00:00With over a decade of carnival experience and multiple accolades,
00:05Boss Tribe continues to innovate.
00:07Valmiki Maharaj says that the band has evolved
00:10Into a space where Trinidadians and Caribbean lovers alike find a sense
00:15Of home.
00:16So, Lost Tribe is a carnival band, but it's so...
00:20So much more is a space where I feel people all around the world...
00:25People who are not only Trinidadian, but people who have loved the Caribbean
00:29Find themselves...
00:30Find home...
00:31And find...
00:32Carnival.
00:33Carnival 2026 marks...
00:35Lost Tribe's 11th year, a milestone inspiring a renewed focus on...
00:40Storytelling and heritage.
00:42But there was something about achieving a decade of existence...
00:45A decade of learning that I think switched something in me in terms of the...
00:50Confidence in storytelling.
00:52Not that I didn't have confidence in storytelling before, but...
00:55Something is...
00:56I feel differently about Island Circus than anything that we have done in the park.
01:00This year's theme, Island Circus, combines familiar carnival...
01:05Imagery with Trinidadian characters drawn from cultural memory.
01:09For me it's a pretty...
01:10Exciting theme, you know, the ability to be able to create parallels between concepts...
01:15And we know and love the idea of a circus that, you know, we've grown on...
01:19And then as...
01:20The idea for traditional characters that is a part of us, but a part of our history...
01:25History books, story books and storytelling.
01:28The band's signature pre-Carnival...
01:30Feth Yard takes a new approach this year...
01:33Honouring the musical legend...
01:35Of all musicians who shaped carnival.
01:36Patrons are encouraged to embody the icons that they're...
01:37So that's great, the gameplay...
01:38Of all musicians who shaped carnival.
01:39Patrons are encouraged to embody the icons that they are...
01:40I design with music and I feel like if the masks don't move without the music and so it was important.
01:45And to me for us to have this theme that's celebrated and celebrates the musical legends.
01:50That have made the masks, taken us to where we are and will continue taking us forward.
01:55Fetyar will also feature a strong lineup including artists such as
02:00Kootain and Mikel Teja as long as several popular house DJs.
02:05We have many amazing people on the cast, we have Kootain, we have Mikel Teja, we have...
02:10You know DJs like Char and Aidan who are a lot of household names from...
02:15We have Rood, Papi and Bachak, we have just amazing people that are performing.
02:20Innovation extends to the masquerader experience. Costumes will now...
02:25...be delivered in travel suitcases filled with accessories. Part of a two-year...
02:30...concept to give returning masqueraders a complete set.
02:34This year one of the things...
02:35...that we have happening is the suitcases as the masquerader package.
02:40A couple of years ago I started saying for Lost Tribe...
02:42...you know the costumes are voluminous.
02:45They have many parts to them and I felt like for me...
02:47...it wasn't working in the size box that we had anymore and so...
02:50...you know a space for evolution kind of turned up.
02:53Beyond Costumes...
02:55Tom Miki emphasizes that Lost Tribe's strength lies in its community of people.
03:00I hope that Lost Tribe reminds people that it is okay to...
03:05...to dream, to take chances, to experiment. I think that is...
03:10...one of the most important things to me I think.
03:12And despite the economic uncertainty...
03:14...support...
03:15...for the band has been strong...
03:17...with both returning and new masqueraders...
03:20...for engaging enthusiastically.
03:22For us this year I just think that the Lost Tribe community...
03:25...has stood strong and they are together...
03:27...whether some of them are on the road, not on the road...
03:29...coming to the party.
03:30I've seen people change the activities that they actually go to this year as well.
03:35But in terms of response to the band, it's been really good.
03:37Val Miki credits masqueraders for the band's success...
03:40...saying Lost Tribe represents not just costumes, but a carnival...
03:45...ideology.
03:46I just want to say thank you to all our masqueraders.
03:50...over the years for supporting the band as the way it is.
03:54You know, to me...
03:55...is not about supporting the band meaning Lost Tribe as...
04:00...a band, but rather supporting the band in terms of...
04:03...ideology accountable.
04:05You know, we would never be where we are today...
04:07...if our masqueraders didn't play.
04:09You know, if they...
04:10...they didn't love what we do.
04:11And I ain't talking about...
04:12...the product and the costume that you...
04:14...collect in a box.
04:15But in terms of being part of the overall idea...
04:17...what Lost Tribe is and what it represents.
04:19...
04:20Lost Tribe takes the road for Carnival Monday and Tuesday...
04:23...with Feth Yard setting the tone...
04:25...this Friday at the Queen's Park Savannah.
04:28Alexander Bruiswold, TV6 News.
04:30...
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