What is Black Indian Mas?
Black Indian is a masquerade tradition in Trinidad that dates back to the 19th Century. Black Indian mas honours and celebrates the coming together of Amerindians and Africans over centuries of colonization and through the costumes worn also mock the early Spanish conquistadores. Black Indian masqueraders have their own language and songs and there has always been a clearly defined military type hierarchy within bands.
The Warriors of Hurracan are currently the only Black Indian band who portray this masquerade and through their efforts this vital aspect of cultural heritage is being preserved from near extinction. This band was formed when Warriors of the Black Continent, led by Narie Apro, stopped being active in 2011.
Costumes are often predominantly black with highlights of other colours such as gold, blue, white, yellow and red and always utilize natural elements like feathers, the most prized being from the Corbeaux which is the most sacred bird for Black Indians. Feathers from the Guinea bird and turkey are also highly valued. Other elements of nature include snail shells, river beads, jumbie beads, cow horns and cucumber seeds. They wear pants and puffed shirts made of velvet and satin which are designed to imitate the attire of the Spanish at the time of conquest. Distinctive hair made of plaited rope signifies the mixture of Amerindian and African ancestry.
The band is led by its king, whose title is Okenaga, and its Queen who is called Malerao. Under the king are the Flying Agitan, Wagadaraja, Jeppetok and Jeepnafagna, followed by the jeeps who are the lowest rank warriors. The size and design of each warriors headpiece and overall costume differentiates rank, with the Okenaga wearing the most elaborate costume, and the jeeps having the simplest headpiece adorned with feathers only. The manner in which each face is painted or “striped” is another distinguishing feature to illustrate rank.
Essential to Black Indian mas is their distinctive language which is comprised of words that evolved from traditional Amerinidian and African languages, Spanish, English, French and even Hindi. In traditional encounters between two groups of Black Indians the Flying Agitan would test his rival with questions and answers. The ability to correctly ask and answer questions was the measure of whether respect would be paid or whether insults and a battle would ensue. Songs and distinctive dances are also key aspects of Black Indian mas. Traditionally, masqueraders walked with a “money bag”. When they were stopped by onlookers and asked to speak and sing they would indicate that money had to be put in the bag first.
Prominent among Black Indian legends are Claudius Pierre and Eudora Thompson who were the King and Queen of the John John based band famously known as Heroes of the Dark Continent which portrayed this mas in first half of the 1900’s. According to Narie Apro their costumes were always black and gold.
Other highly regarded Black Indians include Emmanuel “Mano” Pierre-Blizzard (son of Claudius Pierre), Hamilton Thompson, “Mootoo”, Andrew Beddeau, “Chan”, Hilton Nash and Lynette Nurse.
Although there isn't a definitive date for when Black Indian mas made its first appearance in the 1800's in Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, Anderson Patrick, current King of the Warriors of Hurracan, cites a pilgrimage to Louisiana in 1924 as the inspirational catalyst for the development of the mas since then.
Simon Lee wrote in the Trinidad Guardian (2,20.2014) that "If the Black Indian mas keeps alive some of the unwritten and neglected history of marginalised and demonised Creole communities of the region, it also speaks directly to some of their descendants. " This is reflected in a resurgence of interest in this mas which resulted in a collaboration for the past two years between the Warriors of Huaracan with Robert Young of The Cloth. Young himself has indigenous heritage.
Dylan Kerrigan writes in Caribbean Beat, Jan/Feb 2004:
"Black Indian mas, the fiercest of the traditional Indian masquerades, may have its roots outside Trinidad. Some authorities, like long-time
black Indian Narie Aproo, suggest this mas had its origins with runaway slaves in the southern United States who were taken in by Native American communities in the early 19th century. This cultural intermingling eventually expressed itself in New Orleans’ Mardi Gras, where a tradition of “Indian practice” combines African rituals with Native American symbols. Black Indian mas is thought to have appeared in Trinidad in the 1880s, perhaps brought to the island by black immigrants from the United States, or perhaps by Trinidadians who had visited New Orleans.
True to their name, Black Indians paint their faces black and wear predominantly black costumes, with large, elaborate headdresses
fashioned from feathers and beads in the form of birds. According to researcher Carol Martin, “their pants are short breeches, not unlike Spanish pumpkin hose of the 16th century, with black and red strips of fabric sewn in vertical stripes. The shirt or jerkin has puffy capped sleeves, and the pants can have diagonally striped flanges. Individuals interpret this basic costume pattern in unique ways.”
The chants and songs of the black Indians are based on West African languages. “We used to go and practice the Indian language and chant,” says Aproo. “It wasn’t like today. We always went to the yard to rehearse our performance before we hit the road, and we chanted a prayer in black Indian language asking for strength.”
