Hats off to bacchanal

When soca artiste turned band leader, Ronnie Mc Intosh outlined what carnival is in his 1997 International Soca Monarch winner, Ent, he left out one crucial line—Carnival is hats. For during the season of revelry, hats are a must—a point that is undisputed by one of  Trinidad and Tobago’s longest serving hat producers, Hannah Janoura. “We make hats for every occasion and everyone during the Carnival season. Band leaders, fete promoters, masqueraders, spectators, pan groups, fete goers, you name it,” Janoura said, as she busily worked on a black sample hat with gold trimming, that just may be worn by members of a steelband at this year’s Panorama competition. With a variety of designs and colours of hats to choose from which are on display at her store on Sackville Street, Port-of-Spain, Janoura says for more than two decades her hats have been designed, molded, trimmed and decorated at the establishment.

Many of her designs, she says, have been worn to countless events, formal and casual, and have always been in high demand. At Carnival time, its no different. “There are a lot of designers from different sections of bands that come in to order hats for their sections,” she said. “Tribe, Ronnie & Caro, (Brian) MacFarlane, big buyers,” she disclosed, adding that she customised the headwear to match each designer’s creation. And while she says her preference remains her straw hats, which are made from natural straw, she always facilitates her customers. “If they want fabric hats, they bring the fabric to match the costume. We make molds of the design and make the hats from the fabric,” Janoura explained.

And for the many events hosted during the Carnival season, she takes care of that too. “Some fete promoters give hats to patrons as part of their all-inclusive package, so they come in and order their hats.” But she doesn’t just cater to the needs of the wholesale buyers. “Anyone can just walk in and buy anything, wholesale or retail. “A lot of people come in for big hats to shade the sun on Carnival Monday and Tuesday too,” with women straw hats being the biggest seller. However, unlike a fair share of Trinbagonians, Janoura understands that there is life before and after Carnival, and structures her business accordingly. In addition, there’s a need for hats at Ash Wednesday cool downs at beaches across the country, Easter follows the season of revelry. “We do a lot of hats for Easter. There are the Easter bonnet parades and church services.”