J’Ouvert Morning with Cocoa Devils

Carnival Monday is quite possibly my favorite day of the year combining the 2 greatest things – J’Ouvert & Road March.  With the expansion of J’Ouvert in so many locations and fetes around the world we have the opportunity to get covered in paint, powda, & mud ..... which is why this year I went for Cocoa.  Yes, I’m in love with the Cocoa.

Jumping with the Cocoa Devils for J’Ouvert is something special, there’s a high level of familial feelings that flow through the mas.  It makes sense, as there are a number of families who’ve stayed committed to the band for years and years, with a mixture of generations playing alongside each other.  There’s beauty in seeing culture handed down from generation to generation & communal revelry.  Especially, in a day and age when some have opted to skip the tradition of J’Ouvert either because of a focus on getting make-up/hair done for Monday Mas or concerns for safety, having a massive group of “extended family” keeping an eye out for one another there’s an additional sense of security in the wee hours of the morning.



For those who don’t get there right at the beginning at mas camp walking through the dark streets in the early hours searching for your band can be an interesting process on it’s as you hear the pounding of trucks from multiple directions and wonder which way to go.  This year Cocoa Devil’s theme was the Dinky Devils – with plenty of masquaraders wearing blinking headbands it made it easier to identify the band from a distance.  On top of that, you know you’re on the right path when you begin to see remnants of cocoa covering de road & that scent of cocoa wafting in the air from blocks away.  It put a smile on my face as sense of familiarity & anticipation for the madness that lay ahead.




As you walk up on the trailers at the back of the band wearing all white with clear handprints of chocolate all over, you can’t help but get excited, laugh a bit & have a bit of a devilish grin because you know you’re about to do the same & then some.  Plenty wines were welcomed and had, hand prints a plenty, and playful gasps as you pump fake dumping small buckets of cocoa on revelers or road-side observers.  It really is hilarious to feel like one of the Harlem Globe Trotters with the “bucket of water”, as people run/duck in fear you’re going to cover them in a bucket of cocoa ....only to find out it’s an empty bucket.  They have the fear of God in their eyes which then turns to a deep sigh of relief & a pleasant smile knowing we’re all just out here for fun and some laughs. 



One of those signs that inhibitions are low & sense of community is present is who & how Cocoa is shared/applied to each other.  Pretenses are dropped and fellowship flows.  My boy Vince, being a rather tall man at 6’ 3”+ took personal pleasure in towering over most revelers and whenever he found a bald headed man putting a solid hand print & a bit extra on each head, which was always met with a surprising look & shared laugh.  While there are some revelers who ask not to get too much Cocoa on, especially on their face, there’s always plenty of people welcoming the perfectly placed handprint.  What many foreigners have trouble processing is the fact that while there’s plenty of flirtatious behavior there’s also a lot of respect by so many revelers.  You just “know” (and if you don’t you simply ask before taking action, whether it’s a member of the opposite sex on their own or even with their spouse – many welcome the interaction as long as you ask in advance – there’s plenty of respect shared) whether it’s a hand print on a shoulder, a thigh, a bumpa, or maybe little streaks on a nose, forehead, or under your eyes.  What’s sexier than having 2 or 3 women decide that they need to paint your abs in chocolate?

Knowing that we’re on the road from EARLY morning Cocoa Devils elevated the experience by having a doubles truck in the mix of sound & drink trucks.  A rolling Doubles stand .....come on, you know you’re happy in the early mornings when you get to spread chocolate on beautiful people, drink whatever you want, AND doubles to order as you chip down the road!



As dawn approached a special surprise was Kes coming in for a live performance & taking the vibes to another level.  People are already pumping hard but when you have one of the biggest Soca artists on the scene it energizes everyone to celebrate life that much more.

For those concerned about getting cleaned up & ready for Monday Mas there’s truly an added benefit of playing with Cocoa Devils.  Unlike paint & powda (powda in particular), the “chocolate”/cocoa mixture is extremely easy to clean off, doesn’t seep into your pours and sweat out on whatever clothes you wear in the next 24-48 hours, doesn’t seem to get wedged deep into your ear or hair which you magically seem to still be finding weeks later in the shower as you scrub down.  Cocoa Devils are experts at making this mixture, unlike some other J’Ouverts with bands who don’t have it down exactly and it can end up being uncomfortably sticky, Cocoa Devils mixture is more like a free skin treatment leaving you feeling refreshed once rinsed off.




Many have debated different J’Ouvert bands based on the bar selections available – don’t worry – Cocoa Devils had Johnnie Walker flowing all morning long.  Plenty liquor (bar service was exceptionally quick, especially as the hours went on I felt like I had multiple personal bartenders rolling with me who knew exactly what I wanted without ever having to say a word – just hold up my cup), a rolling food option, plenty cocoa, and plenty vibes - I was a very happy man.  There will always be something for everyone when it comes to J’Ouvert bands, yet I encourage those who’ve never taken the plunge to come fall in love with the Cocoa – you won’t be disappointed.

Stay tuned for the next installment of Trinidad Carnival 2016 Review.

‘Til next time – Soca to de World,
Jouvert Mike