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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
The Junkanoo Carnival issue has surely created a major discussion in our capital (won’t say in our country...‘cause dis whole ting, as is most tings, really is about Nassau).
Even though the majority of the points made, especially from the artists, are valid and well founded, I think we are still leaving out a lot of the pertinent things that need discussing.
Sadly, we will have to accept that if only for this one time, Junkanoo Carnival will happen and the designated streets in Nassau will have big trucks blaring Soca music with 'bands' dressed in Carnival costumes.
With that said, we need to accept the fact that a large number of our Bahamian citizens have not visited or participated in Trinidad’s Carnival although they have been inundated with new Soca music every year and have been trained in the accompanying lingo: ‘wave ya flag and rag’, ‘fetes’, ‘playing mas’, etc.
So the introduction of Carnival here is a wonderful thing for that segment of our population.
If we take note of the fetes that are happening: Powder Fete, Foam Fete, etc., we would see the crowds that are participating and also note that 99.99% of the music played is imported Soca music. Notwithstanding the fact that the Carnival Commission created a CD made of songs by local artists which we were told that this is the music that will be the played and promoted for ‘our’ Junkanoo Carnival.
That’s another discussion for another day.
But with that as a backdrop, with $9 million dollars allocated for the development and promotion of the Carnival, when all is said and done, will we be any better Culturally or Artistically at the end of it all??
Let’s accept that we probably have the WORST National Arts Centre in the region...... Let’s accept that we have not even defined our own music... (still calling it BAHAMIAN MUSIC)..... Let’s accept that we do not teach the works of our local musicians in our schools...... Let’s accept that we do not have a PROPER Ministry of Culture...... Let’s accept that we do NOT have a person in our leadership who understands or speak properly on the behalf of the local Artists..... Let’s accept that we continue to allow Junkanoo music to deteriorate..... Let’s accept that NO real money has ever been put into the development of The Rake ‘n’ Scrape Festival and other local indigenous Festivals..... Let’s accept that the traditional Rake ‘n’ Scrape is becoming a thing of the past.... Let’s accept that we do NOT want to pay our local musicians what they are worth but are willing ALWAYS to pay top dollar to foreigners...... Let’s accept that Joseph Spence's grave is unkempt and I'm certain that none of or political leaders or the majority of our Carnival Commission leaders even know where his grave is...... Let’s accept that we do not have a proper Native Revue in the ENTIRE COUNTRY........ (breathing)............
Does anyone remember the success of Junkanoo In June? Isn’t this Carnival thingy a lil bit like the same????
Yet we are putting all this focus on this thing called Junkanoo Carnival... being reminded that we threw in the name ‘Junkanoo’ after the uproar from the artists.
I’m reminded of a time when we used to have a regular season for our actors and playwrights at the Dundas, which was culminated with the DANSA awards which was our very own Oscar Awards....
Yet we ‘give away’ Icon Awards and Cacique awards like candy while doing very little research to find out the persons on whose shoulders we stand on.....again das anudda topic for anudda day.
There is a Biblical story about building a house on the sand...and while we are carrying on the discussion about the Carnival...(which is only a by-product of the lack of focus on our very own Culture), let us not continue to develop our Culture on a foundation of sand or quick sand.
Let’s take a deep breath, and encourage our leaders to take a page out of the Barbados book – where they have a National Cultural Foundation (www.ncf.bb) – and develop our very own body that’s operated and managed by the PROFESSIONALS in the industry and stop the bleeding NOW and develop our country...and preserve our rich heritage.
There is soooooooo much that we have to celebrate and to sell to the world that it will surprise us. Actually, I keep learning new things everyday about our entertainment and cultural history.
The Junkanoo Carnival is a huge mistake in my opinion and we are missing a huge opportunity to put Nine Million Dollars to work for our own benefit. When this few days of Soca Dancing is done, we will still have the worse National Arts Centre in the region and we still won't have a properly organised Arts program for the development of our youth.
I'm Jus' Sayin.
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