Fitzgerald De Freitas, 71, has been resident in the United States for almost half century, but comes from Belmont and has decades of experience designing and creating Carnival costumes in the States and locally. Mas veterans should remember De Freitas creating Oscar the Trash Can and Dora and the Dreadful Dragon in Pandemonium's Sesame Street presentation in 1975.
De Freitas also made the headlines earlier, in 1971, when, as a prisoner, he created the King of Carnival costume The Sun–The Celestial Monarch.
He had the costume built in a detention barracks by military prisoners held for the 1970 mutiny at Teteron Barracks. The costume was for John Daniel's presentation The Reign of the Sun Kings, and he also designed the band's costumes.
Describing his introduction to Carnival and costumes, De Freitas said, "I played mas as a child. My first costume was Adam and my sister played Eve in Kiddies Carnival. My mother designed our costumes. I was seven and my sister was five."
By 11, De Freitas was designing costumes for himself and his friends in Belmont. He grew up around costume designing, influenced by renowned mas designers such as Jack Brathwaite, Rudolph Corby, Harry Basilon, and Albert Moore.
His first major costume design–The Brazilian Chandelier–placed second in the King of Carnival final on Dimanche Gras. Now the father of six, grandfather of 25, and great-grandfather of three, "with two more on the way," De Freitas retired from full-time work in 1999.
"I retired from the Seattle Art Museum, but I have continued contributing when possible to stay active making Carnival costumes as well as leading workshops in costume design and wirebending."
De Freitas designed and built a variety of Carnival king, queen and individual costumes, mascots, musical floats and even created a costume for a wheelchair-bound masquerader. After living in the US for more than four decades, he's also now well known through North American Caribbean communities for his presentations and dedication to promoting the art of costuming.
"I have conducted numerous workshops on costume design and creation, costume band presentations and wire bending. I have served as artist in residence for a variety of public school programmes, the art museum's educational programmes, and local community organisations in Seattle, Washington.
"In 2012, I was invited by the University of Iowa's Arts Department to present a costuming workshop using a butterfly theme, the Monarch to be exact–that state's insect. They hosted me for a week and in one week we created three butterflies for their presentation at the end of the workshop.
"Afterwards, they then used these costumes in their Children's Museum for display. Most recently, in August, I designed and created the showcase band for the Cariwest organisation in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. This was a kiddies' carnival band. Their theme was Once Upon A Time, and the characters played were from Beauty and The Beast and Aladdin. The Junior King's costume was The Genie and the Junior Queen was Once Upon A Time. There were also three individual characters–Fancy Lumiere and Mr Chips from Beauty and The Beast; and Aladdin and his Flying Carpet from Aladdin.
In addition, there were four kiddies' sections designed, namely Jasminettes, The Imperial Guards, Cogsworth–The Clock, and Lumiere–The Candle."
This August, Cariwest celebrated its 30th year of presenting Caribbean carnival in Edmonton.
De Freitas said: "I am a cancer survivor, experiencing all the usual shifts that come with ageing. I have my share of aches and pains but mas has been my passion."
These days he lives in Phoenix, Arizona–and is still involved with his cultural heritage and love of making mas.
Prizes and Places
De Freitas has won first place in Edmonton's carnival competitions a record number of times.
His presentations have received the Continental Airlines Award in the Seattle Seafair Torchlight Parade; first place Best Band in the Black Community Festival Parade; and Most Original Band Award in the Pacific National Exhibition Parade in Vancouver, British Columbia.
He's presented costumes in the New York Labour Day Caribbean Festival, Boston's Carnival, Montreal's Carifesta, Toronto's Caribana and Ontario's Grape and Wine Festival.
He has also designed costumes for the Seattle-Vancouver Connection, the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, the Emperor's New Clothes, and Greg Thompson Productions.
His Lionfish King costume was a featured part of his six-month installation at the Seattle Art Museum.