Arts & Culture
Kirkland Bodie: If standing up for Bahamian Culture is treasonous, then I am guilty
By Kirkland Bodie
Jan 30, 2015 - 5:19:57 AM

Thank you, Mr. Leslie Miller.

My Lovely Bahamian people, I am as much a threat to my homeland as a fire under a nice pot of crab soup and dough boy. My loyalty is to my country and its culture.

No, this is not a political issue; this is a Bahamian Culture issue, an issue of us investing in us, instead of a foreign entity. The word treason is being bantered about, if standing up for Bahamian Culture is treasonous, then I am guilty. If holding on to what myself and countless others who have toiled and sacrificed to uphold is treasonous, then again I am guilty. But I don’t think I am. What I do think is treasonous, is taking nine million dollars of the taxpayer’s money and investing it in Trinidad’s soca music, costumes and customs – to further dilute our Bahamian Culture. To me, that is treasonous! To try and bring down your own for wanting to preserve us is scummy, just because some high and mighty people want to sell some foreign idea at the detriment of our culture?

For at least three quarters of my life, I have written songs documenting, glorifying, and exposing us as a people to the world. And like other great writers here in The Bahamas, we all want to leave a footprint behind of who we were and are as a people. I continue to stand up for Bahamian artists, even when they themselves said nothing. So when someone says (I am) taking something away from the artist, that is a lie.

In fact, over the Christmas, a gang of Trinidadian artists were brought in to perform while The Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival CD artisans got none of the work. How does that help them? Are they playing the Junkanoo Carnival CD at these so called ‘Fetes‘?

We need to stop selling out. We have a great product, in Rake ‘n’ Scrape, Junkanoo and Goombay – which can all be made into separate festivals – if we would only believe in our own and our abilities. I am standing up and fighting for present and future artisans; get it right.

I have given my time and life, and the Bahamian people have always shown me love. They have supported me through my music, my writings, and my performances. In fact, me and the Bahamian people have a symbiotic relationship; I lift them up and they hold me up, and it is still going on to this day. That is why the other side is losing this argument.

On the streets, the Junkanooers are upset, on the ground the musicians are upset; believe me – I get the calls. I will speak up for the land where I was born and its culture. I am sure an American or any other nationality would do the same for his or her country,

If y’all don’t want to save yours, “das ya business”. I come from strong stock; you don’t piss on our heads and tell us it rainin’. I speak truth to power, so ya can’t faze me. You know how long I have been screaming “Bahamian Culture” on stage? Everyone has an opinion, and this is mine.

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