Page 34 - Team TTO PARIS 2024

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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