Notting Hill

Q. When was the first Notting Hill Carnival

A. The Notting Hill Carnival has been taking place in west London�during the August Bank Holiday since 1964.

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Q. How did it start

A. In the 1950s, Notting Hill had become an area where black immigrants -�particularly those from the Caribbean - had made their homes. Most faced racism, lack of working opportunities and poor housing conditions, resulting in a general suppression of self-esteem. After tensions exploded in the Notting Hill riots of 1958, many local people, both black and white, immigrants and British, looked for ways to rebuild community spirit.

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Many black residents of Notting Hill were from Trinidad, a country with a strong carnival tradition, and in 1964 a Trinidadian steel band, which used to play at the Colherne pub in Earls Court every Sunday in the 1950s and early 1960s, was invited to take part in a street festival organised by the inhabitants of Notting Hill. This event was intended to encourage people -�especially children, black and white -�to come on to the streets and express themselves socially as well as artistically.

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This first Carnival was a huge success, and has grown from these humble beginnings to become the largest street festival in Europe, attracting millions of visitors every year.

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Q. What is the Carnival tradition in Trinidad

A. Before the abolition of slavery in British territories in 1833, slaves were forbidden to play musical instruments and wear costumes, except during the Carnival, a European tradition, which took place six weeks before Easter. On those occasions their participation was limited to providing entertainment for their masters. Slaves were also forbidden to be in the streets after dark unless they were accompanying their masters.

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After abolition, the freed slaves took to the streets in song and dance, expressing their culture and using their artistic skills to mimic their former masters and pour scorn on the system that had had them enslaved for so long. Consequently, slaves would dress in imitation of Europeans, powder their faces to look pale like whites or make masks to caricature them.

The people quickly developed the art of costume making, creating fantastic ensembles which satirised their circumstances as Africans transported to the Caribbean to be sold into slavery.

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In Trinidad the tradition continued, going from strength to strength, as people from all over the island began to take part and associate themselves with Carnival.

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Q. What are the disciplines of the Notting Hill Carnival

A. The five disciplines of Carnival are: Mas' (from costume, Masquerade); Steel band; Calypso (political, social and satirical commentary set to music); Soca (a fusion of Soul and Calypso); and Static Sound Systems. All these play their part on the two days of Carnival-on-the-Road, creating what is the climax to a month of pre-Carnival activities such as dances, sound and soca jams, costume galas and steel band competitions.

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Q. What about recent changes at Notting Hill

A. In recent years the Notting Hill Carnival has grown and grown, reflecting the multicultural nature of British society, with groups participating from Afghanistan, Kurdistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Bulgaria, Russia, Brazil and many other places, as well as from all parts of the Caribbean, Africa, Central and South America, Ireland�and the United Kingdom. Notting Hill Carnival operates an all-inclusive policy, encouraging artists to celebrate their cultural traditions through art, dance and music.

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Carnival aims to celebrate the cultural heritage of its founders and at the same time be open enough to take on board evolving contemporary culture, with its multiracial, multicultural trends.

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For more detail on Carnival go to http://www.portowebbo.co.uk/nottinghilltv/carnival1.htm#his

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By Simon Smith