Mulvary’s study is primarily based on Hollywood Cinema but it is interesting to identify the relevance it has with reference to NHC. The women are the main attractions, who are aware of their own presence and sexuality; aware that on one hand they symbolise freedom of a range of complex ideological and emotional issues, whilst also being the very apparent object of the male gaze. ‘In their traditional exhibitionist role women are simultaneously looked at and displayed, with their appearance coded for strong visual and erotic impact so that they can be said to connote to-be-looked-at-ness’ (1975:11). In this instance, females are considered the spectacle of the carnival as it is very much a visual experience, seen through the male gaze as well as attracting admiration from the female observer. Although women are exhibited on floats that drive around the area on show for all to see, NHC ‘neatly combine[s] narrative and spectacle’ (1975:11).
Mulvary states further that:
‘According to the principles of the ruling ideology and the psychical structures that back it up, the male figure cannot bear the burden of sexual objectification. Man is reluctant to gaze at his exhibitionist like. Hence the split between spectacle and narrative supports the man's role as the active one of forwarding the story, making things happen’ (1975:12).
Within NHC it is the women who predominately perform in the masquerade - although men can partake, their clothes are symbolic of the mood and anxieties of the cultural history NHC embodies. Identification of social class and status, the bold colours of Caribbean and African flags the women wear with pride that represent their race and ethnicity, as well as expressing courtship and sexual interests, all demonstrates expressive behaviour consciously and subconsciously. Men on the other hand participate mainly as musicians either through the sound systems or on the steel bands and so they control the mood, the narrative through the tone, rhythm, speed and volume of the music.
On the surface NHC can be seen as a Caribbean street carnival where many come every year to eat, dance and embrace the vibrant atmosphere. In fact, it is steeped in black history, which began in Trinidad in 1833 to signify the end of slavery in the Caribbean. 1948 saw ‘the Empire Windrush’s voyage from the Caribbean to Tilbury’ marking the start of Caribbean immigration to Britain (BBC 2009).
Growing tensions and unrest between the white British and black Caribbean immigrants began to surface over the next 10 years as the British opposed immigration and demonstrated to the immigrants that they were not welcomed in the country. The local youths began creating gangs consisting of white working class Teddy Boy’s in West London which far right fascist groups targeted and exploited with the message to ‘Keep Britain White’ (Itzcaribbean 2011). This was the start of a string of race related attacks and following the Notting Hill Race Riot which happened between August 30th and September 5th 1958, encouraged Communist Claudia Jones a black Caribbean who previously lived in the U.S. to set up Notting Hill Carnival in January 1959.
It started as an indoor event becoming a full scale street festival in 1965 for all races and ethnicities to participate, aiming to celebrate and encourage identity formations for the Caribbean immigrants as well as improving race relations with ‘the carnival [taking] place in the same streets where West Indians had been attacked and pursued by baying crowds, but it began as a celebration, a joyous all-inclusive testimony to the pleasure of being alive’ (BBC 2009). This objective of promoting cultural unity and bringing people closer together inspired us when deciding on a contemporary media text or cultural event.
‘Varied themes in carnival arts testify to many traditional attachments and most emphasise values that one generally categorise in a cultural context as religious, political and/or sexual’ (Pax 1999:94). The masquerade for example is one of the five central disciplines of NHC and is referred to as ‘playing mas’ whilst ‘the others include steel pan, calypso (political, social and satirical commentary, set to music), soca (the traditional music of Carnival, a fusion of soul and calypso) [and] static sound systems’ (Warwick University 2010).
It involves dressing up in costume, body painting, music, performance, and dancing in the street. Playing as part of a mas band is demonstrated on decorated floats and is the most visual aspect of the Carnival. It is full of colour, loud noise and creativity, with women and children of all ages involved in the excitement, with the lavish parades sticking to a chosen theme. A hybrid of culture and colour, a mixture of femininity, freedom and expression is displayed for all to see. Its’ origins are steeped in the harsh, negative reality of slavery where the slaves were stripped of their African identity and banned to talk to each other but now is a celebration for all.
