Page 34 - Team TTO PARIS 2024
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This is a huge and elaborate construction manipulated by
           scores of performers, with Callaloo’s Manwarren in the
           pilot’s seat, manipulating the sharp-beaked head. The      I was in awe.
           Thunderbird’s huge tail, a billowing canopy held aloft on
           poles, gives the impression of a violent storm in his wake.   It was a
           Minshall used the allegorical theme of good versus evil to   phenomenal
           evoke the South’s troubled history of enslavement and the
           Civil War.                                                  experience.

            “This took us years to prepare here (in Chaguaramas)      - Cecilla Salazar
           and a couple of us were fortunate to be based there
           (Atlanta) for a couple of months in advance and got to be
           part of the presentation, in terms of being part of the
           choreographic team to ensure to the costumes that
           came from Trinidad could be assembled on site there.
           There were so many costumes that we could not do all in
           Trinidad. We were very much part of the creation of the
           production as well as we found ourselves in the
           production in some form or fashion,” Manwarren said.                                              Photo by Lisa Fernandez

           Whereas for Barcelona Callaloo’s shop had contributed
           only a few experiments and prototypes, for Atlanta the
           ceremony producers contracted Callaloo to build
           hundreds of costume elements. Production manager
           Ceclia Salazar only realised the magnitude of the work   the production. An extra ticket to Atlanta was made
           completed when she was in the midst of production for   available to her and she joined Minshall, Browne,
           the presentation at the Olympic Centennial Stadium.   Manwarren and the rest of the team.

           “It was only after, or in the moment, I realised, ‘frig! This is   “I was in awe. It was a phenomenal experience,” she said.
           the Olympics!’ Because it was like making a big mas   “Watching it after was even more fantastic. We had so
           band. And we had just done Song of the Earth for     many things, it was so rich. It is so interesting that Peter
           Carnival and Minshall came with this next big project,”   Minshall, a man from Trinidad told the whole story of
           she recalled. “We worked a lot of hours. We practically   Summertime of the South. He created a river, full of
           lived there, you leave, go home, get something to eat, and   white costumes.”
           come back. Fellas who lived far had bunks there.”
                                                                But that is not the only spectacular feat Salazar and
           Despite the long hours at the camp, the challenge in   Manwarren saw on the track. Days later, they were
           production was not the Atlanta project. The challenge   cheering for sprinter Ato Boldon who won the bronze
           was producing a Carnival band because some           medals in 100m and 200m.
           masqueraders were more demanding for their costumes,
           Salazar said good-humouredly. But she admitted the   “So Roger (Roberts, a member of the crew) had a
           pressure to complete the Atlanta production was indeed   (national) flag and it was in those days when flags must
           high.                                                be now start to appear on the track. Jamaica had a flag.
                                                                So I ran down with flag down the track, and I bawl out
           “That was one of my fondest memories, the container   ‘Ato!’ And he came and I threw it over to him and he ran
           coming in at 8 o’clock in the morning and we are still   with it, and he gave it back to us and we have it hanging
           working to finish all these head pieces knowing that they   up in the Callaloo Company up to this day,” she said.
           had to go in those containers. And at 3 o’clock we start to
           wane and one of the fellas said, ‘come on, we could do   Manwarren and Salazar agreed that the biggest
           this!’ And everyone replied ‘yeah!” And we finished it and   takeaway from the Olympic experience was the ability to
           locked the container. I remember everyone falling asleep   learn and grow. Despite the long hours of production and
           after that and the camp was so quiet.”               preparation, they were also comforted to know that they
                                                                were actually doing something right. In this case, for the
           Luckily for Salazar, she saw more than the back end of   Olympics, it meant paying more attention to detail.






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