Meet the

Poui Mokos

These moko jumbie costumes were inspired by the giant Poui trees around the Queens Park Savannah. They stand like sentinels protecting the savannah and the Seven Sisters (Magnificent seven), In the poui procession scene, we see them in their full glory walking around the savannah.

“I have been dreaming of these since the first year of THE LOST TRIBE and redrew them many times since then. When the opportunity came to make them for LAVWAY I know it could be no one else but Ben.” – VAL

” After discussing the tree costumes with Val I envisioned a realistic, moving, interactive piece of ART that would transcend beyond the typical costumes we see for carnival a breakaway from the norm….one that would leave the observer in Awe!”- Ben Gaya, Costume Maker.

MOKO mas is played in stilts sometimes as tall as 15 feet high- the height creating a show-stopping spectacle every time it appears- the courage and dedication it takes to play this character apparent to all lucky enough to witness it in the flesh. The term “Moko” is thought to be of West African religious origin and the term “jumbie” is added by West Indian influence- meaning spirit or ghost. “A moko jumbie is the is the spirit of Moko, the Orisha (deity) of fate and retribution who emphasizes that even as he has endured centuries of brutal treatment he remains “tall..tall…tall” (Milla Riggio, 2004 via https://traditionalmas.com/portfolio/moko-jumbie-mas/)