Like the medicinal bush it’s named after, Zebapique Productions continues to offer healing, but through mas.
The East Port of Spain-based band, which unites young people from 24 communities, officially launched its 2026 Carnival presentation on Sunday.
The band, which won the 2025 Junior Parade of Bands – Large Band Category with “Yuh Ever See,” hopes to once again be a remedy for social divides, using creativity as the cure.
Their offering for 2026, “Through de Years,” is in commemoration of their 20th anniversary and will comprise 20 sections.
Band leader of Zebapique Productions, Andrew Alleng, said though the band has won five competitions, their real win is unity.
“We have united 24 areas in East Port of Spain which people consider high-risk, but we consider high-performance because of what we do every year as regards bringing them together and not only bring them together but there are children and adults who would not have been able to come together but here at Jurawan Terrace, today, you will see areas represented as we present our costumes.”
He said while the band is marking 20 years of masquerading, they’re also celebrating 15 years of partnership with the Inter-Agency Task Force’s Hearts and Minds Programme.
Superintendent Ramsook of the IATF said the band is proof of what positive engagement can achieve.
“This initiative, thus far, has proved to be very successful. All the stakeholders could be assured of the TTPS continued support. The children of the various communities come together in a safe environment where they interact, they talk, they laugh, they have fun, and they design and create these mas bands. And this seems to eliminate the borders and the separation in many communities across the TTPS and the country. So I want to assure all persons that you will continue to have our full support for the future of this programme.”
Also supporting the band’s 2026 journey is Republic Bank Limited.
RBL representative Robert Soverall said: “We have been partnering with Zebapique Productions and the Inter-Agency Task Force of the Police Service of Trinidad and Tobago since 2017 through our Power to Make a Difference Programme. We have been partnering with Zebapique and we have already been seeing lots of success. Last year, Zebapique placed first in all of the competitions they participated in, and we are extremely proud and happy to be partnering with them.”
As the band gets ready for Carnival 2026, Mr. Alleng said Zebapique Productions is more than a spectacle — it’s a symbol of unity, pride, and purpose.