Black Indians considered themselves warriors, which sometimes led to actual street battles. If they encountered members of another Indian band on their parade course, they would first engage in a battle of words, a test of each other’s language skills — always of central importance in Indian mas. As the crosstalk grew fiercer, tempers might flare, and there would occasionally be a real physical battle. “Black Indian was fighting mas,” Approo explains."
The Warriors of Hurracan are currently the only Black Indian band who portray this masquerade and through their efforts this vital aspect of cultural heritage is being preserved from near extinction. This band was formed when Warriors of the Black Continent, led by Narie Apro, stopped being active in 2011.
Costumes are often predominantly black with highlights of other colours such as gold, blue, white, yellow and red and always utilize natural elements like feathers, the most prized being from the Corbeaux which is the most sacred bird for Black Indians. Feathers from the Guinea bird and turkey are also highly valued. Other elements of nature include snail shells, river beads, jumbie beads, cow horns and cucumber seeds. They wear pants and puffed shirts made of velvet and satin which are designed to imitate the attire of the Spanish at the time of conquest. Distinctive hair made of plaited rope signifies the mixture of Amerindian and African ancestry.
The band is led by its king, whose title is Okenaga, and its Queen who is called Malerao. Under the king are the Flying Agitan, Wagadaraja, Jeppetok and Jeepnafagna, followed by the jeeps who are the lowest rank warriors. The size and design of each warriors headpiece and overall costume differentiates rank, with the Okenaga wearing the most elaborate costume, and the jeeps having the simplest headpiece adorned with feathers only. The manner in which each face is painted or “striped” is another distinguishing feature to illustrate rank.
Essential to Black Indian mas is their distinctive language which is comprised of words that evolved from traditional Amerinidian and African languages, Spanish, English, French and even Hindi. In traditional encounters between two groups of Black Indians the Flying Agitan would test his rival with questions and answers. The ability to correctly ask and answer questions was the measure of whether respect would be paid or whether insults and a battle would ensue. Songs and distinctive dances are also key aspects of Black Indian mas. Traditionally, masqueraders walked with a “money bag”. When they were stopped by onlookers and asked to speak and sing they would indicate that money had to be put in the bag first.
Prominent among Black Indian legends are Claudius Pierre and Eudora Thompson who were the King and Queen of the John John based band famously known as Heroes of the Dark Continent which portrayed this mas in first half of the 1900’s. According to Narie Apro their costumes were always black and gold.
Other highly regarded Black Indians include Emmanuel “Mano” Pierre-Blizzard (son of Claudius Pierre), Hamilton Thompson, “Mootoo”, Andrew Beddeau, “Chan”, Hilton Nash and Lynette Nurse.
Although there isn't a definitive date for when Black Indian mas made its first appearance in the 1800's in Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, Anderson Patrick, current King of the Warriors of Hurracan, cites a pilgrimage to Louisiana in 1924 as the inspirational catalyst for the development of the mas since then.
Simon Lee wrote in the Trinidad Guardian (2,20.2014) that "If the Black Indian mas keeps alive some of the unwritten and neglected history of marginalised and demonised Creole communities of the region, it also speaks directly to some of their descendants. " This is reflected in a resurgence of interest in this mas which resulted in a collaboration for the past two years between the Warriors of Huaracan with Robert Young of The Cloth. Young himself has indigenous heritage.
Dylan Kerrigan writes in Caribbean Beat, Jan/Feb 2004:
"Black Indian mas, the fiercest of the traditional Indian masquerades, may have its roots outside Trinidad. Some authorities, like long-time
black Indian Narie Aproo, suggest this mas had its origins with runaway slaves in the southern United States who were taken in by Native American communities in the early 19th century. This cultural intermingling eventually expressed itself in New Orleans’ Mardi Gras, where a tradition of “Indian practice” combines African rituals with Native American symbols. Black Indian mas is thought to have appeared in Trinidad in the 1880s, perhaps brought to the island by black immigrants from the United States, or perhaps by Trinidadians who had visited New Orleans.
True to their name, Black Indians paint their faces black and wear predominantly black costumes, with large, elaborate headdresses
fashioned from feathers and beads in the form of birds. According to researcher Carol Martin, “their pants are short breeches, not unlike Spanish pumpkin hose of the 16th century, with black and red strips of fabric sewn in vertical stripes. The shirt or jerkin has puffy capped sleeves, and the pants can have diagonally striped flanges. Individuals interpret this basic costume pattern in unique ways.”
The chants and songs of the black Indians are based on West African languages. “We used to go and practice the Indian language and chant,” says Aproo. “It wasn’t like today. We always went to the yard to rehearse our performance before we hit the road, and we chanted a prayer in black Indian language asking for strength.”
Black Indians considered themselves warriors, which sometimes led to actual street battles. If they encountered members of another Indian band on their parade course, they would first engage in a battle of words, a test of each other’s language skills — always of central importance in Indian mas. As the crosstalk grew fiercer, tempers might flare, and there would occasionally be a real physical battle. “Black Indian was fighting mas,” Approo explains."