‘Playing out these fantasies was more than just a vent of frustrations: “It explicitly undermined the idea of the master by focusing on the cruelty and the sexual debauchery. But it was also subversive in a more subtle way: by becoming a master in your own mind you are closing the gap between what a slave is and what a master is and ultimately this resulted in the struggle for freedom”’ (Warwick University 2010).
The slaves used to sing and masquerade as their master/mistress for six weeks during the European Carnival, this was the only time where they could relax and enjoy themselves without punishment. Nowadays, it is flavoured with not only memories of African traditions, but Western celebrations of Christmas but also Indian influences brought over by the indentured labourers who came from the late 17th Century.
Mas ‘commemorate the liberation from slavery. Today it celebrates our multi-racial, multi-cultural world. Playing mas also honours both teamwork and self-expression’ (Fox Carnival 2011).
Men are involved’ in the costume construction which takes place in the ‘mas camps’. They are skilled tailors and craftsmen but men mostly as musicians, mostly on the different sound systems. From jazz to samba, reggae to hip hop, all genres of ‘black’ music are explored within a diverse sub cultural network, representing all identity formations. Women take up the domesticated roles implied by their gender in the organisation of NHC, however so do the men who predominately take charge of all aspects of the cooking which involves the special seasoning and preparation of traditional dishes such as jerk chicken, although both men and women partake in the serving of the food on the stalls.
The modern sound systems guarantee a mixture of all popular urban music, close to a variety of food stalls. The DJs and MCs are mostly male and ensure the buzz of the crowd is maintained, while the women in the crowd dance alone or in partners very much aware of their sexuality. The steel pan bands offer more traditional aspects as its origins are stemmed from Trinidad and Tobago and was first used by slaves as a form of communication by using its range from a twelve bass up to soprano, lead or tenor. British Colonists tried to outlaw drumming and the steel pan in the late 18th Century because they felt the enslaved Africans were forming an identity from it but later became an independence movement. For this reason Pax (1999:7), believes that Carnival offers positive contributions to the ‘cultural, economic and social development of our communities’ and can be regarded as an ideal cultural event in which issues, that are deemed as contemporary, can be explored. It symbolises liberty, individuality and emancipation and anyone who attends of participates in NHC should feel free to enjoy being in their own skin.
NHC is a testament to Britain’s consistent effort to unite culturally where race mixing socially and festively goes much further than Carnival. The products of these multi-cultural values expressed in an event such as NHC, are inspired to ‘create relationships that become rich with references that will give many their ideas for [other] events’ (Pax 1999:95). These shared experiences however may be perceived differently amongst various demographics and between men and women, but what NHC aims to do is break and reverse the realities of everyday life in a celebration of freedom and autonomy.
NHC is a celebration that places emphasis on our cultural identity, bringing every one living or visiting Britain together, excluding none. There are references to the variation of the food that sells on the stalls, references of the vibrant diversity of colour within the mas bands, or even the different music of the sound systems that play in the streets. These highlight the distinct cultural attributes of the varying Caribbean islands that all come together at NHC, as well as representing pre-slavery African influences throughout. Men and women assume certain roles within the preparation of NHC but this is more to do with habitual factors rather than traditional value and expectation. Not one role is given to a specific gender; it is an occasion for all to participate and endeavour the event as a festive, celebratory landscape of Black working class experience. NHC is where historical memories of turmoil and struggle is eliminated with passionate, joyous moments of unity, diversity and acceptance.
2000 WORDS
ENDS
References
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British Broadcasting Corporation (2010) Windrush - the Passengers [Online]. Available at: (Accessed: 29 December 2010)
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Fox Carnival (2011) Masquerade at Notting Hill Carnival). [Online]. Available at: (Accessed: 06 January 2011)
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Itz Caribbean (2011) Online]. Notting Hill 1958. Available at: (Accessed: 05 January 2011)
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Mulvary, L. (1975) "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema". Screen 16 (3): 6–18
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Nindi, P. ed., (1999) On Route. London: X Press
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The Notting Hill Carnival (2011) The Notting Hill Carnival Music. [Online]. Available at: (Accessed: 01 January 2011)
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Warwick University (2010) Knowledge Centre: Notting Hill Carnival. [Online]. Available at: (Accessed: 01 January 2011)
Taylan Harman: K0801777
Elisha Morrison: K0632518
Kevin Magezi: K0849195
