presenting a Carnival band for 11 years, there will be no Island People Mas (IP Mas) presentation on the streets of Port-of-Spain for Carnival Monday and Tuesday 2017. This was confirmed by IP Mas general manager Colin Greaves.
Greaves said: “We have always being known for being creative, doing things differently, pushing the envelope. Twelve years later we feel that it is time to do something new and begin to push that envelope again. We achieved a lot with the mas band and it’s no secret that for the past 12 years we have remained one of the largest and most popular mas bands on the road, each year attracting between 1,500-2,500 masqueraders consistently. We believe that this has been an amazing feat, especially when considering the challenges other mas bands have.”
According to Greaves, the decision not to produce a 2017 mas band isn’t based on one factor.
He said: “There are various factors, including the economy and people’s relationship with their disposable incomes at this time. The time factor was also a consideration. We needed a break to look at another model as to the time it takes to produce a mas band and its return investment on that time expended in production. IP Mas also doesn’t want to begin doing the same things over and over, and falling into a rut.”
Explaining the genesis and structure of the carnival/events entity, Greaves said: “There are actually two companies, something which most people don’t realise. Island People Events, located at the corner of Tragarete Road and Murray Street in Woodbrook, is the one most people are aware of. That one deals with the events like Insomnia, Amnesia, Girl Power and Caution parties.
“In terms of mas, Island People Mas, located at 50 O’Connor Street, Woodbrook, is the carnival band/costume production entity which is on the road on Carnival Monday and Tuesday.
“The events aspect of the company began around 1988 when Derrick Lewis attended school in the United States on a football scholarship. Because he encountered some incidents involving racial discrimination he and some of his Caribbean colleagues came together to form Island People. The term Island People originated when Derrick first went on the football field to play a game and some spectators threw bananas at him shouting ‘island people go back home’. Derrick and his friends took that insult and turned it into some thing positive and began by printing t-shirts.”
When the t-shirt craze caught on, Lewis began a t-shirt and apparel company in the US which also mushroomed in popularity. He returned home in 1990 to run his family business and brought the “Island People” concept back with him.
Greaves said: “In the wake of the success of the t-shirt brand and marketing, Derrick and his colleagues began doing events like parties locally and regionally. These events became popular because they always carried creative themes. You can say that Derrick is the pioneer for using creative themes to brand events.
“When the events took off and also became some of the most mammoth carnival events in T&T, with versions in the US, Britain and in some of the Caribbean islands, in 2005 a decision was made to get even more deeply involved in Carnival and bring a mas band. Derrick always had a love for mas and carnival. In a natural progression, a group of business associates came together to form a carnival band and included Derrick and his brother Dane, who is the bandleader.”
Greaves emphasised that IP Mas is a totally different company to Island People Events, with its own staff, location and registered separately. As for the future of T&T Carnival, including the all-inclusive craze, Greaves believes it will eventually wane.
“Because of the harsh reality of the economy, people are beginning to have a closer look at how they spend their money. It is an exorbitant cost and expenditure to produce anything along the all-inclusive concept, whether it be a fete or a mas band,” he said.
“The public sees the prices charged and believe the companies and promoters are making a killing on fetes and bands but the opposite is actually the truth. The overhead and production costs are insanely high and people don’t have a clue just how expensive it is to host anything all-inclusive.
“So, to keep our carnival alive and give it longevity to satisfy the masquerader, the cost of costumes should not be excessively burdensome. IP Mas is taking some time out and already has some new and exciting plans on the drawing board and thinks it’s time to change the game again.
“We are excited by some of the ideas we have for the future as one of the biggest bands of carnival and one with an undeniable track record of success. On behalf of IP Mas, I wish to thank all of our loyal supporters and the thousands and thousands of people who enjoyed playing mas with us over the years.
“Of course, IP Mas would like to thank all of our sponsors, production team, designers, staff and service providers for making the past 12 years an amazing and successful journey.”