Our cousin Askia attended the carnival in Japan recently and here’s his hot take!   What country do you represent? Trinidad   Where are you based? New York   What you know about this Soka Tribe life? ? (i.e. what is your affiliation, how long, how did it start) My cousin is the owner so I’ve been around since the beginning. So I saw the passion she had for Soka Tribe and knew she would do all she could to make it great. MISSON ACCOMPLISHED!!!   What brought you to this particular carnival? Covid “DONE” (or relaxed), time to party.   Have you played mas before? When and ..read more

This one is for the littles who like to MOVE.   Soka Tribe child with Barbados flag We are Soka Tribe, your Afro-Caribbean carnival connection, and on Saturday, October 21st we’re hosting our first family dance fitness classes, both LIVE ONLINE and in person in Washington, D.C.! Join Sokanista, Soka Dad, and Soka Baby for these options:   Soka Tribe Kiddie & Me (Sat. Oct 21, 12:30p – 1:00p ET) One grown-up plus young revelers ages 0–12 can enjoy soca-powered movement together in a 30-minute fete that’s fun and easy-to-follow for everyone! $30 for pairs in person +$10 for each add ..read more

Check out Soka Tribe friend, Coach, and occasional Mentor, Jamie Thompson experience the 2023 Belize Carnival.   What country do you represent? Jamie Thompson   Where are you based? New York   What you know about this Soka Tribe life? ? (i.e. what is your affiliation, how long, how did it start) Met Shermica in September 2017 in a fete.   What brought you to this particular carnival? Belize is my home and I love playing mas there.   Have you played mas before? When and where? Yes. 2015, 2019 and 2023.   What carnivals would you rinse and repeat? N/A   What do ..read more

The reason why so many people find a home and carnival is because it’s something many of them do from the time they can walk. It’s something they know they can always come back to in their more mature years.  The mas bands that showed for Jouvert in New York City are very different than the popular beads and bikinis. You’ll also immediately notice the difference in the age demographic of the selection of bands. In the words of Patrice – Til ah old and Grey! These mature masqueraders were decked out and road-ready. They were also accompanied by live steel pan and riddim sections. So m ..read more

We caught up with one of our British mates to discuss London’s 2023 Notting Hill Carnival.  Check out what he had to say about it and his plans to attend future carnivals!   What country do you represent? Nigeria & UK   Where are you based? London   What you know about this Soka Tribe life? ? (i.e. what is your affiliation, how long, how did it start) I’m new to this, I was contacted by a friend on the inside!!   What brought you to this particular carnival? Notting Hill Carnival in West London is one of the biggest events in Europe, and as a Londoner myself, I nev ..read more

Catch up with our good friend Melissa to hear all about her experience at the 2023 Grenada Carnival!   What country do you represent? Trinidad   Where are you based? NYC   What you know about this Soka Tribe life? ? (i.e. what is your affiliation, how long, how did it start) I was there to witness the idea being formed and put into fruition!   What brought you to this particular carnival? Grenada — I was invited by the Grenadian Tourism Authority   Have you played mas before? When and where? Yes! Too many Carnivals to actually remember ? Trinidad, Barbados, and Grenada ..read more

For the Bare Feet in NYC series, Emmy Award-winning host, Mickela Mallozzi experiences the dance and music traditions of New Yorkers in the ethnic neighborhoods of NYC, and she recently caught up with the Sokanista herself, Shermica Farquhar to learn about the traditions of carnival, soca music and of course Soka Tribe! Click the image below to see us featured on the episode titled Little Caribbean from the 11-minute mark!     The post Bare Feet in New York City: Little Caribbean appeared first on Soka Tribe ..read more

I recently had the opportunity to attend the play Culture Unmuted and I have to say, “WOW! What a show!”  The play delved into some very real issues that are affecting our society today, particularly in the city of Washington, DC. As you may know, DC was once known as Chocolate City, a term that celebrated the city’s rich African Diaspora cultural traditions.   Culture Unmuted does an excellent job of exploring the issue of gentrification from all perspectives.  The play takes place around the audience, which makes for a truly immersive experience, and because they didn’t shy aw ..read more

London’s very own Street and Portrait Photographer Aaron Plange shares his experience of the controversial 2023 Rotterdam Carnival!   For those who may not know, the Rotterdam administration fined some of the bands who participated in 2022’s fete for sexually explicit/vulgar dancing, so this year the bands contacted their revelers to ask them to tone down the spirit of carnival a little bit.   However, this understandably went out the window as soon as the music started and the bands hit the road!! All bands and supporters upped the ante as they passed City Hall in protest… we’ll lea ..read more

Prepping for Travel… This may not be your first trip overseas but here are a few tips that will make your Crop Over travel easier! Take a picture of your passport and email it to yourself, just in case! Make sure to note the name and address of your hotel, as customs agents will want that information. Contact your bank to let them know that you will be traveling to Barbados. This will ensure that your card doesn’t get flagged for fraud. Be sure to find out about international ATM fees, you can often get a better exchange rate using an ATM than at th ..read more