About Mas
Provocation
Mas as a process or mechanism — something we have been, and continuously practising and experimenting with, in our own Caribbean ecosystem for centuries — is a metaphorical space to innovate joy.
The term is short for masquerade; but close etymologically to mass, which can imply a religious tradition, but also a gathering (a festival or feast) of differences. Scientifically, it relates to matter or an intrinsic property of a body (ex. kilogram, inertia, gravity). In biological terms, we can refer to mass as an accumulation of cells. Or geographically, to land mass. Más, in Spanish, directly translates to “more”... These varied meanings, particularly in the Caribbean, imply an ongoing and emergent relationship to “many”.
“We are not islands, but a mountain range that connects rhythm, soul, body, folded diaspora, atmosphere, expression … not singular nor contained. Like the Caribbean, our existence is a series of interconnected events, evidenced through soil, seeds, precious metals, scattered stones across the ocean floor, stolen artifacts, displaced lands, exiled people, and unexplored imaginaries. It is in reclaiming these obscured histories that we continue to experience, cultivate, learn, produce, nurture, and grow into being.” (Architect Magazine, 2023)
Mas in the masquerade sense, is a mirror of Caribbean society. A reflection of — culture, history, community, arts, environment, politics, identity, current affairs, and economies. There is reverence given to the masman or mas-maker, one who practises the Carnival art-form. Mas is synonymous with making, but also playing. It’s alive in phrases like “make mas” and “play mas”, or compliments like “Dat [that] is mas!” or “Mama, dis [this] is mas.” Simple expressions that activate the Caribbean imaginary — in individuals, families, neighbourhoods, communities, cities, and ecosystems. Mas connects people with places, and gives agency.
The MasCamp website/app is a proposed digital infrastructure or platform for future mas-makers to activate their communities, and enable/support innovative ecosystems and making cultures in the Caribbean.The platform advocates for the use of Carnival, more popularly known as mas, as the building blocks for designing a digital playground in the Caribbean. It biases the mas-makers in the process, for the value and qualities as builders, and the ethics that they bring to the table — generosity, self-determination, playfulness, relationships, and collaboration. Mas offers a story from which to ask why.
If the Caribbean is defined by the sea it is named, then its mas and/or mass have barely scratched the surface — meaning our understanding of the region. The 21st century yields powerful technologies that enable new discoveries and cooperation — AI, blockchain, decentralised manufacturing, tiktok, and open source. How do we think about and apply these technologies in the context of the Caribbean? Are they useful?
“The real problem of humanity is the following: We have Palaeolithic emotions, medieval institutions and god-like technology . . . ” —Edward O. Wilson
Digital tools like MasCamp aim to empower mas-makers and communities around the Caribbean to build, collaborate, and network on many small projects — becoming of this region — and in the spirit of mas. Be it Caribbean innovations (ex. go-karts and stilts), street vendor mapping (ex. sno-cone, coconuts, or doubles), crowdfunding, small island surveys, or climate datasets. Our ability to respond en massedigitally — corresponds to how well we make/play mas at home; with each other; and as Caribbean citizens with ideas and tools.
Mas as a “space to innovate joy” is the ethos of MasCamp. It leaves the door open to see who walks in and what can be made together.