WASSI ONES BAND LAUNCH, THE AFTERMATH

Before I get into this review, I need to say that Giselle, "D Wassi One" has been in the mas business for more than half the time she's been alive.  Every presentation is a personal one for one reason or another but this year's presentation was not a personal decision alone, it was risky to present this kind of mas.  Often the true pure in heart, just like designers aren't perceived the way they'd like and the vision doesn't come across correctly to their 'crowd'. The desire of every designer, is for the public to see things through their eyes and that in itself isn't always accepted by the public and on Sunday night, it was. Many don't know what goes on behind the scenes annually with Giselle but right before her models are set to hit the stage, she has a moment of anxiety and looks to her mother and the Lord.
The business is hard, especially when it's done solely for the love of the craft and for the continued spread of the Caribbean culture, not the money.  It's a pretty expensive love affair.  In South Florida, where she has lived for all of her adult life is where she gets the least reception and the most rejection. That in itself is a hard pill to swallow and knowing this; this woman continuously shows and spreads her love to everyone. She loves, encourages and supports every mas band, whether they sprung out of Wassi Ones or not. She supports each band that others see as her competitors when she actually sees these bands as just another outlet to promote her culture that she loves so much.  Wassi Ones is a band that is going on it's 28th year on the streets of Miami, so she's in competition with no one.
"AS WE EMBARK OUR 28TH ANNIVERSARY IN MIAMI CARNIVAL, WE TAKE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE AND PAY TRIBUTE TO CARNIVAL WITH AN UP TO THE TIME FLAVOR! HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED IF A JAB MOLASSIE CORNERED YOU TODAY WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE? WONDER NO MORE! TAKE A PEEK INTO A BLAST FROM THE PAST THAT WILL SHOW YOU THAT OUR CULTURE IS STILL VERY MUCH ALIVE, VERY MUCH REMEMBERED AND VERY MUCH LOVED!!!  WASSI ONES, "HAND UP MEH SAY! IS WE TIME TO PARTY"!!!... WE DEFINITELY "DEY IN IT!"" - Giselle D Wassi One

Now with that being said, let me begin this long awaited review.  When Giselle came up with "Dey In It", I was like 'oh Lord, here's another generic theme' but after explaining her vision, what it would be and how the story would unfold, I was hooked.  Although I didn't agree with the name of the 2015 presentation, I fully endorsed everything it represents.  At the band launch, she gave a brief description to the audience because many haven't a clue as to what the origin of carnival entails and can only identify with what it has become.  "Dey In It" is an attempt to educate the masqueraders of their culture by using the Traditional Carnival Characters while it incorporates the more trendy designs of today.
Traditional BabyDoll: Believed to be extinct, The Baby Doll character dressed as a baby doll.  The most important prop in this mas is the doll held in hand.  The dolls symbolized an illegitimate child. While in costume, the roll of The Baby Doll was to stop random men (whether they were alone or not) and ask them if they fathered the baby.  This is the way slaves left their problems behind, by making of mockery of their very real realities.
Traditional FireMan:
Traditional Animal Mas: The Dragon  The Dragon is designed as a dragon with scales and large head that usually has a movable tongue.  This character is the dragon from hell and it's job is to do 'The Dragon Dance" as it captivates and frightens it's audience.
Traditional Dame Lorraine:  The Dame Lorraine mimicked the french women in their lavish ballgowns cooling with their fans.  The French women were often members of the elite and wore masks.  Slaves used readily available materials such as sheets and rags to make their 'gowns'.  Over the years Dame Lorraine has become quite the bacchanal lady with her heavily exaggerated 'bam bam' and breasts, she is scandalous when she walks and she will be walking all throughout "Dey In It"!

Traditional Fancy Indian: The Fancy Indian hasn't changed at all because this is actually one of their many traditional dresses. There are different types of Indians that can be portrayed such as The Chief , The Chief and His Family or Warriors.  The Chief as shown below is the most popular.  There has been controversy over the use of traditional head dresses among the Native Americans because they see this as religious attire and do not believe that it should be used anywhere in carnival.
Traditional Jab Jab: came from the French words 'Diable Diable' which is supposed to mean 'Pretty Devil'. The Jab Jab is supposed to mimic what we would call a mid-evil jester whereas the Jab Molassie that came from French patois 'Diable Melasse' meaning 'Devil Mas'.  The Jab Molassie walked around with chains and carries a pitchfork.  The Jab Molassie would dance and gyrate to the beat of any rhythm or drum.

Traditional Pierrot Grenade: For the Pierrot Grenade, I had to look it up.  I was not at all familiar with this character.  This character is known for his elegant costume and fierce fighting powers with a whip or bull pistle.  The Pierrot Grenade is normally followed by a band of female supporters who fought on his behalf against other Pierrot groups.  (I too am being educated).

Sen-Saytional: The Sensay is another character that I had to look up.  This traditional character is from  Dominica.  Sensay came from the Ghanian word "senseh" which meant a chicken with ruffled feathers.  Sensay costumes were made from sisal rope, derived from natural fibers from the agave sisalana plant which gives the costume a 'frizzle fowl' appearance and can be displayed in any assortment of colors.