As Antigua and Barbuda prepares to mark the 70th anniversary of its iconic Carnival in 2027, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has reignited a long-running debate over cultural preservation by calling for a greater, more visible presence of traditional mas (masquerade) alongside the event’s dominant modern, bikini-centric costume format.\n\nBrowne laid out his vision during an appearance on the local *Browne and Browne Show*, drawing on a recent cultural experience in neighboring Barbados to make his case. “I saw some traditional mas in Barbados,” Browne noted. “If we can get a little of that. Everything can’t be just about having a little bikini.”\n\nThe prime minister emphasized that his goal is not to displace modern Carnival traditions, but to keep a core piece of Antigua and Barbuda’s cultural heritage alive for current and future generations. To achieve this, he proposed carving out dedicated space for traditional mas: either during the Carnival opening ceremony, or on a separate designated day, where programming can focus on classic cultural characters, handcrafted floats, and family-friendly traditional presentations. Browne specifically called for the return of iconic figures like John Bull, a staple of historic Caribbean mas parades, saying “Let our people feel that traditional mas.”\n\nHowever, festival officials with the Antigua and Barbuda Festivals Commission are pushing back on the proposal, pointing to past attempts to expand traditional mas that failed to generate public participation, even amid repeated public calls for more cultural representation.\n\nCalbert Francis, a commission board member and leader of the popular Sections mas band, shared a firsthand example of this gap between public demand and actual participation. When his band launched, it included an all-traditional costume section designed by celebrated local Antiguan designer Calvin Southwell – yet fewer than 10 of the handcrafted costumes were sold to masqueraders.\n\nFrancis explained that the experience exposed a core challenge of integrating traditional mas into modern Carnival programming: while crowds enjoy watching traditional characters, most paying participants prefer to take part in contemporary, modern costume sections. “There may not be an appetite for people to play in traditional-looking costumes, but they do have the appetite to see the traditional Carnival characters,” Francis said.\n\nCurrently, festival organizers already integrate traditional mas into annual parades: cultural groups in partnership with the Department of Culture regularly field classic characters including John Bulls, stilt walkers, and traditional dancers early in the parade route, ahead of the larger modern party bands. But officials note that many spectators arrive late for the main event, miss the early traditional segments, and later complain that classic mas is underrepresented.\n\nLooking ahead to the milestone 70th anniversary celebrations in 2027, the Festivals Commission says it will continue exploring viable strategies to strike a balance between preserving Antigua and Barbuda’s cherished Carnival heritage and accommodating the preferences of paying masqueraders and international visitors that drive the modern event.
Calls Grow for More Traditional Mas at Antigua Carnival Despite Weak Costume Sales
