Trinidad and Tobago · Wooden stilt construction and masquerade costume-making

Trinidad Moko Jumbie Stilt and Costume Making

Moko Jumbie

The construction of towering wooden stilts — traditionally up to 10–15 feet — and elaborate accompanying costumes for Moko Jumbie, a stilt-walking masquerade tradition tracing to West/Central African ancestral-spirit veneration and documented in the Caribbean since at least 1791. Historically, stilt legs were cut annually from specially selected wood and left to cure and dry, a ritual specifically timed according to the lunar cycle per ethnographer Jeff Henry's documented account. The tradition nearly disappeared from Trinidad Carnival after World War II, until Glen 'Dragon' deSouza and a collaborator known as 'Moose' began a deliberate 1986 revival, partly to redirect local youth from criminal activity — a revival that has proven highly popular since the 1990s. Contemporary named performer Shynel Brizan, a two-time Carnival Queen title winner with the troupe Moko Somõkõw, and designer Tony Machichan represent the tradition's continued living practice today.

Risk level: Vulnerable · Not Applicable — no UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage inscription exists specifically for this craft at time of writing

Alternate Names
Mocko Jumbie; Moko Jumbi; Moko Zumbi
Geographic Center
Port of Spain, with named contemporary troupes including Dragon's Keylemanjahro, Watusi, Kilimanjaro, and Moko Somõkõw
Community / Ethnic Group
Afro-Trinidadian community, tracing the tradition's ancestral roots to West and Central African spiritual practice
Estimated Origin
The oldest written reference to the tradition is a 1791 account by William Young describing 'moco jumbos' in St. Vincent; historical accounts place Moko Jumbies at Trinidad Carnival specifically since the early 1900s, with the practice itself dating from the slavery era and rooted in a pre-colonial West/Central African tradition of Moko — gods or diviners believed to watch over villages using their elevated stature to foresee evil
Cultural Function
Moko Jumbies are regarded as ancestral protective spirits whose elevated height allows them to foresee evil and ward off danger; the tradition connects contemporary Afro-Caribbean communities directly to their ancestral heritage — performer Shynel Brizan explicitly frames the character as 'a connection to our history,' warning that losing any traditional mas character represents a genuine loss of collective memory; historically performed also at weddings and funerals beyond Carnival itself
Primary Materials
Specially selected wood for the stilt legs
Primary Tools
Woodworking tools for stilt-leg construction; specific inventory not detailed in available sources beyond the general cutting and shaping process
Process Overview
Specially selected wood, historically cut and cured annually according to lunar timing, is constructed into stilts — traditionally reaching 10 to 15 feet — sometimes incorporating a frontal thigh brace design adapted from an outside source (Ben Block); the stilts are paired with elaborate, dramatically flowing costumes (fabric, beadwork, sequins, feathered elements) designed by contemporary artists to enhance the performer's visual impact during Carnival masquerade performance.
Traditional Applications
Carnival masquerade performance; historically also performed at weddings and funerals
Contemporary Applications
A revitalized, actively thriving component of contemporary Trinidad Carnival, increasingly popular since the 1990s partly as a documented reaction against Carnival's broader commercialization trend (i.e. the dominance of 'pretty mas,' CRAFT-2092); youth engagement and violence-prevention programming through troupes like Keylemanjahro; international recognition and photo-essay/documentary coverage
Notable Practitioners
Glen 'Dragon' deSouza and 'Moose,' who led the tradition's 1986 revival, with deSouza's troupe Keylemanjahro documented as the best-known and most impressive contemporary group; Shynel Brizan, contemporary performer and two-time Carnival Queen title winner with troupe Moko Somõkõw ('moko family'), noted for navigating gender barriers within a traditionally male-dominated art form; Tony Machichan, contemporary costume designer celebrated for bold, imaginative Moko Jumbie designs blending traditional and contemporary elements
Key References
Red Bull Music Academy Daily, 'Dancing in the Dragon's Den: The Moko Jumbies of Trinidad'; Strangers Guide, 'The Moko Jumbies of Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival'; Essence, 'In A Crowd Of Stilt Walkers, This Queen Reigns Supreme'; Caribbean Beat Magazine, 'Walk tall, moko jumbie'; Traditional Mas Archive, 'Moko Jumbie Carnival Character' (citing Errol Hill/Jeff Henry); Kevin Benny Photography, 'The Enchanting Legacy of the Trinidad Moko Jumbie & The Artistry of Tony Machichan'
Verification Status
Desk-Researched — Needs Practitioner Verification

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