Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 22/Jan 03:00

Spreading a good virus

THE SECOND Conference of the Regional Committee of Caribbean Cultural and Intellectual Workers was held in Trinidad in 1984. At this gathering, George Lamming delivered an address, and defined "culture": “The first and essential meaning of culture is, therefore, the means whereby men and women feed themselves, clothe and shelter themselves; the means whereby they achieve and reproduce their material existence.” It is accurate but an eye-opener for those possessing narrow definitions of culture. One of our most anticipated cultural events is Carnival. The origin of Carnival is rooted in our region’s past. It is an expression of culture that blends song, dance, costumes, revelry, pomp and presentation. Across the Caribbean and abroad, it has spread like a good cultural virus. It is celebrated under different names. Nonetheless, there is one common goal: the expression of a cultural diversity and cross-culturalism among its participants. It is well-known that this extravaganza known as Carnival has a global impact. Wayne Berkeley, in 1999, a bandleader in Trinidad and Tobago, believed that every year there are 75 carnivals and, with the exception of Venice, Germany, Brazil and New Orleans, these are “spin-offs of Trinidad Carnival.” In the US there are elaborate and expanding carnival celebrations. Philip Scher in a chapter titled From the Metropole to the Equator: Carnival Consciousness between New York and Trinidad, noted that in New York the Carnival has become a major symbol in the development of a “Trinidadian transnation.” Similarly, Christine Ho examined the Miami carnival and argued that Trinidadians produced cultural symbols which represented West Indianness. She felt a social position of uniqueness was created via boundary-defining rituals. Carnival in Miami has been viewed as an opportunity to promote unity. Public cultural activities among migrant communities are important in their collective self-representation. Percy Hintzern, in Globalisation and Diasporic Identity among West Indians, argued that West Indians in the San Francisco Bay area in northern California belonged to a high socio-economic category. He believed West Indians in that area conformed to the racist notions of being “exotic, hypersexual, fun-loving and given to bacchanalian excesses.” At the beginning of the 21st century, it was increasingly obvious that carnival in the US was no longer a “marginalised festival” celebrated by a minority population. In 20th century Europe, carnival was also transformative. The well-known Notting Hill Carnival celebrations in the United Kingdom began in 1958 when Claudia Jones, an Afro-Trinidadian activist and writer, organised a Trini-style Mardi Gras at St Pancras Town Hall. One of the prominent individuals involved in Notting Hill was Lawrence Hill, a Trinidadian who migrated to London in 1959. He believed that carnival created a togetherness among West Indians and placed TT’s culture on the map. Today, the celebrations in Notting Hill is considered the largest in Europe. The well-known annual Caribana Festival in Toronto began in 1967 as a community heritage project to recognise Canada’s centenary. Caribana, a version of Trinidad’s annual Carnival, attracts not only Caribbean-born people, but other ethnic groups who enjoy the jovial atmosphere with its music, food and costumed characters. The involvement of ethnic minorities in Caribana is evident in the creation of costumes, cuisine and diversity of music. Cecil Foster, a Barbadian novelist residing in Toronto, in A Place Called Heaven: The Meaning of Being Black in Canada, described Caribana as the “best spiritual tonic for the social and spiritual alienation so many of us feel in Canada, including so many of us born and raised in this country.” These contagious celebrations are not limited to North America and England. The Caribbean diaspora has been faithfully introducing, participating and continuing carnival activities across the globe. An illustration is Marlon Singh, a Trinidadian who, in 2005, produced versions of Trinidad Carnival in Hong Kong and Honduras. Also, since the 1990s, Trinidadians/Tobagonians have also been promoting carnival in Ghana, South Africa and Australia. Likewise, in neighbouring Caribbean countries as Grenada, Jamaica and Barbados, carnival is also celebrated, though at different times throughout the year. The presence of carnival globally cannot be challenged. There has been an increasing participation among the Caribbean diaspora and also foreign audiences. This is cultural diplomacy as both sides are influenced in the process. For carnival to reach its full potential and contribute to a government’s foreign policy, governments require a deeper understanding of its potential and possibilities. In this regard, funding, less bureaucracy and an appropriate cultural framework can best deliver on the intended goals of this global festival. The post Spreading a good virus appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.