A rose didn’t smell as sweet

The Archbishop and the pleasure device

Trinidad and Tobago Archbishop Gilbert discussing TRIBE’s gift bag pffering for 2026

Much hubbub is being made over a long standing Carnival Band’s new gift bag inclusion for its female players. The said ‘gift’ is an adult pleasure devise as described by Reporter Joel Julien of the Trinidad Express Newspaper in his article, Tribe adds adult toy for its female masqueraders.

The reasoning behind the largess, pun intended, is the fact that Carnival Monday and Tuesday falls just after Valentine’s Day this year. The **Tribe **organization saw the ‘Rose’ as a perfect addition to a band continuously attempting to up their ante in providing their free spending clients something unforgettable.

Tribe also includes in the ‘goody bag’ other items such as a carry-on suitcase, snacks, coupons, fuzzy socks, a flip-and-cool fan, a water bottle, neck pillow, and beach towel. Not particularly exciting or memorable items of swag. Thus, the ‘rose’ came to the fore.

This choice has now lead to reactions as far afield as the Archbishop of Trinidad and Tobago himself. His Grace has pontificated at his Sunday Mass last week that the band producers have gone ‘too far!’

The Archbishop boldly stated that, “Our country is not for sale, and our young people are not for sale. We must put guardrails in place for our children.”

Tribe is a Carnival band whose target market are adult men and women. Their SOLD OUT costumes run from TT$5,795 US$927 to TT$8,995 US$1,439, not a figure anyone under eighteen can afford. Putting facetiousness aside, Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago has been a skimpy affair for women and men for over thirty years. The cost and other excesses of drink, food, music, wee wee trucks and ropes to keep the unwashed rabble apart has been a constant debate that produces no results but more of the same.

Yet, the Archbishop stressed that ‘Carnival has always reflected the nation’s spirit, but recent trends, especially in the big business and fete sectors, have shifted the focus from artistry and culture to profit and sensationalism.’

This is true.

However, let us look at ‘this’ ‘Rose’ titled as a clitoric stimulator. The goodly Archbishop may not realise that that particular ‘toy’ is for self use. One might argue that taking care of ones own needs may tamp down the desire for company. Yet it is a good thing in Trinidad and Tobago to bring up the subject of sex in Carnival as a conversation. We constantly speak about consenting adults and freedom to express oneself. However, when thousands have the same intention, this is the moment where issues such as the Archbishop’s gets pushed to the top of the pile.

Carnival will always be an avenue for controversy in the very nature of its farewell to the flesh before Catholics experience Ash Wednesday and go into forty days of fasting.

The licentiousness of its very nature directly speaks to our human need for festivals. Yes, they can be extreme. As an adult you do not have to participate. You do not have to agree and you certainly do have a choice above all things. So, ultimately, as Gertrude Stein famous poem says; A rose, is a rose is a rose.