Kenneth wants to bring copper back in mas

Kenneth Matthews, Carnival mas man of the ’60s and ’70s, has vowed to revive the use of authentic metal work in the production of Carnival costumes. Skilled in the dying art of copper work first introduced to Carnival by the late Ken Morris, Matthews has produced two four-by-four-foot trophies which he will donate to the 2005 King and Queen of Carnival. The veteran craftsman dedicated two months to working on his project — two copper-plumed head pieces with neck and bust — in his workshop, formerly the garage of his Houston, Texas home. His creations are entirely handmade — from tools of all sorts, some of which he created himself. He revealed that an aviation snip was used to cut the copper as well as various indentation tools to form the impressions.

Thirty years ago, Matthews shut down his Arima mas camp after joining the Christian faith, and later migrated to the US. “I’ve been there for the last 15 years in body only, my mind was in Trinidad,” he said. However, he felt that his skills could still be put to good use. “You can’t stay with a skill and not make a contribution to your country. There needs to be a return of metalwork — to revive it with the youths. “The art died when Ken Morris died. We had authentic costumes which changed to other modern ideas. Long ago, if you didn’t have metalwork in your mas you didn’t have anything. Metal was God! Now the costume has dwindled into a bikini.”

In 2000, Matthews created his first copper challenge trophy “Paradise,” influenced by George Bailey’s “New Guinea” many years ago, which he donated to the NCBA. After winning three consecutive Queen of Carnival titles, Alana Ward now has it for keeps. “The King of Carnival trophy this year is a salute to Trinidad Carnival 2005. The Queen, however, is a tribute to the Carnival man, past and living. I believe in honouring someone while they are alive. Why bring roses for a man who cannot smell them. We could bless them now and tell them they are doing great work,” Matthews said. “I was also interested in having it done for Trinidad and Tobago residents who have overstayed their visa and are now illegal in the US, and can’t return for Carnival. You see, most times it’s only when you leave here, you become crazy about Trinidad Carnival. So I do it for them.”

A structural engineer by profession, Matthews set upon a career in art, working in his father’s (Paul Matthews) joinery shop in Arima. Matthews Sr was very skilled with his hands. He made musical instruments and other items and even owned a parang band. When word spread that the youngster was talented in drawing, he was approached with the task of designing and producing 100 children’s costumes. He was 13 years old. The band was “Zambesi” — the African tribe of head-hunters. “Being an artist and living in Trinidad, that (mas making) was automatic. Seeing it all around you, you want to be a part. My father used to watch me and shake his head. He would say, ‘What kind of man is this.’” It was also at age 13 that he got the job at Textile as an engraver — preparing print rollers for printing cloth. After learning the art of constructing props from wire and other materials at his subsequent workplace where he was window-dresser, Matthews set up his own mas camp at his father’s home at Circular Drive.

“I was about 21 years when I was contracted to design a section of “Vikings” for Junior Pouchet. I had to make shields and head pieces from metal. I bought the aluminium from Sprostons on Tragarete Road, and the problem came in trying to form this head piece. Actually, I learned it on my own, it was by accident. I remember going to Ken Morris for tips and he was very cagey. He told me nothing. Zero. But I saw a big wooden hammer on his wall and ah say, right, ah going home to make one like that. I didn’t know what it (hammer) was for, how it was used. I tried all kinds of things. Ah telling myself, not looking at the metal while ah striking it, that I’ll have to tell Pouchet that ah can’t produce. But when I looked at it, the metal was curved. I found out that it was not as hard as I thought. A few tries in getting the shape for the head and that was it. Basically, as anything else, you learn as you go.

“After several years with Pouchet, I went with Stephen Lee Heung as producer in the ’70s. I remember working on ‘Land of the Kabouki’ and ‘East of Java,’ where you got a costume with metal crown, breast plate and earring for $150. Compared to now, that was a giveaway. “I did my own productions in 1970 with ‘Paradise Lost’ and ‘Paradise Regained’ with foil, feathers and fabric. By that time, metal was becoming a thing of the past.” In 1972 and 1973, Matthews worked with Harold Saldenha. All the while he had a full-time job, where he obtained a draughtsman position with CEP Ltd. He later progressed to inspector of works.

He remains an admirer of the work of Morris as well as Conrad Rogers, who was also instrumental in producing metal work. “Morris is the architect of Trinidad Carnival metal work!” he exclaimed. “The skills I learned, I want to give back when I return (to Trinidad). This method of indentation is called the ‘Reposse Method’ and although there are still persons around who can do it, it isn’t done. Just as wire bending has been phased-out by plastic molding, metalwork is a dying craft.”