THE CITY COULD BURN DOWN WE JAMMIN‟ STILL!
The history and tradition of cultural resistance in the art, music, masquerade and politics of the Caribbean Carnival
by Michael La Rose
Greetings from London and the Notting Hill Carnival!
For over 40 years in London. I have been a Caribbean Carnival spectator, mas‟ player, on the road DJ and sound system operator, Carnival administrator, mas‟ band leader and designer, author and a Carnival educational and cultural events promoter.
I have had the privilege of working and meeting exceptional people from the Caribbean Carnival movement and its diaspora. They are totally committed to the art we produce. From Mas and Steel pan, to Kaiso and Soca. They have pride, energy and relentless commitment to the aim of establishing Caribbean Carnival arts in its rightful place in the world. This also includes you attendees of this conference over the last two days.
I have also been lucky to be present at key moments in the history of the struggle for the Notting Hill Carnival in 1973, 1975, 1976, 1988 and 1989, 1991 and 1992. The Caribbean Carnival‟s art and culture is something people have fought and struggled for. That has been my experience and it is likely that this is a global experience looking at Caribbean Carnivals all over the world.
Before I start my presentation, I want to bring you good news and bad news.
First, the BAD news. The leadership of Notting Hill Carnival the London Notting Hill Carnival Enterprise Trust (LNHCET), is about to capitulate to pressure from the authorities in London to appoint “a professional” to run the Carnival. That appointed person is likely to have no Caribbean Carnival expertise or experience and will be imposed on the Carnival as the authorities will pay their wages. Those that pay the piper call the tune. Secondly LNHCET and the mas bands are about to allow the authorities to charge and collect £10 or, according to the Evening Standard newspaper, up to £50 to enter the Notting Hill Carnival. LNHCET hope that these same authorities who have been aggressively anti-Carnival for many, many years will give the Carnival some of the money they have collected. Incredible! My presentation today will look at how we got here and will record the real history of the struggle for the Notting Hill Carnival.
© Michael La Rose May 2017
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