Island People 2010 Media/Band Launch ... "Kutchela"!
Date: Fri 21st August 2009
Location: The Taj, Chaguramas, Trinidad
Promoters: Island People Mas
“Island People in the Air, Island People in the Air”, was the chant that resonated throughout this wonderful night of vibrancy and creativity as Island People Mas brought forward their Carnival 2010 presentation entitled “Kutchela”. Mas enthusiasts, members of the media and general entertainment buffs were present to witness the band’s new theme and costumes and as usual DancehallSoca was front and centre to document all of the action.
Our team was fortunate to have been invited to the pre-launch held before the main launch at the popular Western Trinidad nightspot Tsunami. This gave members of the media and specially invited guests an opportunity to have a first glimpse of the costumes in an up close and intimate environment.
As the media launch commenced, Island People’s communications specialist Penny Gomez gave an interesting synopsis of the new band theme and as the models paraded the 2010 frontline costumes on a mini stage, she provided informative commentary inclusive of colourful descriptions of the various sections. These were truly helpful in giving the audience a broader picture of the genesis of IP’s 2K10 presentation.
According to the IP media kitthe theme follows the story of a young lady named “Kutchela” who migrates to Trinidad and Tobago with her uncle Raj in search of a more promising life. In an attempt to discover and forge a new identity in her new landscape, she ventures out into the community to gain a deeper understanding of the culture and lifestyle. In this search, the story relates that Kutchela recognizes the influence of her Eastern heritage in the jewelry, architecture, music, dance, food and spirit of the people on T&T.
After the media preview, the main launch took place next door to Tsunami at the transformed Anchorage nightclub aptly called the “Taj”. Upon entry one could clearly notice the array of bright green, yellow, orange and purple hues as well as a strategically placed centerpiece displaying aspects of East Indian culture adorning the venue.
Further supplementing the Kutchela theme, were on hand Henna paint artists and complimentary Indian delicacies such as saheenas, phoulourie, aloo pies, roti, curried chicken and kurma. These cultural elements, combined with the exciting décor, set the appropriate mood for the night’s main event which in true IP fashion contained a heavy dosage of drama and performance.
The main stage presentation began with a localized excerpt from the movie “Slumdog Millionaire” morphed into a Bollywood style showcase of East Indian dance. This performance segment and the modelling of both frontline and backline costumes were easily viewed by all in attendance due to the uniquely designed horizontal catwalk constructed for the event.
In celebration of the rich East Indian cultural influences, Island People presented a colourful, intricately designed 12 section extravaganza which encapsulated the true essence of Kutchela. Section names are as follows: Bindi, Chandsitarie, Kundalini, Morgandani, Taal, Jaipur, Kalpana, Priyadarshini, Mudra, Nakshatra, Raja aur Rani, Chutney Bhaav.
As the costume showing ended and patrons danced the night away to music provided by T&T’s top DJs, one could see local celebs such as comedienne Nikki Crosby, journalist Francesca Hawkins and Soca artiste Zan taking in the IP band launch action.
Judging from the crowd’s response at the launch, it is quite apparent that Island People Mas will certainly be a formidable force for the 2010 Carnival season.
DancehallSoca sends congratulations to the band committee on a successful launch and our sincere gratitude to Penny Gomez for granting us media access to the event.
We are looking forward to providing coverage for all of IPs events for Carnival 2K10!!!.
