I - Susilla Soumayree
A Journey of Mas, Memory, and Becoming
The Call of Soumayree
At a time when solitude felt like the only safe space, Carnival called me out of my cave, transforming my anger and grief into beauty through the traditional mas character, the Soumayree. In the syncretic space of Carnival, I could fully embrace both my individuality and my place within something greater, in an expression of collective freedom. Sometimes referred to as the Indian Burroquite, the Soumayree carries a serious and commanding demeanor, unlike the playful Burroquite. Soumayree is a depiction of Goddess Durga in Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. In Hindu mythology, every vehicle the Goddess travels by holds symbolic significance. When she is shown riding a horse, it serves as a warning of war. This portrayal of feminine power in Carnival was unfamiliar to me before 2023. Online records dating back to 2013 show no participants competing as Soumayree in the National Traditional Mas Competition. This absence drove me to create my own version of Soumayree, shaped by scripture, tradition, and my imagination.
The recurring appearance of horses I once observed my hands make in my paintings took on new meaning as I began to experiment with bringing Susilla Soumayree to life with installation pieces, mas-making, movement and music. Soumayree became a channel for my self-discovery, urging me to revive this lesser-known character at risk of fading into obscurity.
Mas as Rebellion and Reclamation
Through Susilla Soumayree, I honor Carnival as an act of freedom and rebellion. Mas gives me a space to explore conflict, war, and healing, using it as a medium to navigate my own duality.
In my portrayals, I pay homage to those who fought to assert cultural space and parade freely to the sound of our drums in the streets at the Canboulay Riots of 1881 and the Hosay Riots of 1884.
Playing the Soumayree Mas taught me to show up in the world fully and freely, even when in disagreement with the spaces or people around me. I confronted my fears by becoming what I was afraid of but needed to be in order to stand up for myself and navigate a world where I felt increasingly unsafe and alone.
Mas as Transformation
Mas-making has been my gayelle—a battlefield and a place of transformation—where I learn “how Pretty Bois go play,” discovering the beauty in resilience, perseverance, and wielding my personal power. Working with recycled materials, failing, abandoning, and restarting projects, I grow deeper into embodying the character each year through costume design, music, and movement.
Soumayree allows me to explore my femininity through art, using it as a tool for creation, cultural preservation, and the destruction of my ego. This process is a gestation—an intimate becoming. It is about love and labor, resistance and release. Through art, I confront my experiences, transforming them into a reclamation of self. This work is my offering, my reclamation, and my declaration.
Evolution and Community
Since 2023, I have competed anually in the National Traditional Mas competition, committing to evolving as a person, an artist, and an embodiment of Soumayree. To give voice to the character, I enrolled in writing and acting workshops that helped me see the portrayal as an extension of my own becoming most notably in the Jus So Jus So showcase directed by Abeo Jackson, which employed Tony Hall’s Jouvay Popular Theatre Process at Big Black Box in September 2023.
In 2023, there was only one Soumayree at the competition—me. In 2024, there were two and I finally witnessed a live portrayal of Soumayree that left me in awe. (Competitor name to be updated - NCC’s website results page currently unavailable) Mesmerized by the glint of his cutlass as he danced and the sound it made as it scraped the pitch, I eventually realized he was in battle mode—this was war, and I was up next. By 2025, four participants portrayed Soumayree at the competition, including fellow artists Sade Budhlal and Shakeela Daniel who have always supported my endeavours in mas.
The journey from 2023 to 2025 has been one of becoming—not only for myself but for the Soumayree character. What began as a personal exploration has reopened the gayelle for the Soumayree mas to play, doubling the number of participants each year. Carnival called me out of my solitude and into a community where I could reclaim my voice, my power, and my identity.
