J'ouvert
Pronounced /JOO-vay/nounCarnival
Meaning
The pre-dawn street party that opens Carnival, starting in the dark hours of Carnival Monday (from 4am). Revellers play 'dutty mas' in mud, paint, oil, cocoa, powder and old clothes, chipping through the streets behind music trucks until the sun is up. Traditional characters like blue devils and jab jabs come out too.
Wear old clothes for J'ouvert, you coming home in mud and paint.
Where it comes from
French Creole, from French 'jour ouvert', 'daybreak' or 'the opening of the day'.
Used in
- HistoryCanboulay: The Cane Fires and the 1881 Riots That Made Carnival
- HistoryJ'ouvert in Trinidad: Meaning, History and How to Play
- HistoryThe Origins of Trinidad Carnival: From Plantation Balls to a National Festival
- GuideFlights to Trinidad for Carnival
- GuideGetting Around Trinidad and Tobago at Carnival
- GuideIs Trinidad Carnival Safe? Safety Tips for Carnival 2027
Sources
- Discover Trinidad & Tobago: Trinidad Carnival 2026, what you need to know
- Caribbean Beat: Happenings, March/April 2011
- Soca News: What is J'Ouvert? The Caribbean Carnival tradition explained
- National Carnival Commission: Calendar of Carnival Events 2026 (PDF)
Last verified 3 October 2026. Spotted something wrong? Send a correction.