Page 19 - TRINBAGO2023 MAGAZINE

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carnival
carnival
TO
Commonwealth
Commonwealth
Trinbago 2023
CYG Opening Ceremony
celebrates history of
relationship among
Commonwealth countries.
For Valmiki Maharaj, It has always been a dream to
stage an opening ceremony.
Influenced by one of this country’s top cultural icons,
renowned mas-man Peter Minshall - the Carnival artist
has helped design the opening ceremonies for several
major world sporting events including the 1987 Pan
American Games in Indianapolis, the Barcelona 1992
Summer Olympics, the Atlanta 1996 Summer
Olympics, the 1994 Football World Cup and the Salt
Lake 2002 Winter Olympics - Maharaj has been
inspired to follow in Minshall’s footsteps for the
Trinbago 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG).
For these Games, the Ultimate Events Limited -
headed by creative director Maharaj but also including
operational director Kendalll Latchman, project
manager Gabby Attong Menzies, lead choreographer
Bridget Wilson and script writer Penelope Spencer -
worked with some of Trinidad and Tobago’s finest
practitioners in the performance arts, costume and set
designers, choreographers and production teams.
“This has really been for me an exciting type of
opportunity that I really wanted to jump at …we
wanted to represent T&T to the best of ours and the
Commonwealth Committee’s abilities and also put
brand T&T at the forefront on the world stage in a way
that is uniquely, independently and colourfully us,”
Maharaj said.
Kwanieze John, chairperson of Trinbago 2023 CYG
Ceremonies Committee expected a memorable ceremony,
“one that captures the essence of who we are as
Trinbagonians but also how we are connected as a wider
Commonwealth,”
“The ceremony was engaging
with themes that told the story
from slavery to Carnival,
captivating both the young and
not-so-young audiences,” said John.
The entire production lasted 45 minutes,
with 25 minutes dedicated to the opening
narration depicting a “quintessentially
Trinbagonian” conversation - in language
targeted to the 14-18 demographic of the
Trinbago CYG - between an older and younger
masquerader on a Carnival Tuesday near
Adam Smith Square.
Maharaj added the 71 nations were
given head bands in their national
colours to form part of the
“band” entering the Hasely
Crawford stadium as the parade
of nations is absorbed as “the
band coming” into the opening
ceremony presentation.
The presentation entitled “The
Carnival Youth Festival” was led
off by some classical Minshall
costumes from Miss Universe as