Queen Rose

FOR THE first time this decade, the Queen of Carnival title has been captured by the South Queen of Carnival, Rosemarie Kuru-Jagessar, after a final which saw competitors plagued with mishaps.


Kuru-Jagessar, a Carnival veteran known for her consistent portrayals of traditional Indian mas, took home the crown as “Waka-Nisha: The Sacred Water Bearer” at the Dimanche Gras, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain on Sunday.


It is Kuru-Jagessar’s first victory as a national queen. Elaborately decorated with blue, white and black plumes, the costume is symbolic of the significance of water to the people of the Sioux nation, a topical theme given the water woes being experienced by many in Trinidad and Tobago.


Hours after being crowned Queen of Carnival, an emotional Kuru-Jagessar was still unable to express her feelings about winning the prestigious title.

Kuru-Jagessar was greeted by cheers and applause from spectators and judges alike as she led her band, “D Sioux Nation” at High Street, San Fernando yesterday. Speaking to Newsday afterwards, a breathless Kuru-Jagessar, who has played mas for 28 years, said she cried when she realised she had copped the national title for the first time in her career. “It was really emotional. When I heard my name, everybody started to scream and bawl and then I just started to cry,” she said.


Kuru-Jagessar said to make matters worse, her husband, veteran mas man Lionel Jagessar, had not accompanied her to the Dimanche Gras as he stayed in San Fernando at their mas camp to finalise preparations for the band’s appearance on Carnival Monday and Tuesday.


“But I feel really proud that I was able to bring the crown to San Fernando,” a tired, yet elated Kuru-Jagessar said. “You just have to believe in what you want and go for it.”


The veteran’s victory at the Dimanche Gras, comes with a purse of $120,000
By Andre Bagoo and Richardson Dhalai 


SOURCE NEWSDAY


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