J’ouvert audio transcript

Welcome to the J’ouvert!

J’ouvert, the Trinbagonian j’ouvert originates from the celebration of the emancipation of slaves, the abolition of slavery in Trinidad. J’ouvert is the opening day of Carnival and begins in the early morning hours on Carnival Monday, around 2 am. J’ouvert is a night mas that breaks up shortly after dawn. Thousands of revelers fill the streets in old clothes covered in mud or black oil, chipping and wining to soca music or creating their own music by beating biscuit tins. Traditional characters in j’ouvert include Blue Devils, Jab Jabs, and Jab Molassies.

Blue Devils are entirely covered in blue and spew red drool imitating blood. They are wild, spectacular, beautiful, and scary carrying pitch forks and horns, wearing masks, and wings. Paramin in Trinidad & Tobago, is home to an important Blue Devil band. Blue Devils rush at crowds with screeches and screams, threatening obscene interactions with spectators who ward off the Devils by feeding them dollar bills. Some Blue Devils are considered beasts and are restrained on chains or ropes. They threaten to get blue mud on spectators, and children (adults too) are afraid of their unpredictable behaviors. Both await the fascination, fear, and fun that Blue Devils provoke. Blue Devils are a form of Jab Jabs and Jab Molassies.

Jab Jabs are whip-carrying devils. In the streets they crack their whips in the air and challenge one another to exchange lashes. Jab Molassies are another devil character. Its entire body covered with mud, tar, or grease and it gyrates to the sound of beating tin drums. Jab Molassies fight forces that enslaves them.

What is Artificial Intelligence?
Artificial intelligence or AI leverages computers and algorithms to mimic problem-solving and decision-making capabilities of the human mind. Machine Learning is a sub-field of AI that enables machines to improve with experience.

This project explores three questions:
1. How might we use AI and machine learning to generate and circulate Black cultural heritage and value in jouvert and carnival?
2. How might we showcase the history, creativity, and innovations in jouvert and night mas with artificial intelligence?
3. How might we introduce new generations to history and beauty of jouvert through artificial intelligence?

In this Virtual J’ouvert, we display AI-generated Blue Devils, Jab Jabs, and Jab Molassies, all generated using StyleGAN – a machine learning concept or model. GAN stands for generative adversarial network. It is a Style-based generator that generates new visual possibilities based on data. The data in this case is a dataset of images of Blue Devils, Jab Jabs and Jab Molassies.

In this Virtual J’ouvert experience, you are surrounded by AI-generated Blue-Devils, Jab Molassies, and Jab Jabs! We encourage you to examine the artwork, watch the films, take snapshots of the moving painting, and take photos of your experience in d j’ouvert!.
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References:
– Martin, Carol. “Trinidad Carnival Glossary.” TDR (1988-) 42, no. 3 (October 1, 1998): 220–35.
– The Caribbean tradition of Jab Jab – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33vaMyn_JAw – – IZWE – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az7ay17ttQk