John Edwin Mason: Documentary, Motorsports, Photo History

"One Love, Ghoema Beat: Inside the Cape Town Carnival"

I've created a website for my book, One Love, Ghoema Beat: Inside the Cape Town Carnival. It's published, in South Africa, by Random House Struik and, elsewhere, by the University of Virginia Press. An audio/video preview of the book is the star attraction on the site. You can read a... Read more →

Preview: "One Love, Ghoema Beat: Inside the Cape Town Carnival"

Update, 12 May 2010: "One Love, Ghoema Beat: Inside the Cape Town Carnival" is now available from any South African bookstore. The North American edition is on its way. My new book, One Love, Ghoema Beat: Inside the Cape Town Carnival, will be in bookstores in South Africa and the... Read more →

Cape Town Carnival 2010, Part 3: Portraits of the Fabulous Woodstock Starlites

We're well into the second week of the Cape Town New Year's Carnival. I spent last Saturday with the Fabulous Woodstock Starlites, one of the champions of 2009's carnival and a favorite to win, again, this year. I've been photographing the Starlites for the last three carnival seasons, as part... Read more →

Cape Town Carnival 2010, Part 2: DieTweede Nuwe Jaar

Most people think that the minstrel troupes' great parade through central Cape Town, South Africa, on die Tweede Nuwe Jaar [Second New Year, January 2nd] is the be-all and end-all of the New Year's Carnival. And why wouldn't they -- it's absolutely spectacular. (All photos copyright John Edwin Mason, 2010.... Read more →

Cape Town New Year's Carnival FAQ

I've just added a Cape Town New Year's Carnival Frequently Asked Question page to this site. You'll see a link on the right side of the screen or you can just click here to read it. Surprisingly little research has been done on the Cape Town Carnival, especially compared to... Read more →

Cape Town New Year's Carnival: The Fabulous Woodstock Starlites, Part 2

The choir of the Fabulous Woodstock Starlites was only days away from its first competition of the Carnival season, when my camera and I stopped by their rented rehearsal hall, in late last December. The energy and passion in the room were almost overwhelming. So was the beauty of the... Read more →

Cape Town New Year's Carnival: The Fabulous Woodstock Starlites, Part 1

The most impressive thing about the Fabulous Woodstock Starlites is their spirit, their esprit de corps. (Like many Carnival troupes, the Starlites take part of their name from the neighborhood in which their klopskamer [clubhouse] is located. Woodstock is an historic neighborhood near downtown Cape Town.) If you spend any... Read more →