J'ouvert

J'ouvert
TypeNational
CelebrationsParades
DateVaries among Caribbean islands
FrequencyAnnual

J'ouvert (/ˈv/ joo-VAY) (also Jour ouvert, Jouvay, or Jouvé)[1][2][3] is a traditional Carnival celebration in many countries throughout the Caribbean. The parade is believed to have its foundation in Trinidad & Tobago, with roots steeped in French Afro-Creole traditions such as Canboulay.[4][5] J'ouvert typically begins in the early morning, before dawn, and peaks by mid-morning.[6][7] The celebration involves calypso or soca bands, DJs, and their followers dancing through the streets. In many countries, revelers cover their bodies in paint, mud, or pitch oil.[8][9][7] Today J'ouvert is also a part of Carnival celebrations outside of the Caribbean, with the biggest celebrations happening in cities with large Caribbean ex-pat communities.[10][11]

  1. ^ Winer, Lise (2009-01-16). Dictionary of the English/Creole of Trinidad & Tobago: On Historical Principles. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. ISBN 978-0-7735-7607-0.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Riggio, Milla Cozart (2004-10-14). Carnival: Culture in Action – The Trinidad Experience. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-48780-6.
  4. ^ "A J'Ouvert bacchanal". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 22 June 2021. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  5. ^ Cowley, John (1998). Carnival, Canboulay and Calypso: Traditions in the Making. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-65389-3.
  6. ^ McTighe, Elena (2011-11-01). "Carnival Caribbean style". PSA Journal. 77 (11): 30–34.
  7. ^ a b Wheaton, Vicki (2019-04-25). "Jump up for J'Ouvert! Night parade of mud, paint and merriment returns". Cayman Compass. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  8. ^ Green, Garth L.; Scher, Philip W. (2007-03-28). Trinidad Carnival: The Cultural Politics of a Transnational Festival. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-11672-7.
  9. ^ Mason, Peter (1998). Bacchanal!: The Carnival Culture of Trinidad. Temple University Press. ISBN 978-1-56639-663-9.
  10. ^ "J'Ouvert Parade". NYC.gov. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  11. ^ "In pictures: Fifty years of the Notting Hill Carnival". BBC News. 28 August 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2019.