More Than Mas’

“As an anthropologist, I’m drawn to documentary film as a way to capture the multi-sensory experience of being in the field—of trying to deeply understand what it means to be human from someone else’s perspective. For me, ethnographic fieldwork is immersive. When I’m in the field, I’m not only observing and learning from others—I’m also swept up in the sounds and colors, the textures and contours of the spaces around me, and the everyday actions that unfold within them. Documentary film, to me, is an extension of this ethnographic practice: a way to capture extraordinary moments—however fleeting—in the routines of daily life, as well as the everyday gestures that take place during extraordinary events.

Caribbean carnival is a powerful example of an event that invites this kind of ethnographic attention through film. When my colleague, Dr. Ping-Ann Addo—a fellow anthropologist—invited me to visit one of the mas’ camps where she had done her own fieldwork, I was excited on multiple levels. I had first developed my ethnographic skills in Kingston, Jamaica, and felt a deep connection to Anglophone Caribbean cultures, which echoed aspects of my own upbringing in the Spanish-speaking Caribbean.

Being immersed in Jamaican life, alongside my readings of Caribbean history, taught me early on how colonialism and enslavement worked as homogenizing forces across the region. At the same time, I came to see how colonialism—and the creative, liberatory acts of millions of Caribbean people—gave rise to a vibrant and diverse mix of languages, cuisines, music, and cultural forms.

I was also eager to learn more about Caribbean carnival itself, especially given my love of music and dance. The rhythm and energy of Caribbean festivals—whether the soca and reggae of Trinidad and Jamaica, or the merengue and salsa of my own heritage—move me both physically and spiritually. And I was grateful to Ping-Ann for introducing me to a community that would also help me begin to learn the ropes of documentary filmmaking.

In creating the film, and with the guidance and collaboration of my co-director Monica Cohen—a musician and music lover in her own right—we tried to let the events speak for themselves, much like an anthropologist observing with curiosity and without judgment. The film focuses on the rhythms of craft production. Making costumes in the mas’ camps is a long and meticulous process, and we wanted to highlight the small, subtle details—the textures, movements, and materials—that gradually build into the bold and sweeping celebration of the parade.

At the same time, it was important to us to show that making mas’ is not just about costumes—it’s about building community and connection. The brief moments of narration help place things in cultural and historical context, an essential part of any anthropological work. These moments underscore how Caribbean carnival serves as a way for Caribbean immigrants to express their love for home and the resilience of their cultural traditions in the U.S.”

– Rosalyn Negrón, co-director