ABSTRACT
In June 2002, the government of Trinidad and Tobago submitted what is referred to as a ‘candidature file’ to the Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (OICHH) Award Committee of UNESCO to have Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival proclaimed a masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage. An important component of the application was the preparation of briefs for each area of Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival, namely, calypso, mas, and steel pan, to demonstrate the value of those cultural forms in the festival and the national community. 2 Trinidad and Tobago’s application was ultimately unsuccessful for reasons that, arguably, had to do with a failure to comply with regulations concerning the form the application should take, and an inability to make the requisite changes before the extended deadline for resubmission.
